It's championship week for Michigan high school basketball teams, as eight schools remain alive in each class. T

he action tips off tonight with quarterfinal battles being played out at sights all across the state.

Following is a breakdown of the four quarterfinal matchups in each Class:

LANSING EASTERN: GRAND RAPIDS FOREST HILLS CENTRAL vs ANN ARBOR PIONEER: If there is a Cinderella in Class A the Rangers of Forest Hills Central fit the bill. A young team that completed the regular season with a 13-7 record, the Rangers heated up in the district and regionals with some timely shooting from beyond the three-point arc. Pioneer has hung around the fringe of the top ten in Class A this season and outlasted Holt in the Lansing Sexton regional.

PICK: Ann-Arbor Pioneer.

UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT MERCY: DETROIT REDFORD vs DETROIT OSBORN: It is a match-up of the most publicized player in the Detroit Public School league in University of Michigan recruit Corperryale Harris and one of the most underrated players in the PSL in Osborn senior guard Dejuan Plummer. The difference in the game will come down to the supporting casts and Plummer has some underrated mates who will make the difference.

PICK: Detroit Osborn.

UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT MERCY: WARREN DELASALLE vs PONTIAC NORTHERN: The Huskies of Northern ended the season for Kalin Lucas and Orchard Lake St. Mary's in the regional finals and Tim Williams & Co. are prepared to do the same to the last Detroit Catholic League team still alive. Northern is as athletic as any team in the state and that talent will spell the difference.

SAGINAW VALLEY STATE: SAGINAW vs CLARKSTON: This will be the game of the night in Class A.

While the Trojans of Saginaw are loaded and the odds-on favorite to win the state title, Clarkston is the type of well-coached team with outstanding defense that can pull the one-game upset in a tournament setting.

It will be no secret that Saginaw will pound the ball inside to Josh Southern and Draymond Green. How effectively the Wolves of Clarkston defend the paint will be key. Expect Clarkston to make the most of every possession and keep the game close.

PICK: Saginaw.

HOPE COLLEGE: STEVENSVILLE-LAKESHORE vs HUDSONVILLE UNITY CHRISTIAN: The Lancers of Lakeshore dodged a huge bullet in last Friday's regional title game against Rocky Weaver and Battle Creek Harper Creek in the regional final. The Lancers needed overtime to pull out the win after a dramatic last-second shot tied the game in regulation. The Lancers will have their work cut out for them against a Unity team that has been rolling of late. The Crusaders don't look imposing but are a tough-minded team that excels at defense and rebounding.

PICK: Unity Christian.

FERNDALE: DETROIT SOUTHWESTERN vs DETROIT COUNTRY DAY: The last time the Prospectors of Southwestern made this much noise in the tournament Perry Watson was on the bench.

Southwestern just missed making the PSL playoff and have been a determined team in the playoffs. Southwestern took out Chelsea by 14 points in the regional final and are rolling. Rolling into a Country Day team that has been as battled tested as any team in Michigan. The Yellowjackets and standout guard Darnell Brown defeated PSL powers Renaissance and Crockett in the regional and are looking to make it three in a row against the PSL.

PICK: Detroit Country Day.

FRANKENMUTH: FLINT SOUTHWESTERN vs BRIDGEPORT: This may be the most entertaining game in the entire state. Southwestern junior guard Anthony Crater and his teammates dominated the regional at Imlay City after clipping Flint Powers in the district final. Southwestern better have its shoes on tight against a Bridgeport team that will have no fear and is used to playing in the Frankenmuth gym. Bridgeport has the athletes, like guard Jeremy Sewell and forward Josh Barnes, to keep up with Southwestern and then some.

PICK: Flint Southwestern.

HOUGHTEN LAKE: EAST GRAND RAPIDS vs MANISTEE: The Grady Bunch of East Grand Rapids survived a wicked regional at Coopersville last week. First, the Pioneers held off a determined Muskegon Heights squad that almost completed a stunning comeback.

In the regional final against Cedar Springs the Pioneers outlasted Cedar Springs in a double-overtime thriller and overcame a super effort from Michigan State walk-on commit Austin Thornton who rang up 40 points. Manistee is the Cinderella team of Class B and the clock strikes midnight.

PICK: East Grand Rapids.

BATTLE CREEK CENTRAL: KALAMAZOO CHRISTIAN vs HANOVER HORTON: The Comets are on a mission and look unstoppable. Christian dismantled a talented Bridgman team in the regional finals by 23 points. Hanover-Horton, located in southwest Jackson County, has made a habit of reaching the Class C quarters. An efficient team the plays good defense and is sound on offense, this group of Comets just doesn't have the wattage of the Kalamazoo version.

PICK: Kalamazoo Christian.

NEW BALTIMORE ANCHOR BAY: DETROIT COMMUNITY vs SAGINAW NOUVEL: This should be the premier game in Class C. Nouvel has faced plenty of challenges this season and is as battle-tested as anyone in Class C.

Senior Tim Ryan leads the way for Nouvel. Nouvel will need a big effort in the paint against talented sophomore James Still (6-foot-8).

Chase Simon, however, makes Community go and Nouvel must devise a plan to slow him down. Detroit Community defeated Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard in the Clawson regional last week and is looking to subdue another prominent Catholic school.

PICK: Detroit Community.

ALMA: BATH vs GRAND RAPIDS NORTHPOINTE CHRISTIAN: The alma-mater of SpartanMag's Paul Konyndyk, NorthPointe was then called Baptist Academy back in the day when Konyndyk lit up the fairways for the Academy's state-ranked golf team and spent as much of his time in detention as he did on the driving range.

This year's NorthPointe team is led by a hulking center, who facially resembles Chris Kaman, who incidentally played in the same league as NorthPointe. The best big men tonight (6-6 Kody Koxx and 6-7 Eli Redman), however, will be on the Bath side of the floor.

PICK: Bath.

CHEBOYGAN: CHARLEVOIX vs HOUGHTON: It will be the showdown of the North Country in Class C with Houghton making the long trip cross peninsula and to the tip of the mitt. That trip may in vain, however, as Charlevoix and senior Mitch Crandall will be too much to overcome.

PICK: Charlevoix.

WEBBERVILLE: JACKSON CHRISTIAN vs WYOMING TRI-UNITY: The game of the night in Class D features the most dominant Class D program in the state, Tri-unity, against an outstanding program that has enjoyed a breakout year, Jackson Christian.

The Royals, who have an outstanding point guard just like the old Cincinnati Royals back in the day, are a senior laden-squad that survived a power-packed regional at Hillsdale.

Jackson Christian got over long-time rival Lenawee Christian and then held off Michigan State recruit Durrell Summers and Redford Covenant Christian. The hurdles keep coming at the Royals as Tri-unity is a tight-knit squad that has been molded by the fire of playing against top Class A and B competition in the Grand Rapids area.

PICK: Jackson Christian.

SOUTHFIELD LATHRUP: STERLING HEIGHTS PARKWAY CHRISTIAN vs KINGSTON: Undefeated Kingston has been dominating the Thumb all season. The Cardinals then survived a tough test against Fowler in the regional finals and features plenty of size for a Class D school. Parkway Christian has been making a name for itself and a win against Kingston would put them on the Class D map for good.

PICK: Kingston.

TRAVERSE CITY WEST: MT. PLEASANT SACRED HEART vs BELLAIRE: Football, basketball or baseball, Sacred Heart always comes to play and play well. Sacred Heart looked state-champion worthy at the Cadillac regional last week as they defeated Muskegon Western Michigan Christian and Bear lake in impressive fashion.

Bellaire is the cream of the crop from Northwest Michigan led by 6-5 senior Michael McClarry. This game will be a barn-burner and you can bet Bellaire will have plenty of fans making the short trip to TC West.

PICK: Sacred Heart.

MARQUETTE: CEDARVILLE vs CRYSTAL FALLS FOREST PARK: Can a good defense beat a great offense?

That is the crux of this contest. Forest Park plays solid defense as attested by their 49-34 regional title win against Painesdale-Jeffers. Can Forest Park slow down Cedarville?

Unlikely.

Cedarville has a number of players who can fill it up and in their two regional wins last week Cedarville put up a total of 191 points.

PICK: Cedarville.