Dion Harris, the Mr. Basketball from Detroit Redford who will play at Michigan, and Brandon Cotton, the McDonald's all-American from Detroit DePorres who will play at Michigan State, will be two of the best freshmen guards in America this winter.

But who is the better of the two? Breaking down two great basketball players.

COUNTENANCE

Both these guys play with full confidence. On the court, Harris is concentrating, if sometimes bemused, whereas Cotton is earnest and dogged. BC wants to prove himself every time he touches the ball. He’s totally focused; Dion’s head is in what South Lyon coach Daren Clayton always talks about, the big picture. So if on the outside it looks like he’s drifting, don’t’ be fooled. Harris is the kid who had the audacity to take a scrimmage -- albeit a “sold out” scrimmage in Ohio against Sooner-heavy Columbus Brookhaven -- as a scrimmage.

I give Dion credit for sacrificing his momentary basketball reputation -- though not his game -- to junior national team trials and summer school rather than running the AAU circuit the summer before his senior year. He had played across the country every weekend from April to September, who knows, Harris might have been a McDonald’s all-American. But a partial qualifying all-American? Who knows, but it worked out right. And since he got his name out there with USA Basketball, Dion will get invited to tryout for national teams throughout his college career, so that’s a bonus. Beat those filthy Euros!

He hasn’t lost a lot, but I have seen Dion take it in three big games. The first was a 2001 regional final against Mackenzie. Harris had taken over in crunch time. “Every time I see that [kid] play, he scores nine points in the last two minutes,” the guy beside us said. But Redford lost, on a 35-foot buzzer bank shot by Darryl Garrett, then a Stags freshman. For a half-second -- though it seemed like 10 minutes -- the Fordson gym was quiet. Pandemonium then, Garrett passing out, Dion shaking his head, a rueful smile.

Next loss, the 2002 Class A state final against Pontiac Northern. The Oakland County Huskies ran out the dogs from the D, as Lester Abram and Derrick Ponder won their second-straight title. Dion did not take over.

Then the silliest, in Cleveland this past January, on the LeBron James Sacrificial Lamb Tour, Redford lost to Akron SVSM for the fourth time in four years. Dion got off that court so fast ...

Cotton’s biggest loss was the 2002 Catholic League championship against Warren De La Salle. DePorres down three, BC was fouled on a last second, desperation three-pointer. No time on the clock, the Calihan Hall court empty but for him and the ref, Cotton sunk the first two, missed the third. He cried.

• Advantage: Harris

SCORING

Cotton’s game has been compared to Iverson’s because they are both explosive guards who dominate the ball. BC can put the ball in the hole, buddy. Play him tight, lay-up. Play off him, three-pointer. Simple, really. If you’re in the 99th percentile of that sort of thing.

Harris put up big points his senior year, too, but isn’t in Cotton’s class as a volume shooter. Or, as a shooter; he releases his shot too far left. He’s had some bad shooting games. God, some bad ones. But, some great ones, too. Dion is crafty getting his shot off, and drawing fouls, with the drive. He’s more explosive than some might think, and will score at the rim (few saw it, but he crammed on Arizona’s Kirk Walters at last summer’s MSU team camp). Harris is just a selective dunker.

• Advantage: Cotton

DEFENSE

Cotton ... what? Harris .. he’s played it for four years already. Ever seen Redford’s scores? The Huskies get down on that end. Dion hustles the whole floor, getting his hands on balls because he both anticipates and recovers well. He can play full court trapping; half court help; cover one-on-one. This is where Harris’ hoops smarts are so evident and why he’ll play from day one at Michigan.

• Advantage: Harris

TEAM PLAY

One of the difficulties Cotton encountered when playing with the Family -- while solidifying himself as a McDonald’s all-American -- was that his teammates would stop moving on offense, content to stand and watch BC pull off some crazy stuff. And score, more than likely. What impressed me this past season was that DePorres was playing “normal” basketball, with multiple scoring options thanks to Charles Harris and Radayl Richardson. That was good enough for league and state championships.

Dion is a very unselfish player. He’s also a perfectionist, which is why his mortal teammates can frustrate him. In college, though, who is he going to browbeat? Not Lester, Horton or Graham, certainly. Probably that tennis player from Massachusetts. Or Amadou. Or, subtly, Bernard, Jr.

• Advantage: Even

HEAD GAME

Harris is a cold-hearted assassin. His game is calculated, efficient and remorseless. Bob the Nailer.

Cotton is competitive and driven. He’s also more worried about the outside world. BC has a posse of sycophants, whereas Dion is more liable to roll solo, or kick it with his REACH homies.

Cotton is so competitive, he really has it out for Dion. He knows Harris’ stats. He’s pissed Harris won Mr. Basketball. He’s pissed Harris’ damn face was always on the Bank. Dion as Archers of Loaf? Dion as Captain America? Dion as Bird, Pippen and Kareem (Masonic 33s)? The Bank, which once had Brandon ranked below Byron Davis? He’s out to prove he’s the best. Brandon Cotton is driven and dangerous.

There was a rumor that MSU didn’t have much of a chance for Harris, because he didn’t want to play for a screaming coach and, hell, Izzo spazzes out in games against the Globetrotters. But don’t interpret this as Dion being soft or uncoachable. He’s used to criticism. Just check how often Redford’s coach actually praised him in the newspapers. Compared to the usually softball prep coverage, with Harris his flaws were out there and widely circulated in the media. Doug Karsch, the Free Press, Internet monkeys, there were all on his ass. I doubt he cared.

•Advantage: Even

BUILT TO SPILL

No reason for concern about either guy getting by physically in the Big Ten. Harris continues to get stronger, and at a legit 6’4” can play big guard in any college conference. Cotton is more wiry, and gets nicked up a big more, but his kid is rugged, like Iverson. In the state AAU tournament the spring of his junior year, Cotton sliced up his wrist dunking at some other gym between games. He came back the next day to play in the final, even dunking with his injured hand.’

•Advantage: Even

MOTOR CITY INK

Both players have the Olde English “D” on their arms. Harris’ is Eminem style, while BC’s is on his bicep. However, Cotton doesn’t stop there, as he continues to rep his hometown, “Detroit Rock City,” etc.

•Advantage: Cotton