The Baltimore area’s assault on the Final Four commences again beginning Thursday in College Park, with the area sending seven teams to the Final Four, including three favorites – Poly in 3A, New Town in 2A, and Lake Clifton in 1A, with Parkville having as good as chance as any to grab the 4A state championship.

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The area has dominated for better than a decade now, with Baltimore area teams having won 11 straight state titles in 3A (and 15 of 16), 12 straight championships in 2A, and 9 of the last 11 1A state titles.

4A State Semifinals

#13 Springbrook (22-3) v #16 Parkville (22-3)

Springbrook Darnell Myers – 6th season 105-46
Parkville Dave Czerski – 4th season 64-31

Springbrook O: 69.3 D: 53.7 PD: +15.6
Parkville O: 71.0 D: 54.4 PD: +16.6

Springbrook 1-0 v top 25, 7-1 v top 65
Parkville 1-2 v top 25, 5-3 v top 65

It may go down as the ‘Miracle on Putty Ave’. Parkville provided the fireworks for the quarterfinal round on Saturday, coming back from five points down with eight seconds to play in the first overtime to tie the game and force a second extra session, as John Godinez drained a pair of three-pointers in the final four seconds of the period, including the game-tying 35 foot bank shot at the buzzer. The Knights put that momentum to work, dominating Churchill in the second overtime, to win, 74-64, and advancing to just their second Final Four in 32 years, after going scoreless in the first two-and-a-half minutes of the first overtime, and trailing by seven. Godinez finished with 35 points.

Springbrook didn’t need those heroics when they hosted Bladensburg on Saturday, cruising to a 75-62 victory, notching their 20th Final Four berth in its program’s illustrious history. Douda Dembele scored 26 points and grabbed 16 rebounds in the win, while the Blue Devils leading scorer Marcus Davis added 18 points, hitting all 12 of his free throws, and Amare Curtis scored 17 points and dished out 6 assists.

The Knights have won 12 of their last 13 games, while the Blue Devils won their 11th straight game with their win over the Mustangs. The Knights did show mettle in their 58-55 regional final win over then #15 Mervo. The Knights suffered their three losses to New Town and Woodlawn, the Baltimore County Championship finalists, and Dulaney. The Blue Devils put together a 15 point win over Sherwood, and a 18 point victory over Blake in the regionals. The Knights average 71.1 points per game, the Blue Devils, 69.3.

Godinez is the Knights undisputed leader,with the four-year starter, who played his first two years at Pikesville, amassing 1,371 points in his scholastic career. Godinez, who was named to the All-County First Team, is averaging 19.1 points and 3.9 assists per game. Jordan Strickland, a 6’4 senior named to the All-County Third Team, gives the Knights an inside presence.

The 5-time 4A state champion Blue Devils are paced by Davis, a 6’3 senior, the 6’6 junior Dembele, and the sophomore guard, Curtis. Davis is the Blue Devils leading scorer, averaging 16.2 points per game, draining 75 three-pointers on the season. Davis has averaged 21.7 points per game in three playoff contests. Dembele averages 12.7 points per game, while Curtis adds 11.6 points per contest.

Coach Darnell Myers guided the Blue Devils to the Final Four in his first season in the first chair in 2015, before getting routed by Meade in the state semifinal. Myers was an assistant under Thomas Crowell during the Blue Devils 4A three-peat from ‘08-10, and was an assistant to John Thompson Jr in 1995, when the Hoyas advanced to the NCAA tournament. Knights Coach Dave Czerski is leading the Knights to just their second Final Four appearance in 33 years. The Knights set a program record, with 22 wins.

Springbrook

0 Marcus Davis 6’3 SR; 16.2 ppg, 75 3’s, 83.7% FT
22 Douda Dembele 6’6 JR; 12.7 ppg, 26/16 v Bladensburg
1 Amare Curtis 5’9 SO; 11.6 ppg, 17/6a v Bladensburg
2 Kam’ron Simmons 5’10 SR; 8.4 ppg
11 Isaac Lapierre 6’3 SR

Parkville

3 John Godinez 5’9 SR; 19.1/3.9a, 35 v Churchill
23 Jordan Strickland 6’4 SR; Third Team All-County
20 Darrius Tilghman 6’3 JR; key transfer from City College
25 Jayden Baker 6’4 FR; freshman has made huge strides
5 Khalil Dukes 6’3 SR
21 Malk Scipio 6’2 JR; scored 25 pts in loss to New Town

#9 Wise (20-5) v #17 Richard Montgomery (21-4)

Wise Lou Wilson 34th season overall – 713 wins
Richard Montgomery David Breslaw 8th season – 138-55, 149-66 overall

Wise O: 70.5 D: 61.9 PD: +8.6
Richard Montgomery O: 74.0 D: 60.8 PD: +13.2

Wise 2-4 v top 25, 11-5 v top 65
Richard Montgomery 0-1 v top 25, 5-3 v top 65

The Pumas finally pulled away from Annapolis in the third quarter on Saturday, thanks to PG 4A Player of the Year Trey Thomas, who sparked a Pumas 8-0 run to end the third quarter by nailing a pair of trifectas, breaking open a tie game. Thomas, a transfer from Carroll, scored 30 points in the 72-62 win. The Pumas received a gift on Thursday in the regional final, when an Eleanor Roosevelt defender tipped in a rebound for the game-winner at the buzzer, and survived and advanced. Thomas poured in 27 points in the thriller.

Richard Montgomery used a 26-10 second quarter to turn a three point deficit into a 13 point halftime lead, before putting away Arundel on Saturday, 77-55. The Rockets were led by Shaquille Samuels, who made four three-pointers and scored 20 points. Fellow juniors Kordell Lewis and Jabril Robinson both added 16 points apiece.

The Pumas are battle tested, having played six games versus top 25 competition, and have won 13 of their last 14 games. In addition to wins over the Raiders and Panthers, the Pumas beat Bowie twice, and have victories over state quarterfinalists Bladensburg and Surrattsville. The Rockets have won 10 straight games, and returning to College Park for a second time in two seasons. The Rockets lost to Broadneck, 70-57, in a 4A state semifinal last season. The Rockets rank 6th in the MPSSAA in scoring, averaging 74.0 points per game, while the Pumas average 70.5 points per game. The Pumas won the 4A state title in 2014.

Thomas, the sophomore sensation who entered this season with an offer from Rhode Island, averages 22.3 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, while senior Kajuan Frager, who was selected to the PG 4A Second Team, averages 11.5 points per game. Jalen Ruston, a 6’5 junior, averages 9.0 points and 6.6 rebounds per game, and was named to the All-League Honorable Mention Team, as was 6’1 junior Daemond Ford.

The Rockets, who survived the departure of star guard Ryan Cornish, who transferred to Sidwell Friends before his junior year this season, is led by a quartet of juniors, including Lewis, Robinson, Samuels, and Hayden Lunenfield, a perimeter threat. Lewis, who missed 11 games this season due to injury, averages 9.6 points per game, while Robinson and Samuels average 12.5 and 11 points per game, respectively. Lunenfield averages 11.4 points per contest, hitting 53 shots beyond the arc in 22 games.

Pumas Coach Lou Wilson, who has coached at Douglass, Largo, Riverdale Baptist, and Wise, has 713 wins in 34 seasons, ranking second among active coaches in the state, second only to WiHi’s legendary coach, Butch Walker. Wilson led Douglass to a Final Four in 1986, then Largo to a 4A state title in 1993. Wilson, who coached both former Duke guard Nolan Smith and NBA forward Michael Beasley at Riverdale Baptist, led the Crusaders to a Maryland Private School Championship in 2014. Coach David Breslaw led the Rockets to the Final Four last season, their first trip in 52 seasons.

Wise

1 Trey Thomas 6’3 SO; 22.3 ppg,  5.8 rpg, 37 3’s, PG 4A POY
0 Kajuan Frager 5’10 SR; 11.5 ppg, PG 4A 2nd Team
2 Daemond Ford 6’1 JR; PG 4A HM
21 Jalen Ruston 6’5 JR; 9.0 ppg, 6.6 rpg, PG 4A HM
3 Jalen Rueben 5’11 SR
20 Jaliil Farooq 6’2 JR; scored 10 in quarterfinal

Richard Montgomery

1 Kordell Lewis 6’0 JR; 9.6 ppg
3 Jabril Robinson 6’1 JR; 12.5 ppg, 40 3’s
20 Shaquille Samuels 6’4 JR; 11.0 ppg, 20 pts in quarterfinal
11 Hayden Lunenfield 5’10 JR; 11.4 ppg, 53 3’s
4 Tre Powell 6’2 SO
10 Devin Liyanamanan 6’1 SR

3A State Semifinals

#1 Poly (24-2) v #18 Northeast (22-4)

Poly Sam Brand 10th season – 191-66, 3 state tiles
Northeast Roger O’Dea 10th season – 88-124

Poly O: 74.5 D: 42.3 PD: +32.5
Northeast O: 63.8 D: 50.9 PD: +13.9

Poly 11-2 v top 25, 14-2 v top 65
Northeast 1-1 v top 25, 6-4 v top 65

“We’re ready for Poly,” Northeast Coach Roger O’Dea said. “We know that’s the mission. That’s the big mission.” This quote was taken following the Eagles impressive 64-42 county championship win over Annapolis, the program’s first victory over the Panthers in its 58 year history. Well, now is where the rubber hits the road, because the Eagles face Poly in a 3A state semifinal, and their readiness, or lack thereof, will become apparent one way or another, when the Anne Arundel County champions take on the three-time defending 3A state champions on Thursday.

Poly is on a mission, as the Engineers look to become just the fourth team, and second school (Dunbar 93-96, ‘03-06, ‘10-13) to win four straight state championships since Fairmont Heights first accomplished the feat from ‘68 through ‘71. The Engineers routed Frederick 80-43 on Saturday to win its 19th straight post-season game, staking a +37.0 point differential in their three playoff games last week, with no one coming within 30 points of the Engineers. On the season, the Engineers have averaged 74.5 points per game, sixth best in the MPSSAA, allowed just 42.3 points per contest, second in the MPSSAA, equaling a +32.2 point differential, by far the best differential in the state.

Northeast followed their first county championship game win with a 20 point victory over Easton, before needing a game-winning, buzzer-beating shot to survive Kent Island, 58-56, in their first regional final win since 1983. Jaylin Albury converted his fifth career buzzer-beating, game-winning shot in a Eagles uniform, before scoring 33 points in their 68-60 victory over Wilde Lake on Saturday,. The Eagles trailed by eight points after the first quarter on Saturday, before outscoring the Wildecats 50-24 over the next 19 minutes to play and take a insurmountable 60-44 lead, thanks to Albury, who scored 25 points in the second and third quarters. The Eagles finished 4-19 just two years ago.

Poly is led by the best ‘Big 3’ in the MPSSAA, which includes 6’7 Marquette commit Justin Lewis, Baltimore City Player of the Year Brandon Murray, and four-year varsity guard Rahim Ali. Lewis scored 27 points in the Engineers 61-44 win over Lake Clifton in the city title game, then poured in 34 points in their second win over City College this season, a 92-60 rout in the regional final, where the three-time defending champs outscored their arch rivals 55-23 over the last 16 minutes. Murray was awarded the league POY, with his signature game coming in the first meeting with the Black Knights, scoring 44 points, on 18-21 shooting, including 8-9 from beyond the arc. Murray scored 21 points in their second meeting with City College, receiving an offer from Georgetown afterward. Ali holds six D1 offers, including those from Loyola, Siena, Boise State, Wagner, and Towson.

Albury, the Eagles senior leader, averages 17 points per game, while Darryl Sheppard, a 6’4 senior, averages better than 12 points and 11 rebounds per contest, tallying 14 ‘double-doubles’ this season. Senior Trent McNeil is the Eagles top defensive performer, and contributed 6 steals in their quarterfinal win over Wilde Lake. The Eagles have gotten solid contributions from a trio of juniors, including 6’3 Travis Smoot, 6’3 Richard Stowe III, and 6’5 Stephen Haley, who hauled in 15 rebounds in the quarterfinal win over Wilde Lake. The Eagles have won nine straight games, and 13 of their last 14 contests.

Coach Sam Brand, in his 10th season at Poly, boasts a 191-66 (.743) record, and will be heading to his fifth Final Four with the Engineers. Brand would become the fourth coach in MPSSAA history to lead their team to four straight state titles, joining Fairmont Heights Kenny Freeman, who led the Hornets to titles from ‘68-71 (also ‘64 and ‘66), Dunbar’s Eric Lee, who led the Poets to titles from ‘03-06 (also ‘01), and Lee’s successor and former assistant, Cyrus Jones, who led the Poets to state championship wins from ‘10-13 (also ‘18). Coach O’Dea was an assistant at Edmondson before taking the head job at his alma mater midway through the 2010-11 season. O’Dea has led the Eagles to an all-time program best 22 wins.

Poly

10 Justin Lewis 6’7 SR; 2-time Baltimore Sun First Team All-Met
23 Brandon Murray 6’5 SR; Baltimore City League Player of the Year
11 Rahim Ali 5’11 SR; Has directed Engineers to 68 wins the last 3 years
2 Bryce Lindsay 6’0 SO; scored 18 in regional final win over City College
3 Ian Wallace 6’7 SR
12 Kwame Evans 6’8 FR; offers from Georgetown, Auburn, San Diego St., among others

Northeast

0 Jaylin Albury 5’11 SR; scored 33 in quarterfinal win over Wilde Lake
2 Darryl Sheppard 6’4 SR; 14 ‘double-doubles’ this season
10 Trent McNeil 5’10 SR
23 Travis Smoot 6’3 JR
22 Richard Stowe III 6’3 JR
25 Stephen Haley 6’5 JR

#2 St Charles (26-1) v #28 Atholton (19-7)

St Charles Brett Campbell 6th season – 101-46
Atholton Jared Albert 8th season – 116-77

St Charles O: 70.3 D: 52.1 PD: +18.2
Atholton O: 64.7 D: 56.5 PD: +8.2

St Charles 4-1 v top 25, 14-1 v top 65
Atholton 1-2 v top 25, 7-5 v top 65

St Charles has made great strides in its six year history, posting five straight winning seasons since going 6-18 in its first season, climbing ladders every year. The Spartans followed their inaugural season with a 15-9 record in its second, and 17-7 record in its third. In its fourth, in 2018, the Spartans advanced to their first SMAC title game, then followed that up with their first regional final berth last season, before falling to eventual 3A champ Poly. This season, the Spartans have risen to heights rarely seen in the SMAC, winning 26 games, while posting a 24-0 record versus MPSSAA competition.

Atholton is advancing to the Final Four for just the second time in 38 years, following three straight road wins this post-season, knocking off Oakland Mills, then Howard County champ Reservoir in the regional final, before taking out CM Wright in the quarterfinal. Only four teams of the sixteen at the Final Four had to win a road game to advance to The Dance’, and the Raiders just one of two (Wise) to win two, and the only to win three as the visitors. Howard County has sent eight teams (5 different schools – Centennial, Reservoir, Oakland Mills, River Hill) to the Final Four in the last ten seasons, and the Raiders, who finished fifth in county play, are one of four of the aforementioned to advance that did not finish among the top two in league play in the regular season, joining the 2011 Centennial Eagles, and the 2013 and 2019 Reservoir Gators.

The Spartans have gone 14-1 versus the top 65 (or its equivalent), with wins over #5 Oxon Hill, #6 Potomac, 4A state semifinalist Wise, Riverdale Baptist, and state quarterfinalist Thomas Stone, twice. The Spartans have won 21 straight games since suffering its only loss of the season, a 72-71 overtime loss to 22-5 Middleburg Academy VA in the Governors Challenge.

The Spartans overcame the departure of star Darius Miles, who transferred to IMG FL, thanks in large part to the addition of 6’7 senior Max Brooks, who came over from Great Mills, who averages 14.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.6 blocked shots per game, while shooting 58% from the floor. Tremaine Chesley , a 7’4 senior, joined Brooks on the All-SMAC First Team, voted on by the Southern Maryland Basketball Association, averaging 12.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 3.5 steals per game. Omar McGann, a 6’3 senior sharpshooter, averages 11.6 points, 4.5 assists, and 3.1 assists per game, with 45 trifectas.

Jordan Oates, the Raiders 6’4 leader, averages 17.7 points and a county-best 14.4 rebounds per game, and has drained 66 three-pointers. Raymond Brown averages 12.8 points and 2.2 assists per game, while Jabari Rankin adds 8.4 points per game. Oates scored 23 points and grabbed 17 rebounds in the Raiders quarterfinal win at CM Wright, and grabbed 17 rebounds and hit the go-ahead three-pointer in the extra session of their overtime win over Reservoir in the regional final.

Coach Brent Campbell, who has been with the Spartans since the program’s birth, has led the Spartans to a 95-28 record over the last five seasons. Coach Jared Albert is the son of longtime Raiders coach, Jim Albert, who spent 31 years as their head coach, and is the all-time winningest coach in Howard County history, with 402. The elder Albert led the Raiders to a pair of Final Four appearances, in ‘82, and 27 years later, in ‘09.

St Charles

3 Max Brooks 6’7 SR; 14.3 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 3.6 bpg, SMAC 1st Team
5 Tremaine Chesley 6’4 SR; 12.1 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 3.6 apg, 3.5 spg
13 Omar McGann 6’3 SR; 11.6 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 3.1 apg, 45 3’s
11 Amir Dade 6’0 SO; 11.8 ppg, 5.0 rpg
23 Jaiden Butler 6’6 JR; 6.3 ppg, 5.2 rrpg
12 Klayton Batten 5’10 SR; 5.7 ppg, 2.7 rpg

Atholton

33 Jordan Oates 6’4 SR; 17.7 ppg, 14.2 rpg, 66-185 3PT
1 Raymond Brown 6’0 SR; 12.8 ppg, 2.2 apg
12 Jabari Rankin 6’0 JR; 8.4 ppg, 2.2 spg
0 Devin Daniel 6’0 JR; 6.5 ppg, 2.0 apg
10 Ian Swartz 6’1 SR; 6.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 3.5 apg
5 Jack Anderson 5’11 JR; 5.4 ppg
11 Darren Miller 6’4 SR; 4.5 ppg, 3.9 rpg

2A State Semifinals

#3 New Town (24-2*) v #26 Oakdale (20-6)

New Town Derek Wise 2nd season – 44-4
Oakdale Brandon Long 2nd season – 42-11

New Town O: 74.3 D: 49.9 PD: +24.4
Oakdale O: D: PD: 69.6 D: 57.8 PD: +11.8

New Town 3-1 v top 25, 10-1 v top 65
Oakdale 0-1 v top 25, 5-6 v top 65

The New Town Titans and Oakdale Bears have been familiar faces around College Park over the last decade, with the three-time state champion Titans making their fifth Final Four appearance in nine years, and the Bears making their eighth trip to College Park in the last 8 seasons, the most appearances in the MPSSAA over that span. Only the Bears and Lake Clifton have earned more semifinal berths than the Titans in the last nine years. The Titans won the 1A title in ‘15, and the 2A championship a year later, while four of the Bears five semifinal losses have come to the eventual state champion, including a 4 point loss to Edmondson in ‘13, a 5 point loss to Oakland Mills in ‘15, and a 7 point loss to Lake Clifton in ‘18.

The Titans have won 24 of 25 games since their 58-55 season opening loss versus Edmondson, posting wins over Wise, Dulaney, Woodlawn, and 19-win Taylor Allderdice of Pittsburgh. In the post-season, the Titans have routed Pikesville by 23, Milford Mill by 22, and pulled away from Liberty, 70-50, in the quarterfinals. The Titans average 74.3 points per game, 7th best in the MPSSAA, allowing just 49.9 points per game, 5th best in the MPSSAA, with a +24.4 point differential, 2nd best in the MPSSAA.

The Bears were denied their fourth straight CMC title, losing to Linganore in the league championship game, 53-51, after knocking off the Lancers twice during the regular season. The Bears ran off Boonsboro by 30 in the regional semifinal, then won a rubber match with Middletown in the regional final, before trumping Elkton, 71-60, in the quarterfinals.

The Titans are spearheaded by 6’2 senior and Baltimore County Player of the Year Martaz Robinson, and 6’4 senior Andrew Mills, who was selected as Player of the Year in 2019. The pair of Titans stars are joined by 6’3 senior Twan Carter, who scored 20 points in the Titans in their Baltimore County title win over Woodlawn.

The Bears are led by Catholic University commit Tommy Kelly, who averages 13.7 points, 3.3 assists, and 2.3 steals per game. Jelly has averaged 19.7 points and 3.7 assists in three playoff games. Alex Hawkins, a 6’0 sophomore, averages 10.8 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. Jack McGaha, a 6’0 senior, averages 9.3 points per game, and has drilled 45 three-pointers.

Titans Coach Derek Wise was an assistant to Mike Daniel, when the Hall of Fame coach led the Titans to state titles in ‘15 and ‘16. Wise was manned Baltimore County Coach of the Tear this season. Oakdale Coach Brandon Long was an assistant under Terry Connelly, who led the Bears to four state semifinal appearances.

New Town

3 Martaz Robinson 6’2 SR; Baltimore County Player of the Year
33 Andrew Mills 6’4 SR; ‘19 Baltimore County Player of the Year
2 Twan Carter 6’3 SR; scored 20 in league title game
4 Stephen Marcano 6’0 SR

Oakdale

1 Tommy Kelly 5’11 SR; 19.7 ppg, 3.7 apg in playoffs
22 Alex Hawkins 6’0 SO; 10.8 ppg, 5.2 rpg
12 Ethan Reifer 6’1 SR; 8.3 ppg, 5.1 rpg
2 Garrison Linton 6’2 JR; 6.9 ppg, 4.2 rpg
11 Jack McGaha 6’0 SR; 9.3 ppg, 45 3’s

#11 Douglass (20-5) v #12 Wicomico (25-1)

Douglass Tyrone Massenburg 12th season – 198-93
Wicomico Butch Waller 54th season – 854-366

Douglass O: 71.6 D: 62.5 PD: +9.1
Wicomico O: 79.9 D: 56.6 PD: +23.3

Douglass 3-4 v top 25, 6-6 v top 65
Wicomico 0-1 v top 25, 6-1 v top 65

The Douglass Eagles came back from 10 down in the third quarter and survived an overtime to advance on to the state semifinals with a 69-68 win over Thomas Stone in the quarterfinals, when Mikhai Arnold hit a three-pointer with :10.8 left in the extra session that would prove to be the game-winner. Wicomico staved off a feisty Dunbar squad, 67-58, on Saturday to advance to their 27th Final Four.

The Eagles finished third in the PG 3/2/1A Division, behind 3A juggernauts Oxon Hill and Potomac. Aside from the win over Thomas Stone, the Eagles have beaten 4A semifinalist Wise, and earned a split with 1A semifinalist Fairmont Heights.

Though WiHi didn’t have the schedule strength that the Eagles had, the Indians dominated the opponents they faced, save for their line loss to 22-2 Dover DE, posting a +23.3 point differential, and finishing as the highest scoring team in the MPSSAA, averaging 79.9 points per game.

The Eagles are led senior guard Darnell Snowden, who averages 13.7 points per game, and 6’9 junior Abdou Samb, who averages 15.8 points and 11.8 rebounds per game. Both Snowden and Samb were selected to the PG All-County 3/2/1A First Team. Mike Woods, a 6’4 junior, averages 15.2 points per game, and was named to the All-League Second Team. Woods scored 25 points in the Eagles quarterfinal win over Thomas Stone. Arnold averages 10.6 points per game.

WiHi is led by two sophomores and a junior, who were all selected to the Bayside South First Team this season. Jayson Handy, a 6’4 junior, averages 14.5 points and 8.1 rebounds per game, while 6’3 sophomore Antwan Wilson leads the Indians in scoring, at 16.3 per clip, and 6’2 sophomore Taiwan Hardy adds 15.5 points and 5 rebounds per contest.

WiHi Coach Butch Waller is Maryland’s leader among active coaches in wins, amassing 854 victories in his 54 seasons, leading the Indians to 14 Final Four appearances. Waller helped lead the Indians to the 2019 1A championship, before losing to Patterson. Douglass Coach Tyrone Massenburg will be leading the Eagles to his third Final Four with the team, including his first season in ‘09, and last year, before falling to eventual champ Lake Clifton, 58-56, in the state semifinal.

Douglass

1 Abdou Samb 6’9 JR; 15.6 ppg, 11.8 rpg, led league in rebounding
11 Darnell Snowden 6’3 SR; 13.7 ppg, 3 year starter
20 Mike Woods 6’4 JR; 15.2 ppg, scored 25 v Stone in quarterfinals
2 Mikhai Arnold 6’0 SO; 10.6 ppg, hit game-winner v Stone

Wicomico

14 Antwan Wilson 6’3 SO; 16.3 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 4.0 apg
12 Taiwan Hardy 6’2 SO; 15.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg
34 Jayson Handy 6’4 JR; 14.5 ppg, 8.1 rpg
22 Ronnie Satchell 5’9 SR; voted as Bayside South Defensive Player of the Year
32 BJ Cook 6’0 SO; 9.8 ppg, 4.3 rpg

1A State Semifinals

#4 Lake Clifton (21-5) v #22 Fairmont Heights (18-7)

Lake Clifton Herman ‘Tree’ Harried 23rd season – 464-133, 5 state titles
Fairmont Heights Chuck Henry 5th season – 76-50

Lake Clifton O: 68.6 D: 44.6 PD: +24.0
Fairmont Heights O: 72.4 D: 65.6 PD: +6.8

Lake Clifton 5-4 v top 25, 8-4 v top 65
Fairmont Heights 3-4 v top 25, 6-7 v top 65

Lake Clifton has destroyed its first three playoff points, routing Douglass by 35, Ben Franklin by 47, and Catoctin by 47, holding the three to an average of 36.7 points per game, and not allowing one even 40 points in a contest. Fairmont Heights survived a shootout at Havre de Grace on Saturday, 90-88, holding off a late rally by the Warriors.

The Lakers have the third stingiest defense in the MPSSAA, limiting opponents to 44.6 points per game.

The Lakers, the Baltimore City league runner-up, is seeking its third straight state championship, and seventh overall. Only Dunbar has more state championships than the Lakers six, since both joined the MPSSAA in 1993. The Lakers lone MPSSAA loss this season was to three-time defending 3A state champ Poly, while it’s posted wins over Oxon Hill, City College, Edmondson, Mervo, and Thomas Stone. The Lakers are led by two-time All-Met, two-time state champs Michael Gray and Zach Blackwell. Gray was also named to the All-Met football team, and recently committed to Wagner. Blackwell won the state championship with Patterson last season, and like Gray, was named to both the All-Met Team and All-City League Team last season.

The Hornets are led by a pair of seniors, Keyshawn Johnson and Markel Norman, buoyed by a talented sophomore, Delonte Raynor. Johnson was named to the All-PG 3/2/1A First Team, while Norman and Raynor were named to the Second Team and Third Team, respectively. The Hornets average 72.4 points per game, 8th best in the MPSSAA. The Hornets hold wins over PG County runner-up Potomac, and 2A state semifinalist Douglass.

Lakers Coach ‘Tree’ Harried’s 464 wins rank second among current MPSSAA coaches, and ranks tied for third in MPSSAA history in state title wins, behind only Thomas Johnson’s Tom Dickman (7) and Fairmont Heights’ Ken Freeman (6). Fairmont Heights Coach Chuck Henry is headed to his third Final Four in his fifth year with the Hornets.

#8 Edmondson (21-4) v #48 Southern (22-3)

Edmondson Darnell Dantzler 13th season – 240-64
Southern Tom Bosley 25th season – 405-196

Edmondson O: 65.3 D: 49.5 PD: +15.8
Southern O: 63.4 D: 41.4 PD: +22.0

Edmondson 3-4 v top 25, 6-4 v top 65
Southern 0-0 v top 25, 3-1 v top 65

The Edmondson Storm survived (both literally and figuratively) and advanced (albeit not without controversy) on Saturday, after being awarded a 47-27 win over Crisfield, in a game that was never finished. The Red Storm and the Crabbers played a heated game in December, at the Governors Challenge, where several technical fouls were dispersed in the Red Storm’s 73-56 win, and the bad blood spilled into the state quarterfinal at Crisfield on Saturday.

Known as ‘The Graveyard’, the Crisfield gym was at a fever pitch, both before and after the Red Storm held a 39-19 halftime lead, and 47-27 lead midway through the fourth before some frustrated fans rushed the court following a foul on Edmondson, with their home team down 20. Skirmishes broke out throughout the gym, and officials were forced to clear the court to dissipate the frenzy. After state troopers were called to restore order and escort an Edmondson contingent out of Crisfield, the Red Storm were awarded the victory after the Crabbers declined to finish the game in Baltimore on Monday.

Southern survived a game Surrattsville, 59-58, on Saturday, to advance to the 1A state semifinals for a second year in a row. The Rams have won 12 of their last 13 games, and hold wins over 17-win Seton LaSalle WV and 19-win Notre Dame WV. Southern knocked off Crisfield in the state semifinals a year ago, before falling to Lake Clifton in the title game, 64-46.

The Red Storm are paced by junior Eontae Nelson, and seniors Daniel Frink and TreShawn Lewis, all who were selected to the All-City Second Team. The Rams are led by seniors Bryson Wilt and Cory Ashby, and 6’3 sophomore Isaac Upole, who scored 19 points in the first half in the Rams win over Surrattsville in the quarterfinals.

Edmondson Coach Darnell Dantzler has a .789 (240-64) winning percentage in his 13 years in the first chair, and will taking the Red Storm to College Park for the fourth time in eight years, winning state titles in ‘13 and ‘14. Rams Coach Tom Bosley is in his fourth stint at Southern, serving as head coach for a total of 25 years. In mid-February, Bosley won his 400th career game.

Edmondson

0 Eontae Nelson N/A JR; the Red Storm’s leading scorer
2 Trashawn Lewis 5’11 SR; All-Baltimore City Second Team
1 Daniel Frink 6’0 SR; All-Baltimore City Second Team

Southern

24 Isaac Upole 6’3 SO; scored 23 points in quarterfinal win over Surrattsville
44 Cory Ashby 6’3 SR; scored game-winner in the quarterfinals
11 Bryson Wilt 6’1 SR; scored 28 v Allegany

Willie Sean Coughlan
Willie Sean Coughlan

HS Sports Analyst

Willie, a native of Chicago, and now a resident of Columbia for 40 years, is an educator at Homewood Center in Howard County, after spending 12 years as a real estate agent, following 10 years of running a small men’s retail company. Willie has contributed to Max Preps, Digital Sports, and Varsity Sports Network. Willie has produced MPSSAA top 25 rankings for both football and basketball for 15 years, across various platforms. From a large ‘sports family’, Willie’s brother Mike led Reservoir High to the 3A basketball state title game in 2018, while his nephew Anthony serves as the Indianapolis Colts College Scouting Coordinator.

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