Warren

Utica Ford II at GPS girls hoops tilt highlights Jan. 22 MAC matchups

By Jason Carmel Davis
C & G Sports Writer

» click to enlarge « Photo by Sean Work The Grosse Pointe South girls basketball team looks to take over first place in the MAC Red when it takes on Utica Ford II at 7 p.m. Jan. 22 at South. Pictured is South senior forward Claire DeBoer. Photo by Sean Work The Grosse Pointe South girls basketball team looks to take over first place in the MAC Red when it takes on Utica Ford II at 7 p.m. Jan. 22 at South. Pictured is South senior forward Claire DeBoer.

First place in the Macomb Area Conference Red Division will be on the line when the Utica Ford II girls basketball squad hits the road to face Grosse Pointe South at 7 p.m. Jan. 22. The matchup between the Falcons and Blue Devils highlights the C & G list of spotlight games for Jan. 22.

Ford II enters the contest with a record of 11-0, 4-0 in the MAC Red Division. South is also 4-0 in league play, but has an overall record of 11-1. The Falcons finished last in the Red last season, while the Blue Devils won the Blue on their way to a spot in the Michigan High School Athletic Association Class A state finals.

The teams are very evenly matched. Ford II nets 54.5 points per game, while South scores 54.0. Both teams sport defenses that are in the top 10 in the 36-team MAC in points allowed. The Falcons' 33.4 points allowed per game puts them fifth in the MAC. The Blue Devils 36.9 points allowed per game is good for seventh.

Another big game on the girls side features Madison Heights Lamphere and St. Clair Shores South Lake, as they battle for first place in the MAC Silver.

Game time is set for 7 p.m. Jan. 22.

The Cavaliers are all alone in first place at 5-0 in league play. The Rams are a game out at 4-1. Overall, South Lake and Lamphere have marks of 5-4 and 6-5, respectively.

The Rams enter the showdown sporting one of the stingier defenses in the MAC. Lamphere's 36.9 points allowed per game average ties the Rams with Grosse Pointe South for seventh best in the conference. South Lake (52.8 points per game) scores 15.9 points per game more than Lamphere allowed.

Lakeview/Clintondale highlights boys matchups

With two-time defending champion Clawson now in the MAC Gold, St. Clair Shores Lakeview and Clinton Township Clintondale are battling to see which team will carry the torch in the MAC Silver.

The two teams are slated to meet at 7 p.m. Jan. 22 at Clintondale.

The Dragons enter the contest at 6-3, 4-0 MAC Silver. The Huskies will hit the floor with a mark of 8-1, 4-1 MAC Silver after dropping their first game of the season in a 46-42 loss to Marysville Jan. 17.

At 38.3 points allowed per game, Lakeview sports the tightest defense in the conference. Clintondale (51.7) scores 14.4 points more per game than the Huskies give up. The Dragons' defense (51.7 points allowed per game) gives up 8.1 points less than Lakeview (59.8) tallies.

Warren Lincoln could jump into a first-place tie in the MAC Gold with a win at Warren Woods Tower. Game time is set for 7 p.m. Jan. 22 at Tower.

The Titans (3-0, 7-2 overall) are currently all alone at the top of the Gold. The Abes (2-1, 6-3 overall) sit a game out of the top spot.

Something has to give in this matchup, as Lincoln's seventh-ranked offense (60.2 ppg) goes against Tower's fifth-ranked D (46.3 points allowed per game).

For all of the day's matchups in the MAC, check http://macombmac.misd.net/.

You can reach C & G Sports Writer Jason Carmel Davis at jdavis@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1107. Follow Jason Carmel on Twitter.