Sports reporter Brandon Folsom names Hometown Life’s All-Area boys basketball team for this past season.

Reminder: HTL covers teams in Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Canton, Commerce Twp., Farmington, Farmington Hills, Garden City, Livonia, Milford, Northville, Novi, Plymouth, Redford, South Lyon, Wayne, Westland, White Lake and Wixom.

Folsom’s past Player of the Year winners:

2021-22: Ryan Hurst, North Farmington

2022-23: Ryan Hurst, North Farmington

FIRST TEAM

Tyler Spratt and Landon Williams, North Farmington

Co-Players of the Year

This dynamic duo has been foundational to the run the Raiders have enjoyed the past four years. They’ve won back-to-back OAA-Red titles, a Farmington Public Schools-record three-straight district championships, a regional title and played in the state finals at the Breslin Center. Whatever you want to call Spratt (Cleveland State) and Williams (Niagara University) — Mario and Luigi, Bert and Ernie, whatever — they have been two of the most important players to come through the program since North Farmington’s last state finals appearance since 2016 and they will be missed.

Carlos Medlock Jr., Wayne Memorial

Few players have the will to win quite like Medlock Jr., arguably the best sophomore in Michigan. This 6-foot shooting guard always knocks down jumpers in clutch moments, puts his body on his line while driving to the hoop to earn trips to the free-throw line and just absolutely refuses to lose.

Warren Marshall, Brother Rice

It’s time to let out a secret of mine: This Oakland University signee has been my favorite player to cover over the past three years. While Marshall’s game speaks for itself, it’s the type of young man he is off the court that makes him incredibly special. I’ve seen Marshall at more games for other teams than the ones the Warriors were actually playing in, and I always see Brother Rice at least five or six times a season. His sense of community and the way he supports others is next level. I’ve seen him everywhere from Novi High School to Redford Westfield Prep and every place in between.

Joshua Gibson, Birmingham Groves

I don’t think any player improved as much as Gibson did between his sophomore and junior seasons, which is saying something because this shooting guard was already one of the best in the OAA as an underclassman. My favorite attribute of his is how he rises to the challenge. The tougher the game, the more locked in he plays. And that makes him almost unguardable from the 3-point line and when attacking the basket.

Uchenna Amene, Detroit Catholic Central

One of my favorite ball-dominant point guards to watch, this 1,000-point career scorer walked into a tough situation and became one of the best in the Catholic League. Imagine leaving Division 4 powerhouse Southfield Christian for CC? Going from a big fish in a small pond to playing in the top basketball conference in the state is no joke, but he pulled it off.

Rob Smith, North Farmington

This point guard was already an All-OAA player at Oak Park. After transferring to North Farmington before his senior season, he got even better. The Raiders don’t get to the state finals without his consistent play in the backcourt. Plus, his heady defensive effort always came in handy when his team tried to close out a tight game. For a one-and-done, they don’t get any better than Smith.

Bradley Eziuka, Canton

This Kalamazoo College signee was a consummate leader and someone you wanted to have the ball in their hands with the game on the line. Eziuka has been selfless throughout his career, whether that’s being a role player offensively while older players take a bulk of the shots or playing in the post in times of need despite being one of the best shooting guards in the KLAA.

TJ Nadeau II, Detroit Catholic Central

After injury sidelined this shooting guard for most of his junior season, I was eager to see how he’d bounce back for his senior season. His swan song didn’t disappoint. He looked just as dominant as he did as a sophomore during the Shamrocks’ run to the state quarterfinal, plus his improved strength and size (6-foot-5, 195 pounds) took his game to the next level. A word of advice to any colleges facing him: Don’t leave him wide open at the 3-point line.

Mark Stein, Livonia Stevenson

One question I can’t get answered: Why is this 1,000-point career scorer so criminally underrated and underrecruited? Almost every shot Stein has made over the past two seasons has required him to sprint around screens and fight through defender after defender. The only easy baskets he’s gotten have come from layups and, well, that means his heads-up defense is allowing him to take steals the defense.

Christian Fontaine, Lutheran Westland

One of the state’s best-kept secrets is this shooting guard, who is hiding at a tiny Christian school on Cowan Road. There’s no way a Division II college wouldn’t be helped by this 1,000-point scorer. Despite being on the lighter size, there’s not a double team he can’t fight through for a catch-and-shoot jumper. c

Carson Lutz, Milford

I (stupidly) thought to myself before the season started: Yeah, there’s no way Milford can replace Calvin University stud Sam Lewis. Haha. While this point guard has an entirely different skill set than Lewis, he has all the hard work and effort inside him. What a gamer. He’s definitely a player I’d want to have the ball when a game is on the line.

Cameron Crosby, South Lyon East

And they tell me he’s a better tennis player than basketball star. What a treat it was watching all 6-foot-5 of him gallop like a deer down the floor in transition and throw down a one-handed dunk. Losing a star like Jake Fannon to graduation is hard to overcome, but Crosby did his best and exceeded in doing so.

Jake Nellett, Walled Lake Central

If you want to win 20 games in a single season as well as the Lakes Valley Conference, you need a player like Nellett, who is the complete package. He averaged almost 15 points per game thanks to his ability to get to the rim, knock down contested jumpers and use his athleticism to get past the competition. He had two of the best guards in the league, and he used them expertly to get open for looks.

Graham Braun, South Lyon

He had an injury not kept this junior out of the lineup early in the season, who knows just how great the Lions could’ve been? There are very few big men with his skill set. He can handle the ball, knock down jumpers and, most importantly, battle anyone in the post with his 6-foot-7 body. He should be one of the best big men in all of Oakland County as a senior.

Ryan Peters, Salem

This 1,000-point career scorer is the hardest-working player I’ve covered over the past 4 years. If you don’t believe me, just troll through his Twitter timeline and see just how many individual camps and showcases he attended. The endless hours of improvement made him an elite scorer and someone who I couldn’t take my eyes off.

Todd Negoshian, North Farmington (coach)

The best way to describe Negoshian (and his father, Tom) is hard-working and humble. It’s not an accident the Raiders got to the state championship. Sure, they had four of the best players in the state. But Negoshian and his staff left no stone unturned. They scouted everyone and everywhere. I saw his assistants at KLAA games, and I saw him scouting in Redford and Livonia. After games, he was watching live streams of his next opponent. Negoshian isn’t just rolling out the ball and playing on game day. He’s always working behind the scenes.

Steve Brooks, Wayne Memorial (coach)

The third-year coach should be the envy of all his colleagues around the state. His roster is chalked full of some of the best underclassmen out there, including sophomores Carlos Medlock Jr. and Jaylohn Allen. Helping the Zebras win their first district title since 2019 and play for a regional championship is only the beginning for Brooks, who spent 18 years at Ypsilanti Community before taking over Wayne Memorial.

SECOND TEAM

Dylan Smith, North Farmington

Greg Grays, Farmington

John Simpson, Birmingham Groves

Dyoni Edwards, Bloomfield Hills

Jaylohn Allen, Wayne Memorial

Mitchell Cronyn, Livonia Franklin

Robbie Wynn, Livonia Franklin

Dylan McGlinch, Livonia Stevenson

Elijah Williams, Brother Rice

Luke Salkowski, Brother Rice

Devin Lee, Detroit Catholic Central

Jalen Clark, Westland John Glenn

Chase LeFevre, Novi

Aaron Lauer, Novi

Devon Pettus, Canton

Amare Slaughter-Taylor, Redford Union

Xavier Moore, Redford Thurston

Kyle Ohlsson, Westland Hope Christian Academy

Dylan Beasley, Plymouth Christian Academy

Vish Das, Walled Lake Central

Nick Hopkins, Walled Lake Central

Anthony Hutter, Milford

Marc West, Birmingham Groves (coach)

Tory Jackson, Detroit Catholic Central (coach)

THIRD TEAM

David Williams, Brother Rice

Paul Hubbard, Birmingham Groves

Da’Ron Mason, Bloomfield Hills

Austin Tory, Wayne Memorial

John Toth, Livonia Stevenson

John Ericson, Livonia Stevenson

Kam Webster, Livonia Franklin

Boden Fernsler, Novi

Brendan Lynch, Novi

Nate Imbuzerio, Northville

Idrys Cotton, Plymouth

Zack Jones, Plymouth

Mitch Robillard, Salem

Teddy Winstel, Canton

Caleb Williams, Canton

Nicholas Warren, Redford Thurston

Matthew Davis, Livonia Clarenceville

Ray Weber, Plymouth Christian Academy

Will Claypool, Bloomfield Hills Roeper

Jacob Drouillard, Birmingham Seaholm

Nsikan Usen, White Lake Lakeland

Grant Jagacki, South Lyon East

Jimmy Reddy, Canton (coach)

Rick Palmer, Brother Rice (coach)

HONORABLE MENTION

Moussa Sidme, Wayne Memorial

Landon McKinney, Birmingham Groves

Trevor Smith, Brother Rice

Brayden White, Westland John Glenn

Bryce White, Westland John Glenn

Jayden Fergin, Livonia Churchill

Kaden Kuban, Northville

Tommy Veresh, Salem

Asher Suardini, Detroit Catholic Central

Christian Cast, Detroit Country Day

Jaylin Boggon, Canton Prep

Quentin McCullough, Canton Prep

Jalen Shazer, Canton Prep

Charles Knuckles, Redford Union

Gavin Bobbitt, Redford Union

Michael Myles, Redford Union

Kayden Turner, Redford Union

Conor Field, Bloomfield Hills Roeper

Alexi Simecek, Bloomfield Hills Roeper

Nathan Rooker, Lutheran Westland

Brady Myer, South Lyon

Owen Stark, Milford

Jimmy “Buckets” Stevenson, Milford

Chuck Spolsky, Walled Lake Central (coach)

Jeff Schmitz, South Lyon (coach)

Ryan Zinser, Bloomfield Hills Roeper (coach)

SPECIAL MENTION

Abraham Rooks, Wayne Memorial

Terrell Gibson, Westland John Glenn

Kent Hill, Westland John Glenn

Levi Florence, Livonia Churchill

Isaac Iacoban, Livonia Stevenson

Mendale Broaden, Livonia Franklin

Jon Jasionowski, Livonia Franklin

Chad Carney, Northville

Alexander Persinger, Canton

Mack Swafford, Plymouth

Lucas Porter, Plymouth

Henry Snee, Cranbrook

Jacob Speller, Cranbrook

Onimisi Sadiq, Detroit Catholic Central

Sam Howard, Detroit Catholic Central

James Pitts, Redford Westfield Prep

James Keyes, Redford Westfield Prep

Ethan Hiett, Garden City

Jeremiah Robinson, Redford Thurston

Nathan Thompson, Redford Thurston

Jaiden Smith, Redford Thurston

Daniel Winston III, Redford Thurston

Landon Huserau, Novi Christian Academy

Adam Merritt, Novi Christian Academy

Sam Salinas, Bloomfield Hills Roeper

Nathan Yabobe, Lutheran Westland

Jayden Means, Lutheran Westland

Alvaro Revuelta, Westland Hope Christian Academy

Benny Lemke, Westland Hope Christian Academy

Aiden Sexton, Plymouth Christian Academy

Micah Lavigne, Plymouth Christian Academy

Sam Poobalan, Plymouth Christian Academy

Elijah Craig, Livonia Clarenceville

Avery Fitzpatrick, Livonia Clarenceville

Brandon Brown, Birmingham Groves

Brody Tushman, Birmingham Groves

Finlay Sparby, Birmingham Seaholm

Santino Ruma, Birmingham Seaholm

Max Laskey, Birmingham Seaholm

Phil Muhammad, Bloomfield Hills

Carter Hartfield, Bloomfield Hills

Anthony Agbay, Bloomfield Hills

Vincent Lee, North Farmington

DJ Morgan, North Farmington

Nathan Cody, Walled Lake Central

Justin Holmes, Walled Lake Central

Joey Andrews, South Lyon East

Braden Fox, South Lyon

Evan McRoberts, South Lyon

CJ Nash, Canton Prep

James Gay, Canton Prep

Chris Housey, Novi (coach)

Brian Bates, Redford Thurston (coach)

Brandon Folsom covers high school sports in metro Detroit for Hometown Life. Follow him on Twitter @folsombrandonj.