Last week, the Huron vs. Pioneer boys and girls basketball games gave us a look at the best of the Southeastern Conference Red Division. Huron swept a doubleheader at the Riverdome and put itself firmly in control of both division races.

The boys SEC White Division lead goes up for grabs Friday when Ypsilanti plays at Chelsea. Dexter could re-enter the discussion later in the year, but until center Dave LaMore is 100-percent healthy again and/or the Dreadnaughts beat one of the aforementioned teams, this is a two-team race.

Ypsilanti (9-0, 5-0) is unbeaten and the fast start has garnered the Phoenix enough state-wide attention to earn them six votes in the latest Associated Press Class A poll. Chelsea (8-1, 4-1) is ranked No. 10 in Class B. Its only loss came against Huron, No. 3 in Class A.

Rankings and records aside, anyone who has seen these teams play would probably pick Ypsilanti in a heartbeat based purely on height and style of play. The Phoenix have eight players 6-foot-3 or taller, average 69 points and have a superstar-in-the-making in junior Tristan Simmons, who is as pure of a scorer as this area has to offer.

Simmons, a 6-4 guard, can hit the outside shot or pull-up jumper, slash in the lane, finish at the hoop and slam it home when needed.

The ying to Simmons’ yang is Mamadou Ba, who plays bigger than his 6-6 frame and can bring the house down with authoritative dunks.

Chelsea averages close to 62 points, albeit in a less “sexy” manner with balanced scoring from Patrick Roberts (12.1 points), Charlie McCalla (10.8), Jake Steinhauer (8.9) and Mason Borders (8.7). The Bulldogs can put up the points to more than just hang around with Ypsilanti.

What does come up often in discussions of basketball in this area is the coaching in the SEC, known for preparation and sound execution of set plays. Though Ypsilanti won the SEC White in its first year after leaving the defunct Michigan Mega Conference, Brooks has opined that the SEC is tougher night-to-night because “all the SEC teams do a great job of scouting what you do and preparing for you.”

Coach Robin Raymond’s Chelsea squad will no doubt be prepared for the Phoenix and need look no further than Saline and Dexter’s defensive blueprints to slow them down. In those games, Dexter and Saline were able to clog up the lanes and Ypsilanti often settled for outside jumpers, which Brooks admits is his team’s weakness.

Ypsilanti was held well under its average in both of those contests, but it should be noted that it found a way to win both, which is as valuable an asset as an outside jumper sometimes. Ypsilanti, 54-52.

Below are some more Friday night predictions. Make your own picks by participating in the interactive polls:

BOYS

Huron at Saline: David Hendrickson has led Saline in scoring in all but one game this year and put up 30-plus in Saline’s last two games. Huron, by contrast, has had five different players lead the team in scoring on different nights. Balance makes the world go round. Huron, 68-52.

Pioneer at Temperance Bedford: The matchup between Bedford’s 6-foot-7 sophomore center Jackson Lamb and Pioneer’s 6-foot-6 James Kelly makes a lengthy trip south worthwhile. Lamb doesn’t have much of a supporting cast, though. Pioneer, 55-51.

Skyline at Monroe: Monroe found its shooting touch late against Lincoln on Tuesday, but after a home win over Bedford last Friday and at Adrian - no easy place to play - on Tuesday, it seems Skyline is getting this SEC thing down. Skyline, 65-59.

Central Academy at Taylor Trillium: Sami Shalabi has been a double-double machine for the Falcons down low and is averaging 19.9 points. Trillium doesn’t have anyone to match his 6-foot-6 size or skill set. Central Academy, 60-53.

GIRLS

Saline at Huron: Huron took control of the SEC Red with a win over Pioneer last Friday, while the Hornets are losers of two straight. Huron, 65-45.

Ypsilanti at Chelsea: Chelsea won by three when the teams met in December, a game in which the Phoenix were an uncharacteristic 7-of-18 (39 percent) from the free-throw line. Ypsilanti has made 53 of 103 (51.5 percent) free throws since and 34 of 50 (68 percent) in its last two. Ypsilanti, 44-43.

Bedford at Pioneer: This is an easy pick if you just remember that Pioneer won the first time they played. What will make you go cross-eyed is the fact that Bedford has beaten Huron, Huron has beaten Pioneer, and Saline (which lost to a Monroe team that lost to Pioneer and Huron) has beaten Bedford. Pioneer 61-52.

Madison Heights Bishop Foley at Father Gabriel Richard: On Tuesday, the Fighting Irish avenged their worst loss of the season by beating Pontiac Notre Dame Prep. Foley beat Richard less than a week after Notre Dame Prep did. The revenge tour continues. Gabriel Richard, 43-36.

Tecumseh at Dexter: Tecumseh hasn’t won a game yet this year and Dexter won’t want to be its first, especially not in front of a home crowd. Dexter, 50-31.

Season record: Pete’s Picks: 30-11 (.732); Readers: 31-10 (.756). Last Week: Pete’s picks: 6-3 (.667) Readers: 6-3 (.667)

Pete Cunningham covers sports for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at petercunningham@annarbor.com or by phone at 734-623-2561. Follow him on Twitter @petcunningham.

Other Washtenaw County high school basketball games (Start time 7 p.m. unless noted)

BOYS GAMES

TODAY Greenhills at Newport Lutheran South Westland Huron Valley Lutheran at Washtenaw Christian

FRIDAY Father Gabriel Richard at Warren De LaSalle, 7:30 p.m. Lincoln at Adrian Rudolf Steiner at Battle Creek Calhoun Christian, 7:30 p.m. Milan at Monroe Jefferson Whitmore Lake at Sand Creek Manchester at Vandercook Lake Westland Huron Valley Lutheran at Calvary Christian

GIRLS GAMES

TODAY New Boston Huron at Milan Grass Lake at Manchester Westland Huron Valley Lutheran at Saline Washtenaw Christian, 5:30 p.m.

FRIDAY Monroe at Skyline Adrian at Lincoln Ottawa Lake Whiteford at Whitmore Lake Rudolf Steiner at Battle Creek Calhoun Christian, 7:30 p.m. Westland Huron Valley Lutheran at Calvary Christian, 6 p.m.