Basketball Game Preview: Berkley Bears vs. Rochester Falcons

Berkley is 8-2 against Rochester since February of 2019 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Friday. The Berkley Bears will face off against the Rochester Falcons at 7:00 p.m. Both come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.

Berkley is headed in fresh off scoring the most points they have all season. They were the clear victor by a 72-50 margin over Oakside Prep Academy on Wednesday. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest win the Bears have posted since December 6, 2024.

Evan Haenick

Steals

02/12/25 vs Oakside Prep Academy	4
01/07/25 vs University	3
12/29/24 vs American International Academy	3
02/04/25 vs Stoney Creek	2
01/30/25 @ Southfield Arts & Tech	1
+ 4 more games

Berkley got their victory on the backs of several key players, but it was Evan Haenick out in front who posted 13 points along with five assists and four steals. Haenick is becoming a predictor of Berkley's success: when he posts at least three steals the team is 2-1 (and 2-13 when he doesn't). Another player making a difference was Jacob Friedman, who went 5-for-9 on his way to 13 points and four blocks.

Haenick wasn't the only one working in the assist department: Berkley was working as a unit and finished the game with 17 assists. That's the most assists they've posted since back in December of 2024.

Meanwhile, Rochester earned a 48-35 win over Utica on Tuesday. Given the Falcons' advantage in MaxPreps' Michigan basketball rankings (they are ranked 171st, while the Chieftains are ranked 470th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.

Rochester pushed their record up to 14-6 with the victory, which was their fifth straight on the road. The wins came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 52.2 points over those games. As for Berkley, their record now sits at 4-14.

Berkley came up short against Rochester in their previous matchup back in January, falling 60-54. Can Berkley avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.