Auburn Hills, Lathrup Village

Avondale has hung right with, contended for OAA Red title in first year

By Mike Moore
C & G Sports Writer

» Click on image to view full size « Photo by Nicholas Barry Despite a loss to Lathrup on Feb. 10, the Avondale basketball team still had an outside chance at an OAA Red title. The girls are also hosting a district, in which they play to content for the title. Picture is Avondale’s Hannah Little. Photo by Nicholas Barry Despite a loss to Lathrup on Feb. 10, the Avondale basketball team still had an outside chance at an OAA Red title. The girls are also hosting a district, in which they play to content for the title. Picture is Avondale’s Hannah Little.

LATHRUP VILLAGE — He sat calmly and alone at the end of the bench, joined only by his thoughts and observations as he took in the second half of the junior varsity game between the Auburn Hills Avondale girls basketball team and Lathrup Village Southfield-Lathrup.

Asked how he was doing, Dave Muczynski just smiled, replying, “ask me again in a couple hours.”

The Avondale varsity coach would lead his team against Lathrup later that night, an eventual 48-33 loss Feb. 10 he and his girls desperately needed to stay in the hunt for an Oakland Activities Association Red Division title.

The setback certainly didn’t eliminate the Yellow Jackets, who are 8-3 in league play and one game behind a Clarkston High (9-2) team they split the season series with, but it took control out of their hands, forcing other teams to assist if a division title is to be realized.

But division crown or not, Muczynski knows this season has already been something special, and something few outside the program could have possibly seen coming.

After all, when looking up and down the Red Division roster, Avondale is the new kid on the block, but one that arrived with a swagger.

Avondale won six of its first seven division games; falling to Clarkston 41-40 was the lone loss. A veteran and deep lineup added to the hot start, and the added experience now gained has kept the Yellow Jackets near the top.

“It’s more aggressive and more physical than I think we expected, but we expected to be right in the mix for all this,” senior Yasmin Williams said. “We’re a group that’s played together for a few years now. There’s great chemistry here.”

“Longevity with one another is priceless,” Muczynski said. “Let’s face it, this group of seniors has been within the program for four years now. They know how we do things and the way practice runs and so on. They understand what I expect and recognize the importance of what we’re doing.”

Muczynski guided Avondale to a 14-0 record and OAA White crown last season.

“Moving up to the Red has definitely been a learning process,” he said. “But the girls are learning to play every game the way you have to in this league.”

Making Avondale even more dangerous is the way the team has won.

It’s got its star players, like senior Hannah Little, who’s averaging nearly 16 points per game, but can also dip into the bench for key defenders or a girl who can step in to pull down a few rebounds when needed.

“There’s a lot of spunk on this team,” Williams said. “We came into the season wanting it all.”

Only time will tell whether a Red Division title is in the future for the girls.

Clarkston would have to lose one of its final three games against Rochester Hills Stoney Creek, North Farmington or Troy High, while Lathrup would have to lose to North Farmington, West Bloomfield High or Stoney Creek. In addition, Avondale would sweep its final three against Troy, Pontiac High and West Bloomfield to forge a tie in the final standings.

However the regular season ends, though, Muczynski knows his squad will be ready to go when the district tournament kicks off. Avondale, 11-5 overall, is hosting the event and starts with a 5:30 p.m. tip against Troy Athens (1-15) Feb. 27.

The winner faces Troy at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 29.

“We talk about a district title, especially this year where we get to host it,” Muczynski said. “It’s something we hope to be successful at, and with the schedule we’ve played, we feel like we can play with anyone. We’ll be ready to go for whatever there is to go after.”

You can reach C & G Sports Writer Mike Moore at mmoore@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1038.