2008-09 Lake Clifton or Dunbar's glory years?
I wasn't in Baltimore for the glory years of Dunbar boys basketball, most notably the 1981-82 team that went 29-0 and the following year's squad that finished 31-0. But I do know the names: Muggsy Bogues, David Wingate, Reggie Williams, Reggie Lewis, current Lake Clifton coach Herman 'Tree' Harried and on and on.
After watching the 2008-09 Lake Clifton Lakers dominate the competition on their way to a perfect 28-0 season, neatly wrapped up in Saturday's 75-50 win over Friendly in the Class 3A state title game, I was curious to find out how they would stack up with those greats teams at Dunbar. The Lakers have built an impressive resume and strong argument of being the best.
Consider: They handily defeated City, which went on to win the Class 2A state title. They limited eventual Class 1A state champ Digital Harbor to five second-half points in coming away with a 69-30 win for their second straight Baltimore City championship. And they also defeated St. Frances, which went on to finish undefeated in both the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference and the Baltimore Catholic League.
The Lakers' strength this season was how they all came together and played as one with each individual part well aware of their respective role. They had smart and creative guards in Jason Sharp and Antonio Barton; a do-everything player in forward Will Barton; and an inside presence in Cleveland Melvin who emerged into a dominant force at both ends.
What they lacked was depth. When the Lakers wanted to go big, junior center Karee Watson did a lot of little things that went unnoticed. When they needed to go small, senior guard Jacquan Jones provided a boost of energy.
Harried, who played at Dunbar from 1982 to 1984 before moving on to Syracuse, said Dunbar's depth and the quickness of Bogues would be big factors. As coach of the Lakers, he said the key would be slowing the tempo to try to limit Bogues, which would be easier said then done. Another factor for Lake Clifton would be staying away from foul trouble.
What do you guys think -- who wins?
Comments
Neither of those teams would have beaten the 1981-82 Calvert Hall team.
Posted by: Matt | March 16, 2009 1:22 PM
This game would be a blow out. Your talking about a team that won a "mythical" national championship in Dunbar vs a team that won the MPSSAA class 3A schedule. Dunbar traveled the country (they played the old MSA schedule, not hindered by satte rules) and beat top 10 teams, make that destroyed top 10 teams. Congrats to the Lake for winning it all this year but even Herman knows this would be no contest.
Dunbar 81-82 - 88
Lake Clifton 08-09 - 47
Posted by: Rob K. | March 16, 2009 4:39 PM
No contest Dunbar in a ROUT. This Lake Team couldn't compete with any of the great Dunbar teams from the 70's, 80's, 90's. They're not deep enough and they're too small.
Posted by: Tim | March 16, 2009 5:26 PM
Why go all the way to those great
Dunbar teams. Could Lake Clifton have handled that Douglas team
of a few years ago.
Posted by: hugh | March 16, 2009 7:40 PM
You have to remember that the Lake Clifton Team of 1983 beat Dunbar that year for the City Championship in 3 OT's. This laker team could not beat either.
Posted by: FAN | March 16, 2009 7:59 PM
Dunbar at that time had the best players in the entire area,kids tranferred in from everywhere including Howard County.This years Lake Clifton team would have to face players like Mugsy,Wingate, Reggie W. These players beat the best in the COUNTRY, there were no travel restrictions
Posted by: Will | March 16, 2009 8:07 PM
If you're from Baltimore, the answer is simple. The Dunbar team would hand Lake Clifton 2008-2009 a serious "L". Lake Clifton had a great year. Anytime you go undefeated you were the best everytime you played. Being a City grad, I look forward to a healthy CJ Faire next year when City and Lake square off. Congratulations to all the Baltimore City Public School State Champs.
Posted by: Mr. C | March 17, 2009 7:15 AM
I agree with Hugh! Great Season, but I'm not sure if this Lake team would beat the 01-02 Douglas team.
Posted by: Leon | March 17, 2009 7:48 AM
I agree, didn't the 1981-82 Calvert Hall team split with Dunbar and finish with a #1 national ranking?
Posted by: Pete | March 17, 2009 7:59 AM
Congrats to Lake Clifton for having a great season...But, they would have had problems with the 96-97 Southwestern team that was the first team to go undefeated and win EVERYTHING!
Posted by: Bryant | March 17, 2009 9:07 AM
agree Hugh. The Douglas-Lake debate is more appropriate
Posted by: Steve | March 17, 2009 9:17 AM
Lake was good this year, but there have been plenty of undefeated teams from this area, and this year's Lake team would rank somewhere towards the bottom... You have 81-82 Dunbar, 82-83 Dunbar, 90-91 Dunbar, 95-96 Dunbar, 96-97 Southwestern & 01-02 Douglass, just to name a few!
Posted by: J | March 17, 2009 10:04 AM
I would say the 1991 Dunbar team was the best on the high school level. The 81 team had eventual NBA players but as far as seasons go and the actual team, the 1992 team beat every powerhouse across the country. They had Michael Loyld, Donta Briight and Keith Booth. They were undefaeted and Mythical National Champs but more impressively look at their wins:
Posted by: r | March 17, 2009 2:32 PM
Calvert Hall? Are you serious? Why not throw in the Loyola teams of the 70's with Tony Guy if that's the best you can come up with Matt. Best area teams in some fashion high school have all been public school teams with Lake and Dumbar leading the way over the last 25 years.
Posted by: Mack | March 17, 2009 3:42 PM
How can you compare this lake team to teams of DYNASTY.The Dunbar teams of the 80's or the 90's lake clifton is not on the level of play. as those teams. The one thing the legendary teams of dunbar had was the LOVE AND PASSION to be better as a player and team.They put TEAM FIRST so until you can get better with time and your players do the main thing is how many will graduate.Dunbar drive on education and play so ntil then. try harder
Posted by: jefferey norris | March 17, 2009 4:59 PM
Just a point of interest. That picture that you posted over the Dunbar team, The young man on Reggie Williams left is current City Colleg principal Tim Dawson
Posted by: Mike Fuller | March 17, 2009 6:48 PM
Lake Clifton had a GREAT year, and so did the other teams mentioned in this discussion. What all this says is BALTIMORE BASKETBALL over the past 45 years has been, and will continue to be ,the very best in the country.
Posted by: Jerry | March 18, 2009 4:33 AM
i agree alot with all of you but lake you have to give them there due they really played good in a weak city league but as i always say 28-0 means no one can beat you ur the best.hats off BUT do go too far back cause it would be a blow out with dunbar an almost every other city team who went undefeated they wouldnt stack up to douglass 90-50 rout what about southwestern 27-0 too big too talented ...
Posted by: dre | March 18, 2009 3:35 PM
While I congratulate my alma mater for winning the the state championship. I don't think they would have beat the Mugsy led Dunbar team. I don't even think they would defeat the Lake Clifton team that went 25-1, only to lose on that Rodney Monroe 65 footer @ the buzzer.
Posted by: Michael | March 19, 2009 12:14 AM