The Detroit Pistons aren’t the only metro Detroit team sitting on top of the basketball standings so far this season.
The Schoolcraft Men’s Basketball team is having an extraordinary start to the season as well, with a 10-1 record, demonstrating dominant performances throughout their non-conference schedule.
The team has stacked up wins against their first ten opponents (Hocking College, Clark State College, Delta College, Kalamazoo Valley Community College, Owens Community College, Lansing Community College, Monroe Community College and Cuyahoga Community College and Delta College twice each). The only loss has come against SUNY Niagara on Dec. 14.
With this strong start, the Ocelots have exhibited to be a powerhouse in the MCCAA Eastern Conference Division, proving to be a consistent squad with a solid defense and an effective offense, a necessary combination for the team’s success.
A Defense without Gaps
In this eight-game stretch, starting from the first Delta College matchup (84-65) on Nov. 15, the Ocelots demonstrated impressive consistency, holding opponents below 67 points in five of the eight games.
The highlights of this defensive dominance sequence include the wins against Kalamazoo Valley Community College (84-60) on Nov. 22, with a 24-point difference, and Owens Community College (84-61) on Nov. 25, with a 23-point difference.
This offensive competence and defensive focus ensured the team won by margins of 16 points or more in 5 of the last 8 games. Individual contribution, focusing on collective victory, remains one of the keys to maintaining the momentum. During the week of Nov. 24-30, forward Rael Cochran was the offensive standout, named the MCCAA Eastern Conference Player of the Week after averaging 17.5 points and converting nearly 70% of his field goals, including a 24-point performance in the victory over Owens Community College.
The Paint Game
While most victories have been dominant for the Ocelots, the clash against Lansing Community College (71-64) on Dec. 6 served as a crucial test of character. In a tighter game, which both teams expected to be a major showdown, the Ocelots dominated the paint, which proved decisive for the win.
Forwards J’Vohn Walker and Tyler Robinson logged double-doubles, with their work on the boards being a major highlight: 14 rebounds apiece, contributing 28 of the Ocelots’ 50 total rebounds, compared to just 36 for Lansing. Robinson also added 6 blocks on defense, while Walker and guard Amir Perryman shared the scoring lead with 19 points each. These individual executions have led to the team’s success being secured with the victory against an opponent with the same objectives as the Ocelots.
Thunderwolves Holiday Classic
On Saturday, Dec. 13, the Ocelots extended their perfect streak with a hard-fought 76-70 overtime victory against sixth-ranked Monroe Community College.
However, the perfect 10-game winning streak came to an end on Sunday (Dec. 14) with a 79-69 loss to the home team, SUNY Niagara.
Despite the loss, the weekend demonstrates that the Ocelots can compete with the best teams in the national ranking and highlighted the consistency of their key players, as well as further praising the good work that has been done by the Ocelots. This weekend, it is worth highlighting the performance of forward J’Vohn Walker, who had an important performance in both games, scoring 20 points against Monroe and 19 points against SUNY Niagara, in addition to being present in the paint for rebounds.
Final Games Before Winter Break
The 10-1 campaign sets a high standard and establishes the Ocelots as the team to beat, which may generate different types of pressure in the pursuit of results. On the road to the final, losses may occur, but it’s important to learn from them and maintain focus on what matters. The team demonstrates various qualities in both the offensive and defensive sectors, and work will certainly continue both on and off the court in the pursuit of the established goals.
To close out the games before the Winter Break, the Ocelots have two home matchups:
Wednesday , December 17 vs. Kirtland Community College at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, December 20 vs. Southwestern Michigan at 3:00 p.m.
The goal is clear: seek victory to maintain the lead and keep the momentum going for the next half of the season, which restarts on Jan. 7, 2026, away against Richard J. Daley College.
