ESPN RISE

Great State Debate bracket

It happened again this week as No. 5 Michigan bounced No. 4 Pennsylvania, capturing 52.5 percent of the fan voting in the ESPN RISE debate over which is the best state for high school basketball.

While Pennsylvania relies heavily on Philadelphia for its high school clout, Michigan boasts hoops hotbeds like Detroit, Flint, East Lansing, Saginaw and Benton Harbor.

Michigan basketball is arguably better outside of Detroit. Case in point: Lansing is the hometown of the state's greatest player, legendary point guard Earvin "Magic" Johnson. Johnson averaged 25.8 points per game throughout his prep career at Everett High School from 1974 through 1977.

Fans of the state's most successful programs will have to vote in full force next week when Michigan advances to a tough semifinal bracket matchup against No. 1 seed New York.

Pennsylvania, meanwhile, joins Indiana, Kentucky and New Jersey as states that were ousted in the round of eight. The states of Georgia, North Carolina, Texas and Virginia were voted out during the prelims.

After next week's contest between No. 1 New York and No. 5 Michigan, the other semifinal, between No. 2 Illinois and No. 3 California, will be held the following week.

And if you're wondering how to compare this Great State Debate in basketball to the one in football, the No. 5 win over No. 4 in the first round was the only vote in football that went against the seedings.

All-time best Michigan players
Shane Battier (Detroit Country Day, Birmingham)
Derrick Coleman (Northern, Detroit)
Mel Daniels (Pershing, Detroit)
Dave DeBusschere (Austin Catholic, Detroit)
George Gervin (Martin Luther King, Detroit)
Spencer Haywood (Pershing, Detroit)
Earvin "Magic" Johnson (Everett, Lansing)
Antoine Joubert (Southwestern, Detroit)
Chris Kaman (Tri-Unity Christian, Wyoming)
Dan Majerle (Traverse City)
Glen Rice (Northwestern, Flint)
Jason Richardson (Arthur Hill, Saginaw)
Jalen Rose (Southwestern, Detroit)
Steve Smith (Pershing, Detroit)
Ralph Simpson (Pershing, Detroit)
Rudy Tomjanovich (Hamtramck)
Chet Walker (Benton Harbor)
Chris Webber (Detroit Country Day, Beverly Hills)

Top five current Michigan players
(Based on ESPNU Scouts Inc. recruiting rankings)
1. DaShonte Riley (Detroit Country Day) 6-foot-11, senior
2. Donnavan Kirk (Detroit Country Day) 6-8, senior
3. Derrick Nix (Pershing, Detroit) 6-9, senior
4. Ray McCallum (Detroit Country Day) 6-1, junior
5. Trey Ziegler (Mount Pleasant) 6-5, junior

Top current Michigan teams
(Based on ESPN RISE FAB 50)
1. Detroit Country Day (Beverly Hills)
2. Pershing (Detroit)
3. Clarkston
4. Southeastern (Detroit)