Ryan Hurst began his 2023 Mr. Basketball campaign early by putting on a clinic in the big-game playmaking department last Friday night in North Farmington’s 77-54 clobbering of Livonia Stevenson in a Division 1 district final hosted by the Raiders.
The high-octane, broad-shouldered Hurst ripped the nets for 36 points in less than three quarters of action, torching Stevenson (12-10) at every turn. His eight triples tied a school record. He had 25 points in the first half.
“The kid couldn’t miss, he was on fire the whole night,” North Farmington head coach Todd Negoshian said.
The last North Farmington Mr. Basketball candidate was five years ago in 2017 when Amauri Hardy (UNLV-Oregon) finished fifth in the vote.
“I have a never-say-die mentality; I want to make an impact on every possession,” Hurst said.
Hurst (6-foot-2) transferred to North Farmington back in the summer from West Bloomfield and is thriving in his new system. The offensive outbursts like the one he delivered in the district championship game have become his trademark. Although he looks like a football player, he glides, shoots and finishes at the rim with the best around in the MHSAA on the basketball floor. He is averaging 23 points and five rebounds per contest, tied with 2022 Mr. Basketball candidate and Loyola-bound swingman Treyvon Lewis (Ferndale) for the county scoring title.
Negoshian, who was a prolific scorer out of the backcourt himself as a prepster at Walled Lake Central in the 1990s, knows Hurst’s ability to score the ball is special.
“Ryan can score in a variety of ways, that sets him apart. … And he’s smart, he knows how to think the game, he’s three, four steps ahead of his defenders in his head,” he said.
North Farmington (17-3) faces CHSL champ Orchard Lake St. Mary’s in the regional semifinals Monday at Detroit Renaissance.
Hoping To Hoop
Rochester Adams’ 6-2 senior combo guard Justice Mims committed to Hope College right before he played for a title. Mims and Adams won a district crown last Friday by beating Lake Orion 52-46. Mims locked down his spot at Hope Thursday afternoon. He logs 12 points, four rebounds and three assists per contest.
Tweet of the Week
“It’s about how you finish.” — North Farmington head boys basketball coach Todd Negoshian.
