If the top-ranked Patterson boys basketball team gets past No. 5 City in tonight's Baltimore City Division I title game -- set for 7 p.m. at Morgan State University -- the Clippers would have earned the league championship like no other team.

In years past, Division I and Division II were more balanced with the top teams in each going on to play each other for the championship. This year, the league decided to have two championship games with the top two teams in Division I play against each other and the top two teams in the lesser Division II -- Forest Park and Northwestern will play at 5 p.m. at Morgan -- also going after a championship.

So not only did the Clippers (20-1 overall) go a perfect 9-0 playing a tougher league schedule this season, they also have to prove themselves a second time against surging City (14-7, 7-2) -- a team they beat 79-68 on Dec. 21. In that meeting at City, the host Knights enjoyed a four-point lead midway through the fourth quarter before Patterson All-Metro sophomore guard Aquille Carr took over -- scoring 15 of his game-high 38 points in the key late moments.

Tonight's rematch should be a classic. Carr and the Clippers looking for their first Baltimore City title. The two-time defending Class 2A state champ Knights, who recently defeated Dunbar and Edmondson to seal second place, looking to avenge the regular-season loss. The Knights will look to counter Carr with their own strong guard play led by seniors Nick Faust and Mike Cheatham.

The new format does give Forest Park and Northwestern a valuable experience going into the region playoffs, playing for a championship of their own in front of a big stage.