Breakdown -- Chances are, we're going to see a more that motivated James Young on Tuesday night, which is bad news for Southeastern. After being snubbed in the Mr. Basketball voting where he finished in 3rd place, Young might be out to make a statement on Tuesday night. Look for the Kentucky-bound star to put up a monstrous double-double, but don't forget about Arben Camaj, the second half of the Rochester front-court duo to have a big game as well as the majority of Southeastern's attention will be turned to Young throughout the game. Southeastern made it look easy in its first three postseason games and had just enough to outlast L'Anse Creuse North in the regional final, but Rochester will be the toughest test of the postseason for the Jungaleers.
X-Factor(s) -- Manny Mendoza/Mike Murri -- Rochester
Everybody knows about Rochester's ability to score and who are the top scorers for the Falcons, but Mendoza and Murri are two of the best defensive stoppers you're going to find in the tournament. Both are capable to scoring in double figures on just about any night, and they could do that on Tuesday night, but what will be the difference in the game will be the defensive play from Mendoza and Murri, should help limit a strong scoring attack from Southeastern.
Why Rochester Will Win: It's pretty simple, if Young and Camaj can continue to be double-double machines in the post for the Falcons, then it'd be pretty hard to imagine Rochester losing. If they can make life tough inside for Southeastern, Rochester will be making its first trip to the quarterfinals since 1950 a memorable one.
Everybody knows about Rochester's ability to score and who are the top scorers for the Falcons, but Mendoza and Murri are two of the best defensive stoppers you're going to find in the tournament. Both are capable to scoring in double figures on just about any night, and they could do that on Tuesday night, but what will be the difference in the game will be the defensive play from Mendoza and Murri, should help limit a strong scoring attack from Southeastern.
Why Rochester Will Win: It's pretty simple, if Young and Camaj can continue to be double-double machines in the post for the Falcons, then it'd be pretty hard to imagine Rochester losing. If they can make life tough inside for Southeastern, Rochester will be making its first trip to the quarterfinals since 1950 a memorable one.
PREDICTION: Rochester 64, Southeastern 60
Birmingham Detroit Country Day vs. Flint Powers Catholic
Breakdown -- This is one of the more lopsided matchups you're going to see this late in the state tournament as Flint Powers entered the postseason this year with a record of under .500, while Country Day has its record sitting at 22-3 on the season. This game should be all Country Day on Tuesday night because of the guard play as Edmund Sumner, Austin Price and Mory Diane have proven to be too much for teams to handle all season long and that shouldn't change against Flint Powers. Flint Powers has made its way to the quarterfinals for a reason, and they're not to be taken lightly on Tuesday night as they've strung together five consecutive wins to make it to this point, but as long as the Yellowjackets can continue to play like they have in recent weeks, they will be returning to the Breslin Center once again.
X-Factor(s) -- Chris Wright/Moe Ways -- Country Day
The back-court trio of Sumner, Price and Diane are the three that have and will continue to get plenty attention from opposing defenses, but Wright and Ways are just as dangerous in the post for Country Day. If Country Day can continue to get the workmanlike efforts from Wright and Ways along with Poet Thomas, the Yellowjackets will be a tough team to beat not only in the quarterfinals, but in the semifinals and finals as well.
Why Country Day Will Win: Two words: Edmond Sumner. Sumner has been on another level for the past month and it doesn't look like there's anything that can (or will) slow him down during this playoff run. Wheter it's scoring the ball, or dishing it out, Sumner has been nearly unstoppable throughout the playoffs and when he's unstoppable, so are the Yellowjackets.
The back-court trio of Sumner, Price and Diane are the three that have and will continue to get plenty attention from opposing defenses, but Wright and Ways are just as dangerous in the post for Country Day. If Country Day can continue to get the workmanlike efforts from Wright and Ways along with Poet Thomas, the Yellowjackets will be a tough team to beat not only in the quarterfinals, but in the semifinals and finals as well.
Why Country Day Will Win: Two words: Edmond Sumner. Sumner has been on another level for the past month and it doesn't look like there's anything that can (or will) slow him down during this playoff run. Wheter it's scoring the ball, or dishing it out, Sumner has been nearly unstoppable throughout the playoffs and when he's unstoppable, so are the Yellowjackets.
PREDICTION: Country Day 82, Flint Powers 66
Southfield Christian vs. Climax-Scotts
Breakdown -- A rematch of last year's Class D state title game where the Eagles beat Climax-Scotts in a blowout. This year's game should be much closer considering the fact that the Panthers will be looking for revenge after suffering a bit of an embarrassing loss in last season's championship game. A big match-up to look out for will be between Climax-Scotts 6-foot-7 forward Malachi Satterlee and Southfield Christian's Damarco White, who stands at about the same height. But the difference in this game, will be Southfield Christian guards, Bakari Evelyn and Lindsey Hunter IV, who might be the best back-court duo in all of Class D and now with junior Leonard Crosby starting to come into his own, the Eagles will be a tough team to beat in the final three games of the season.
X-Factor(s) -- Damarco White/Eugene "Marlo" Brown -- Southfield Christian
Neither of these two players were apart of Southfield Christian's state title run last season, as White was playing for Southgate Anderson, while this is Brown's freshman season. But both have played a huge role in Southfield Christian's success as they've controlled the front-court all season long, dominating on the glass, while locking down some of the best inside threats in the area. The Eagle's duo will have their hands full with Satterlee and Climax-Scotts, but if they can do just enough to limit the Panthers inside, Southfield Christian will be returning to the Breslin for a second consecutive year.
Why Southfield Christian Will Win: It's going to come down to the guard play, the back-court duo of Evelyn and Hunter IV along with Crosby should give Climax-Scotts all sorts of trouble. If that happens, look for the guards to open up the inside game for the Eagles as Brown, White and Kam Garner should make for difficult matchups all over the court because of their athleticism and ability to score inside.
PREDICTION: Southfield Christian 75, Climax-Scotts 63
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