The fourth annual St. Frances Academy Basketball Camp will offer four sessions for boys and girls from second to ninth grade. Session I is set for June 20-25; Session II -- June 27-July 1; Session III July 5-8; and Session IV -- July 11-15. St. Frances boys basketball coach Mark Karcher and junior varsity coach and athletic director Nick Myles will conduct the camps, which will run from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The camp, which costs $150 per session, will feature individual skill development, competitive games and special contests with prizes for each contest winner. A camp T-shirt or basketball also is included. For more information, please e-mail Coach Myles at nicholas.myles@sfacademy.org or call 410-539-5794, ext. 31. St. Frances is located at 501 East Chase St, Baltimore, 21202.

Posted by Glenn Graham at 11:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Boys basketball
        

Annapolis senior TaJuan Watson, a standout in football and basketball, will be attending North Carolina next year and plans to try out for the junior varsity basketball team in the fall. Watson was a running back and defensive back for the Panthers football team and a two-year captain and point guard in basketball. He declined several football scholarships to go to North Carolina and join his older brother, Teon, who is the head manager of the Tar Heels' men's basketball team.

Posted by Glenn Graham at 12:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Boys basketball, Football
        

The Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference boys lacrosse showdown featuring No. 1 McDonogh (14-2) at No. 2 Calvert Hall (14-1) has been moved to 4 p.m. Thursday. The game was originally scheduled for Friday, but moved to accommodate Calvert Hall's senior prom. The teams share the top spot in the conference's Black Division with 10-1 marks. McDonogh defeated Calvert Hall, 11-7, on April 21, the Cardinals only loss this season.

Posted by Glenn Graham at 10:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Boys basketball
        

The David B. Wright Memorial Foundation is hosting the 1st Annual Royal Heirs Youth Boys Basketball Tournament set for Saturday June 4 and Sunday June 5 at the Carmelo Anthony Youth Development Center in Baltimore.

The age groups participating are 16-under, 13-under and 11-under with competition going from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on each day. Cost per team is $200 and includes two guaranteed games with a double-elimination format, T-shirts and awards limited to 12 players per team. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for youth and can be purchased at the door.

Proceeds go to the DBWMF, a non-profit educational, health and social service which promotes wellness and health through recreation and exercise in sports.

To register a team or learn more about the Foundation, please call Shawnte' Wright at 410-812-2371 or send an e-mail to snjwright@gmail.com.

Posted by Glenn Graham at 4:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Boys basketball
        

St. Frances will honor former legendary boys basketball coach William Wells at its first annual Benefiting Students Today & Tomorrow Gala, set for Friday, April 29 in the school's gymnasium.

The dinner will take place from 7 to 10 p.m. and all proceeds will support the school's tuition assistance fund.

Wells founded the school's basketball program and spent 28 seasons as coach before stepping down in 2008. He captured over 500 wins and led the Panthers to six Baltimore Catholic League tournament championships.

Bill Gaudreau, Sr., a longtime member of the school’s Advisory Board who pioneered all of the school’s architectural endeavors since the 1960s, also will be honored.

Jamie Costello of WMAR TV will be Master of Ceremonies and Loyola coach Jimmy Patsos will provide the keynote address.

For more information or to purchase tickets please contact Melissa D’Adamo, Development Director, at 410-539-7030 or melissa.dadamo@sfacademy.org.

-- Glenn Graham

Posted by Chris Korman at 11:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Boys basketball
        

Centennial's Aaron Adams scored a team-high 25 points and four other area boys basketball seniors reached double figures as the Maryland All-Stars came away with a 117-105 win over their Pennsylvania counterparts Saturday in Middletown, Pa.

Glenelg's Shane Kellahar and Parkville's James Milton each scored 19 points, Old Mill's Eric Savage had 12 and St. Frances' R.J. Williams finished with 10 in the win.

In overcoming an early 12-2 deficit, the Maryland boys hit 10 3-pointers and 19 free throws to capture the win. Milton added 14 rebounds and Williams dished out 13 assists.

Posted by Glenn Graham at 10:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Boys basketball
        

The John Carroll boys basketball team was recognized by the Maryland House of Delegates last week for its championship season.

The Patriots, who won the Baltimore Catholic League and MIAA A Conference championships, visited Annapolis on April 7 and were honored with the following resolution:

“In recognition of The John Carroll School Boys’ Varsity Basketball Team being named the 2010-2011 Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference Basketball Champions”

Posted by Baltimore Sun sports at 10:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Boys basketball
        

At Wednesday morning’s news conference announcing the 2011 I-95 Kickoff Classic, Patterson football coach Corey Johnson offered up an interesting tidbit about his backfield for the upcoming season.

It turns out that the Clippers’ season-opener against Archbishop Curley could double as the gridiron debut of star basketball player Aquille Carr, The Sun’s 2011 boys' basketball Player of the Year.

“Everyone’s probably excited to see Aquille Carr transition from the basketball court to the football field,” Johnson said Wednesday at Glory Days in Bowie. “He’s played [football] before, but he hasn’t played high school football. People will be excited to see what he’s going to bring to the table.”

On the basketball court, Carr is a known commodity. The 5-foot-7 sophomore guard averaged 32 points, six assists and five rebounds as the Clippers won the Baltimore City and Class 4A North region titles.

Carr is one of the highest-ranked prep players in the Class of 2013, and Johnson hopes his skills on the court will translate well for the 2010 Division 1 Baltimore City football champions and Class 4A semifinalists.

“He’ll probably play a little slot-back for me,” Johnson said. “Get him out catching some balls, trying to get him in some one-and-one situations. He’s just so dynamic and so fast, so that’ll be exciting.”

-- Jon Meoli

Posted by Baltimore Sun sports at 3:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Boys basketball, Football
        

The recently annointed No. 1 John Carroll boys basketball team is hoping to make some noise at the 51st annual Alhambra Catholic Invitational Tournament set to begin Thursday and run through Saturday at Frostburg State University in Cumberland.

The eight-team field, which also includes No. 5 St. Frances, is loaded with talent as the Patriots (31-2) open against St. Benedict's (N.J.) Prep at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. St. Frances (19-7) will meet Washington's Gonzaga in Thursday's opening round at 9:15.

In sweeping the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference and Baltimore Catholic League crowns, the Patriots have leaned on their strong senior guard tandem of Malcolm McMillan and Ronald Scott. That won't change at the Alhambra, but coach Tony Martin knows others will have to pull their weight as well, particularly inside.

"It's a great opportunity, and the kids are excited," Martin said. "There's a lot of big teams, so we're going to have to rebound the basketball. If we can handle ourselves on the boards, then maybe our senior guard play can take over."

Posted by Glenn Graham at 1:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Boys basketball
        

The 23rd annual Anne Arundel County Senior All-Star Classic will take place tonight at Old Mill High School. The North-South games will bring together more than 50 of the county's top seniors with the girls game scheduled for 6 p.m. followed by the boys at 8. Tickets are $5 and can be purchased at the door.

Posted by Glenn Graham at 10:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Glenelg Country School announced its boys basketball team, winners of the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Assocation B Conference this season, will be moving up to the A Conference next year. The Dragons went 27-4 this season and were 21-1 in capturing the B Conference crown.

Posted by Glenn Graham at 4:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Boys basketball
        

With one dominating performance, one thrilling ending and an impressive second-half rally, area boys basketball teams went a perfect 3-for-3 in Thursday's state semifinal action at University of Maryland's Comcast Center.

Defending Class 3A state champion Milford Mill looked the part with a sound 58-37 win over Friendly. In the other 3A semifinal, surprising Centennial continued to do just that, surviving two last-second shots from South Hagerstown to come away with a 56-54 win to reach the state title game for the first time.

Milford Mill will take on Centennial at 3 p.m. Saturday. In 4A, No. 1 Patterson rallied from a 10-point first half deficit against Eleanor Roosevelt -- taking over with a big third quarter for a 67-59 win that sends the Clippers to their first state title game. They will meet North Point -- a 71-56 winner over Magruder -- at 8 p.m. Saturday.

Can the positive trend continue in Friday's semifinal action?

The area is guaranteed a state finalist in the 1A after Dunbar takes on Owings Mills at 3 p.m. Friday in a rematch of last year's title game. The winner will meet the winner of the Pocomoke-Williamsport 5 p.m. game with the championship set for 1 p.m. Saturday.

So the area is already guaranteed one state champion -- the Milford Mill-Centennial winner in the 3A; is guaranteed having representation in two other state championship games (4A and 1A); and could also find representation in the 2A with Digital Harbor taking on Gwynn Park in oner semfinal (Friday, 7 p.m.) and South Carroll meeting Easton (9 p.m.) in the other. The 2A state title game is set for 6 p.m. Saturday.

Can area teams come away with four state championships?

Posted by Glenn Graham at 10:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Boys basketball
        

Former Lake Clifton standout and current DePaul freshman Cleveland Melvin was named the Big East Rookie of the Year earlier this week.

The 6-foot-8, 210-pound Melvin averaged 14.3 points (17.4 in conference play). He was a unanimous selection by the league's 16 coaches.

As a senior at Lake Clifton in the 2008-09 season, Melvin averaged 17 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks to earn first-team All-Metro honors and help the Lakers (29-0) capture a state title.

Posted by Glenn Graham at 10:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Boys basketball
        

For defending Class 3A state champion Milford Mill boys basketball team, last year's success "has become the elephant in the room -- a good elephant to have around," said coach Albert Holley.

With expectations at a noticeably higher level this season, Holley said it has been his team's hard work that has them back at the state tournament. That's where the positive senior influence of guard Isaiah McCray and forward Tevin Hanner come into play. The No. 3 Millers (23-2) will take on Friendly (23-3) in Thursday's state semifinals set for 3 p.m. at the University of Maryland's Comcast Center.

As for McCray and Hanner, they don't come with staggering numbers -- just consistent ones across the board. McCray averages 10.5 points, four rebounds, 2.5 assists, two steals and 1.5 blocks. Hanner also is at 10.5 points with 7.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.5 steals and 2.5 blocks. Holley is most impressed with the intangibles his two standouts bring to the court each time out.

"They bring winning," he said. "Everywhere they go they just win. They know how to win and have won everywhere they've played, so you put your trust in them when the game starts and take your chances."

Posted by Glenn Graham at 4:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Boys basketball
        

No doubt the No. 1 Patterson boys basketball team would have liked to cut down the nets in its own home gym when capturing its first region title last week against Urbana.

But with the game being played at Morgan State University -- as part of a doubleheader with the Class 2A North region title game won by Digital Harbor -- the Clippers (24-1) got to experience yet another game played on a bigger college court.

In all this season, Patterson played eight of its games on college courts, something coach Harry Martin believes will be a big advantage when his team takes on Eleanor Roosevelt (17-8) in Thursday's Class 4A state semifinal set for 7 p.m. at the University of Maryland's Comcast Center.

The Clippers have an explosive team that averages 84 points per game led by sophomore point guard Aquille Carr. They love to run as much as they can and also run isolation plays in their halfcourt sets. Comcast will provide plenty of valuable space against the Raiders, who average 58 points, while yielding only 46.

"It's good for us to play on college court. With that big court, we're going to push. So for a team to beat us I think they're going to have to score in the 70s or 80s," Martin said.

Posted by Glenn Graham at 9:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Boys basketball
        

The John Carroll and St. Frances boys basketball teams still have some hoops to play, both receiving invitations to the prestigious Alhambra Catholic Invitational Tournament set for March 17-19 at Frostburg State University in Cumberland.

The tournament's 51st edition will feature eight teams. In the tournament's opening round on March 17, No. 2 John Carroll (31-2) will go up against St. Benedict's (N.J.) Prep at 7:30 p.m. with No. 5 St. Frances (19-7) taking on D.C.'s Gonzaga at 9:15 p.m.

John Carroll swept the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference and Baltimore Catholic League champinships -- defeating St. Frances in both title games.

Posted by Glenn Graham at 1:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Boys basketball
        

Morgan State University will host two region titles games Friday with three area teams featured, including No. 1 Patterson.

At 5:30 p.m., No. 7 Edmondson, fresh off Wednesday's 48-45 win over two-time defending Class 2A state champ City, will take on Baltmore City rival Digital Harbor for the 2A North region title. The Red Storm came away with a 86-68 win at Digital Harbor in December.

In the nightcap, No. 1 Patterson meets Urbana, at 7:30 p.m. for the 4A North crown. Last year, the Clippers were eliminated by the Frederick County school in the region semifinal round.

Posted by Glenn Graham at 10:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Boys basketball
        

Morgan State University will host a high school boys basketball doubleheader Wednesday featuring region semifinal games in the Class 2A North and Class 4A North.

At 5:30 p.m., two-time defending Class 2A state champion and No. 6 City will take on No. 5 Edmondson in a rematch of last year's 2A North region title game. At 7:30, No. 1 Patterson will go up against Perry Hall for the right to play in Friday's 4A North region title game. Tickets are $5 at the door.

Posted by Glenn Graham at 4:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Boys basketball
        

Could four times finally be the charm for the St. Frances boys basketball team?

St. Frances coach Mark Karcher has played and coached basketball at an extremely high level all his life, and he can't recall losing to the same team three times in a season. Not when he was a standout at St. Frances, playing his college ball at Temple or now coaching his alma mater. Until this season.

Following the No. 5 Panthers' 60-53 win over Calvert Hall in Sunday's Baltimore Catholic League semifinals, it didn't take long for Karcher and his Panthers to think about the next task at hand -- beating No. 2 John Carroll. So far this season, it's been a frustrating mystery.

The Panthers (18-6) get another chance tonight when the they take on the Patriots (31-2) for the Baltimore Catholic League title. Game time is set for 7 p.m. at Loyola University.

To say the Patriots have been a thorn in the Panthers' side is an understatement. On Jan. 7, John Carroll handed the Panthers their first loss, 63-54 in Bel Air, and knocked them out of the No. 1 ranking in the area. On Feb. 3, a regular-season game at St. Frances, the visitors again handled the Panthers, 88-74.

More recently, John Carrroll was the better team for the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference championship -- a 70-58 win for the program's first title -- at UMBC on Feb. 20. Could the storied history of the BCL -- celebrating its 40th postseason -- give St. Frances the needed boost?

The Panthers are well aware of the the league's rich tradition, making a good chunk of it with a league-high seven titles. John Carroll is a league rookie, but has made itself right at home, steamrolling through the regular season with just one late loss after already clinching first place.

On the court, both teams will lean on their experienced senior points guards: St. Frances' R.J. Williams and John Carroll's Malcolm McMillan. The two shared co-BCL Player of the Year honors.

John Carroll also features fellow senior guard Ronald Scott and versatile junior Jarred Jones, while the Panthers have to get a big game from senior center Greg Lewis, who was in foul trouble and scored just two points in the MIAA title game.

Posted by Glenn Graham at 10:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Boys basketball
        

The Baltimore area will be well represented with 10 seniors participating in the 2011 Elite Showcase Basketball Classic, which features boys and girls North-South all-star games set for Sunday March 20 at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C.

Representing the North squad in the boys' game are Nick Faust (City, Maryland), Greg Lewis (St. Frances, Rutgers), Ryan McTavish (South Carroll, Presbyterian), and former Lake Clifton standout Durand Johnson (Brewster Academy, N.H., Pittsburgh), while Greg Whittington (Oakland Mills, undecided) will dress for the South team.

In the girls' game, Achiri Ade (Seton Keough, James Madison) and Ciara Webb (Patterson, Towson) will play for the North with Maggie Morrison (Spalding, Vanderbilt), Shaquila Curtis (Spalding, American) and Melanie Mocniak (St. Mary's, Mount St. Mary's) representing the South.

The ESBC is in partnership with the NBA's Washington Wizards and WNBA's Washington Mystics. Both contests will take place on March 20 following the Wizards' 1 p.m. game against the New Jersey Nets. For tickets to the event, you must purchase a ticket for the Wizards-Nets game.

Posted by Glenn Graham at 10:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Boys basketball, Girls basketball
        

Here are the matchups for the MIAA basketball finals:

Sunday, February 20 - 2pm @ UMBC
"A" Conference Championship - John Carroll vs St Frances Academy

Tuesday, February 22 - 5pm @ Gilman
"C" Conference Championship - Chapelgate CA vs Beth Tfiloh

Tuesday, February 22 - 7pm @ Gilman
"B" Conference Championhsip - Glenelg CS vs Annapolis Area CS

Posted by Baltimore Sun sports at 11:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Boys basketball
        

Patterson sophomore guard Aquille Carr, a first-team All-Metro selection last year as a freshman, surpassed 1,000 points Thursday night with a 28-point performance in the No. 1 Clippers' 86-49 win over Carver. Carr is averaging 32 points, five assists and just under four steals per game in leading Patterson to a 16-1 mark.

Posted by Glenn Graham at 11:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Boys basketball
        

As quick as he is getting to the basket, Patterson sophomore guard Aquille Carr is taking a fast track to the 1,000-point plateau.

Already with 935 points in 1 1/2 seasons, Carr should surpass 1,000 points this week. About the only thing that may stop him is possible inclement weather. The No. 1 Clippers (13-1) are set to host Poly today at 5:15 p.m., will take on No. 6 Dunbar at Morgan State tomorrow night at 7, and conclude their week on Thursday with a visit from Carver at 5:15.

Should Carr continue his season's average of 32.2 points per game, he will become one of the quickest to reach 1,000 career points ever in the Baltimore area.

In earning first-team All-Metro honors last year as a freshman, Carr averaged 25-plus points per game.

Posted by Glenn Graham at 10:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Boys basketball
        

Friends senior guard/forward Jon Schmidt surpassed the 1,000 career point plateau with a 31-point performance in a 70-50 loss against St. Mary's on Monday. Schmidt is averaging nearly 25 points and 10 rebounds this season for the Quakers. He is being recruited by a number of Division I basketball programs, including Cornell and Richmond.

Posted by Glenn Graham at 9:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Boys basketball
        

Fifteen local girls and boys basketball players have been nominated for the 2011 McDonald's All-American Games on March 30. The final rosters -- chosen from among the 2,000 nominees -- will be announced next month.

The boys nominees are Kendrick Anderson and Nick Faust, City; Greg Lewis and R.J. Williams, St. Frances; Greg Whittington, Oakland Mills; Eric Savage, Old Mill; and James Milton, Parkville;

The girls nominees are Maggie Morrison, Archbishop Spalding; Amber Singletary and Liz Brown, Seton Keough; Ciara Webb, Patterson; Taryn Durant and Candice Hendricks, McDonogh; Brielle Ward, Western; and Indigo Dickens, Wilde Lake.

The final 24 boys and 24 girls will be named Feb. 10 at 5:30 p.m. on the McDonald's All-American Selection Show on ESPNU. The games will be played at the United Center in Chicago.

Posted by Katherine Dunn at 6:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Coming off a 19-6 season with a number of standouts back, the Oakland Mills boys basketball team comes into the week ranked No. 10 in the metro area with a 3-0 mark.

The Scorpions entered the season as the clear favorite in Howard County and have an ideal chance to prove just that with a busy week.

They open the week this afternoon at home against Reservoir; play host to Hammond on Wednesday (both games are set for 5:30 p.m.), and close out the week visiting Centennial at 7 p.m. Friday night. The three opponents were the only three to hand the Scorpions county losses last year.

The Scorpions, led by senior forward Greg Whittington and senior point guard Joe Kiely, have a chance to make quick amends with a productive week.

Posted by Glenn Graham at 2:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Boys basketball
        

Three Baltimore area high school boys basketball players were among Rivals.com's Top 150 seniors to watch for the upcoming season.

City guard Nick Faust, a second-team All-Metro selection who helped the Knights capture their second straight state title last season, was the highest-rated area player coming in at No. 57.

St. Frances forward/center Greg Lewis is ranked 120th and former Lake Clifton guard/forward Durand Johnson -- who's spending a post-grad year at Brewster (N.H.) Academy -- is 125th.

The list came out in The Sporting News' college basketball preview magazine.

Posted by Glenn Graham at 11:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Boys basketball
        

The Baltimore Catholic League, one of the premier high school boys basketball leagues in the country, has announced the addition of two new member schools, bringing the league back up to eight teams.

John Carroll, which also competes in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference with fellow BCL members Archbishop Spalding, Calvert Hall, Loyola, Mount St. Joseph and St. Frances, will join the league this coming season.

Mount Carmel, currently a member of the MIAA B Conference, will compete in the BCL Tournament at the end of this season and then plans to move to the MIAA A Conference in the 2011-12 season and become a full-time BCL member then as well.

The past two years, the BCL has lost two of its most storied programs when Towson Catholic and Cardinal Gibbons closed its doors.

“We welcome the additions of John Carroll and Mount Carmel to our league and I’m happy to get us back to eight teams – that’s a good number for the league,” said BCL commissioner Jack Degele. “In these two new coaches – Tony Martin at John Carroll and Tom Rose at Mount Carmel – you have two guys that are very passionate about basketball and understand what it means to be in this league, so they’ll do a great job competing in the league.”

The BCL met with the heads of schools and their respective athletic directors in July and also decided on discontinuing playing any regularly scheduled games on Sundays. There will still be two postseason tournaments. The BCL Tournament will continue to take place after the MIAA A Conference championships.

In celebrating its 40th year, the BCL will introduce a Hall of Fame this coming season.

Posted by Glenn Graham at 11:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Boys basketball
        

Lake Clifton boys basketball coach Herman 'Tree' Harried struck gold this summer.

Serving as an assistant coach for the U.S. under-17 boys basketball team, Harried was instrumental in helping the team capture the gold medal at the inaugural FIBA U17 World Championships, which took place in Hamburg, Germany.

The U.S. wrapped up the tournament with a comfortable 111-80 win over runner-up Poland on July 11 to finish a perfect 8-0 in the 12-team field. The team won by an average margin of 34.9 points with an offense that scored 107.5 points per game.

Harried, a Dunbar grad who went on to play at Syracuse and professionally overseas, said the gold medal was like nothing else he ever experienced in his fine coaching career.

"It hit me during the national anthem. It's not a city or state championship -- it's a world championship. It was great to be a part of and also great to represent Baltimore City," he said.

Posted by Glenn Graham at 10:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Boys basketball
        

Milford Mill senior point guard Anthony Goode, a second-team All-Metro selection after helping the Millers claim the Class 3A state title, will sign a national letter of intent to play at Saint Francis (Pa.) University.

Goode, a three-year varsity player, averaged 13 points and six assists in his first year as a starter.

Posted by Glenn Graham at 6:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Boys basketball
        

Patterson freshman point guard Aquille Carr, who earned first-team All-Metro honors in his first varsity basketball season, was named the National Freshman of the Year by MaxPreps.com.

The website released its 2009-10 Boys Basketball Freshmen All-American Team today with Carr taking top honors.

The electrifying 5-foot-6 guard averaged 25.5 points, eight assists and 5.3 steals in leading the Clippers to a 16-7 mark.

Posted by Glenn Graham at 11:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Boys basketball
        

A collection of senior boys basketball standouts will travel to Harrisburg to take on a team of Pennsylvania counterparts in an annual Maryland-Pennsylvania all-star game scheduled for 8:30 p.m. April 10 at Middletown High.

Former Glenelg coach Jeremy Snyder will guide the Maryland team, which is led by Annapolis' second-team All-Metro forward Delmore Howard. This is the game's 20th edition. Maryland came away with a 121-116 win last season.

Here's a look at the Maryland roster:

Brandon Belt, Arundel, guard
Varun Ram, River Hill, guard
Gage Trawick, Glenelg, guard
Justin Bowers, Tuscarora, guard
Marcus Stewart, McDonough, guard
Scott Morris, Walkersville, guard
Brandon Bjerre, Hammond, forward
Delmore Howard, Annapolis, forward
Cole Fisher, Hereford, forward
Deon Maddox, Thomas Johnson, forward
Reid Scott, Howard, center
Shane Reybold, Reservoir, center

Posted by Glenn Graham at 3:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Boys basketball
        

As a senior forward at Long Reach in 2006, Darryl Webb helped the Lightning bring home a state title.

On Saturday, the 6-foot-6 junior forward will try to lead Indiana University of Pennsylvania to the NCAA Division II championship when it takes on Cal Poly Pomona. Game time is set for 1 p.m. and will air on CBS.

In leading IUP to a 33-2 record, Webb, who was named to the NABC Division II All-America team, is averaging 15.3 points and 10.4 rebounds this season. He has four double doubles in the playoffs.

Posted by Glenn Graham at 4:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Boys basketball
        

Former Lake Clifton basketball standout Will Barton, who is now attending Brewster Academy in Massachusetts before moving on to Memphis in the college ranks next year, was featured late last week on MaxPreps.com.

The high school sports Web site is counting down the Top 10 newcomers who will make the biggest impact in next year's NCAA men's basketball tournament, and Barton ranks seventh.

After leading the Lakers to a 28-0 season and earning All-Metro Player of the Year honors last year, the 6-foot-6 guard/forward moved on to Brewster Academy in New Hampshire and averaged 20 points this season.

Posted by Glenn Graham at 1:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Boys basketball
        

The boys and girls Baltimore City-Baltimore County senior All-Star games are set for Friday, with the boys game at 6 p.m. at Woodlawn and the girls also playing at 6 at Parkville.

Here are the rosters for the two games.

Baltimore City boys

Stanton Kidd, Edmondson
Sean Thomas, Edmondson
Jerry Lovelocke, Edmondson
Davon Usher, Digital Harbor
Justin Jackson, Digital Harbor
Corey Spence, Dunbar
Derrell Edwards, Dunbar
Roderick Camphor, Dunbar
Jordan Latham, City
Aron Nwankwo, City
Mark Trafton, Reginald Lewis
Brian Lewis, Patterson
Trevon Curbeam, Douglass
Desmond Johnson, Northwestern
Montray Clemens, Poly

Baltimore County boys

Denzel Walker, Parkville
Brandon Fields, Owings Mills
Keylin Ortiz, Owings Mills
Malcolm Thomas, Owings Mills
Max Mendelzon, Franklin
Anthony Goode, Milford Mill
Jimmy Hamilton, Milford Mill
Cole Fisher, Hereford
Colby Giacubeno, Perry Hall
Devohn Gilmore, Pikesville
Jarrel Cox, Pikesville
Lucas Mosca, Towson
Jamal Brown, Overlea
Max Wilson, Loch Raven
Brent Arrington, Lansdowne

Baltimore City girls
Delores Bell, City
Kayla Dillard, City
Jumanah Giles, City
Carissa Shropshire, City
Briana Bonaparte, Poly
Moriah Goodman, Poly
Cynthia Johnson, Poly
Aivah Parham, Poly
Janay Brinkley, Digital Harbor
Nichelle Groom, Digital Harbor
Kiniasin Buie, Dunbar
Jessica Paschall, Dunbar
Dominque Brooks, Douglass
Monaya Jones, Poly
MicQuel Stevenson, Western

Baltimore County girls

Kelsie Sloan, Perry Hall
Rachel Smith, Perry Hall
Latrese Friday, Perry Hall
Jennifer Elkin, Carver A&T
Lauren Elkin, Carver A&T
Candace McCray, Catonsville
Maya Torain, Catonsville
Precious Kollock, Patapsco
Taquasia Lambert, Patapsco
Nykia Knight, Chesapeake
Tiearra Jones, Dundalk
Maddie Kern, Hereford
Tiffany Jantzen, Dulaney
Breonna Blount, Milford MIll
Janasia Harris, New Town

Posted by Glenn Graham at 1:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Boys basketball, Girls basketball
        

The boys basketball season for No. 3 Mount St. Joseph and No. 5 St. Frances are not through just yet. The 50th annual Alhambra Catholic Invitational Tournament is set to kick off Thursday at Frostburg State University in Cumberland.

St. Frances (22-9) will take on Benedictine (Va.) at 5:30 p.m. with Mount St. Joseph (30-4) opening the three-day tournament against Judge Memorial (Utah) at 7:30. The eight-team tournament will continue on Friday and close on Saturday with consolation games followed by the championship game.

St. Frances is the last Baltimore-area team to win the championship, back in 1996, and Washington-based Gonzaga is the two-time defending champ.

Posted by Glenn Graham at 12:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Boys basketball
        

Men’s basketball has wrapped up conference tournament play, and that means the end of the season for some of our local players. For those fortunate enough to continue their seasons, it’s on to the Big Dance (or one of the other three national postseason tournaments).

This week’s top five features many of the usual suspects. Massachusetts’ Ricky Harris (Calvert Hall) averaged 21.5 points and 3.5 rebounds over two games. Morgan State’s Reggie Holmes (St. Frances) and Kevin Thompson (Walbrook) both scored 15.0 points per game over three contests. Holmes added averages of 5.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists¸ and Thompson also contributed 11.3 rebounds and 3.3 blocks. New Mexico State’s Jahmar Young (Du Bois) averaged 17.0 points and 4.7 assists in three games. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi’s Kevin Palmer (Parkville) put up 20.5 points per game, 7.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists in a pair of contests.

Continue reading "The Next Level - men's hoops roundup for March 15" »

Posted by Steve Gould at 1:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Milford Mill standout junior forward Isaiah McCray, who left the Millers' Class 3A North championship win with a back injury on Saturday, is expected to play when the team takes on Stephen Decatur in Thursday's 5 p.m. state semifinal at the Comcast Center.

McCray, the team's leading scorer, suffered back spasms when he collided with Parkville's James Milton in the third quarter of the Millers' 73-64 win.

The Millers (23-3) will be making their first trip to the state tournament in 13 years in a bid to capture the program's fourth state title.

Posted by Glenn Graham at 2:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Boys basketball
        

As the regular season ended this weekend, we closed the book on the season for some our Baltimore-area basketball players, while others moved on to their conference tournaments. For those who have played their last game this year, we offer congratulations, and we bid adieu to the seniors who have taken the court for the last time on the college level. And to those for whom the season continues, we wish the best of luck.

This week’s top five men’s performers are a group of gentlemen who have produced consistently all season, all of them being recognized here at The Next Level multiple times.

Continue reading "The Next Level - men's hoops roundup for March 8" »

Posted by Steve Gould at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

What a week of outstanding achievement in high school athletics among boy athletes.

When it came time to pick The Sun's boys Athlete of the Week, there were more possible winners than we sometimes have in a month.

Donya Jackson, a Calvert Hall basketball player and two-time Baltimore Catholic League defensive player of the year, had a breakout offensive week, scoring 27 points against Archbishop Spalding in the BCL quarterfinals and 29 points against then-No. 1 St. Frances in the semifinals.

When fellow Sun sportswriter Ken Murray heard those numbers he said, "And you have options better than that?"

This week we had a real competition.

Robbie Creese, a junior at Glenelg, won the 1,600 (4:22), 3,200 (9:56) and 800-meter races (1:58.11) at the 2A indoor state track meet. He won the 800 with the best time in the Baltimore area this year and broke a 26-year-old record in the process.

Mark Colabucci, a Reservoir junior, won the 145-pound East regional wrestling championship to lead his team to the regional title and improve his own record to 40-0.

Charlie Melesh, a senior at Annapolis, set state swim meet records in the 100 butterfly (53.03) and the 200 individual medley (1:57.41). He also swam on the team's first place 200 medley relay team (1:46.08.)

Three other nominees, Sam Pellerito of Carver A&T and Adikola Oliganju and Elton Joe, both of Digital Harbor, each won 2A North regional wrestling titles. In each case, the regional titles were the first in their respective schools' history.

So who took the honor?

Bobby Bowman, a senior wrestler at Mount St. Joseph.

He went into the National Prep Wrestling Tournament at Lehigh University last weekend as the No. 6 seed. Over two days of competition, he beat the No. 3 seed, Scott Patrick of McDonogh, the Maryland Independent Schools champion, and the No. 2 seed, James Wieller of Wyoming Seminary (Pa.).

Bowman lost 5-4 in the championship match to No. 1 seed Tanner Eitel of Bishop Lynch (Texas), who was at one point warned for stalling after Bowman had escaped to close within 5-4 and aggressively sought to get a take down. The Gael senior got it, but the match official judged Bowman's take down at the edge of the mat that came as the buzzer sounded, coming an instant too late.

"We watched the film four or five times," said Mount St. Joseph coach Paul Triplett. "It was a pretty dramatic finish and it could have gone either way. As the referee conferred with the assistant referee everyone in the building was chanting 'Two! Two!'

"It was a very, very close call. But I guess we needed an extra half second. Bobby wrestled really well."

Bowman's second-place finish allowed his team to finish fifth in the tournament in which 114 teams competed. He was also the highest finishing competitor from Maryland.

Any one of the aforementioned boys could have been Athlete of the Week. For those who wonder, the final choice was determined based on the fact that Bowman performed on the national stage against the best in the country.

Posted by Sandra McKee at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Boys basketball, Track and field, Wrestling
        

Tonight's Baltimore Catholic League boys basketball championship game -- Mount St. Joseph vs. Calvert Hall set for 7 p.m. at Loyola University's Reitz Arena -- promises to be an intriguing matchup bolstered by the developments that transpired in Sunday's semifinal round.

The top-seeded and regular-season champion Gaels (30-3) didn't come close to resembling the team that went undefeated in league play during the regular season, allowing Cardinal Gibbons to stay close throughout before advancing with a sluggish 53-45 win.

Mount St. Joseph coach Pat Clatchey described his team's performance as 'blase'; senior forward Ryley Beaumont said the team played uncharacteristically selfish at the offensive end; and senior guard Matt Miller added the team will have to pick it up significantly if a title is to be had.

Calvert Hall, on the other hand, goes into tonight's game oozing with confidence. Cardinals coach John Bauersfeld said his team had high expectations going into the season with seniors Jonathan Graham, Damion Lee and Donya Jackson primed to finally get over the hump.

The Cardinals (20-7) had no luck getting past either Mount St. Joe and St. Frances during the regular season and then the Panthers got the better of them in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference semifinals on their way to defending that league crown.

So finally, last night, the Cardinals were playing to their full potential and built a 12-point lead in the fourth quarter against St. Frances, only to see the Panthers rally and send the game into overtime. It would have been easy for for Calvert Hall to fold, almost understandable considering the track record, but the Cardinals -- behind 29 points from Jackson -- showed resolve and found a way to overcome. Which brings both teams to tonight's championship game.

Can Mount St. Joseph quickly right the ship and play the kind of team basketball that it has in winning 30 games this season? Will the Cardinals have enough energy and intensity left to maintain the level of play it showed in getting past St. Frances?

Posted by Glenn Graham at 12:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Boys basketball
        

We’re hitting the home stretch at The Next Level, as some teams concluded regular-season play this past week. Of course, there are still conference and postseason tournaments, and we plan to keep on rolling until every player from the Baltimore area has played his or her last minute of the season.

This week’s men’s top five features three new faces and has a distinctly local flavor – even more so than usual – as those three are all from schools in Maryland. Here’s the list, in no particular order:

Continue reading "The Next Level -- men's hoops roundup for March 1" »

Posted by Steve Gould at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Haverford junior forward Sam Permutt (Atholton) made the All-Centennial Conference honorable-mention list after averaging 12.1 points this season, second on the team.

The Fords’ co-captain also was one of only three players on the 15-player All-Conference team to be named to the Centennial Academic Honor Roll.

Permutt also led the Fords (11-13 overall, 7-7 Centennial) in rebounds (169) and blocks (27), and was third in assists (45).

— Glenn Graham

Posted by Steve Gould at 4:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

The Baltimore Catholic League’s high level of play will speak for itself when the 39th edition of the boys basketball tournament takes place this weekend at Loyola University’s Reitz Arena.

As for its rich tradition, it was oozing at the league’s annual awards luncheon Tuesday afternoon at Snyder’s Willow Grove Restaurant in Linthicum Heights.

Every corner of the banquet room had a wealth of basketball knowledge and talent. Legendary former coaches Jerry Savage (Loyola), Mark Amatucci (Calvert Hall), Cokey Robertson (St. Maria Goretti) and William Wells (St. Frances) were on hand along with the current players and coaches for all seven teams.

Host Keith Mills provided a reminder of the large number of talented players who have come through the BCL — the likes of Carmelo Anthony (Towson Catholic), Juan Dixon (Calvert Hall), Rudy Gay (Archbishop Spalding), Quintin Dailey (Cardinal Gibbons), Mark Karcher (St. Frances) — and on and on. Guest speaker Jimmy Patsos, Loyola University’s head coach, urged the current players to take pride in the fact they have the opportunity to play in the league and take full advantage both on and off the court. Earlier in the season, there was preliminary talk that the league might fold largely because school administrators felt there was no need to have a second tournament with the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association playoffs completed over the weekend. While modifications will be made for the coming seasons, BCL commissioner Jack Degele said the league isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

“The BCL has a great tradition of history and excellence in high school basketball, both what it represents on the court and off the court. I’ve always been very proud and feel fortunate to be a part of the Baltimore Catholic League,” said 18-year Mount St. Joseph coach Pat Clatchey, who was named the BCL’s Coach of the Year for the eighth time.

The opening round of this weekend’s tournament is set for Saturday with games at 5 p.m., 6:45 and 8:30. The semifinals are set for Sunday at 6:45 p.m. and 8:30 with the championship game slated for 7 p.m. Monday. The tournament seedings will be announced after Thursday night’s completion of the regular season. Mount St. Joseph, already declared regular-season champion, has earned a bye for Saturday’s opening round.

Mount St. Joseph and defending BCL tournament champ St. Frances, which captured last weekend’s MIAA championship, already have received invitations to the prestigious Alhambra Catholic Invitational Tournament, which will celebrate its 50th year. Degele said Calvert Hall also has a chance to receive an invitation. The tournament is set for March 18-20 at Frostburg University.

— Glenn Graham

Posted by Steve Gould at 4:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Mount St. Joseph senior point guard Eric Atkins, a four-year starter who has led the No. 2 Gaels to a 28-3 season, was named the Baltimore Catholic League's Player of the Year for a second straight season at the league's 39th annual luncheon Tuesday afternoon at Snyder's Restaurant in Linthicum Heights.

Atkins, who is set to play at Notre Dame, is averaging 15 points, four assists, four rebounds and two steals this season.

"It just feels great to be mentioned with all the great players of the past from the BCL. ... There's so many players, it's an honor to be included," Atkins said. "The BCL is the best league in the country to me. I didn't play in any other league, but from what I hear, this is the best league and every game is a tough game."

Mount St. Joseph coach Pat Clatchey was selected as the BCL Coach of the Year for the eighth time. The 18-year coach, who has 427 career wins at Mount St. Joseph, guided the Gaels to their sixth regular-season championship since 2003. The team takes an 11-0 mark into tonight's game against No. 4 Calvert Hall and has already assured itself the top seed in this weekend's BCL playoffs. The Gaels have won three BCL tournament championships under Clatchey.

"It's nice to be recognized, but I didn't play one second in any of the games, so I consider this a team award -- your staff contributes greatly and your players," Clatchey said. "I've always felt very proud and fortunate to feel part of the BCL. I grew up watching the league, and an opportunity to coach in the BCL has been a great experience."

Calvert Hall senior forward Donya Jackson has long been known for his hard work containing opposing teams' top scoring threats and he was chosen the BCL's Defensive Player of the Year for a second straight season.

Below are the 2009-10 All-BCL teams selected by the league's coaches:

First Team
Atkins, Mount St. Joseph, Senior
Ryley Beaumont, Mount St. Joseph, Senior
Jonathan Graham, Calvert Hall, Senior
Dylon Cormier, Cardinal Gibbons, Senior
Damion Lee, Calvert Hall, Senior
Wayne Sparrow, St. Frances, Senior

Second Team
Dante Holmes, St. Frances, Senior
Matt Miller, Mount St. Joseph, Senior
Nic Martin, St. Maria Goretti, Senior
Matt Mathias, Loyola, Senior
Gregory Lewis, St. Frances, Junior

Honorable mention -- Donya Jackson, Calvert Hall; Erik Fisher, Cardinal Gibbons; Connor McRoy, Archbishop Spalding; R.J. Williams, St. Frances; Mike Fitzpatrick, Loyola.

'Never, Never Quit' Awards -- Jeff Janosek, Archbishop Spalding; Sean Wise, Calvert Hall; Brooks Healy, Cardinal Gibbons; Emmett Cahill, Loyola; Matt Miller, Mount St. Joseph; Jason Jones Jr., St. Frances; Jay Donoghue, St. Maria Goretti.

-- Glenn Graham

Posted by Glenn Graham at 1:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Boys basketball
        

Welcome back to another week of The Next Level, and quite the week it was for men’s players from the Baltimore area. In fact, it was the strongest week of the season in terms of overall performances by former local standouts.

Because of that, we’re going to depart from the norm today. There were so many notable performances that naming only a top five list would leave out some very deserving players. So, without further delay, here’s a top 10, in alphabetical order by college team.

Continue reading "The Next Level - men's hoops roundup for Feb. 22" »

Posted by Steve Gould at 5:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

High school basketball fans will have no shortage of big games to watch later this afternoon.

In addition to the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association playoffs getting underway, there's a number of public school games with important implications as the regular season comes to an end this weekend.

In Baltimore City, defending Class 1A state champion and No. 4 Digital Harbor hosts No. 9 Edmondson at 5:15 p.m. with a berth in next week's Baltimore City championship game on the line.

The winner will meet defending champ and No. 5 Lake Clifton at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Morgan State University.

In Anne Arundel, the county championship and a berth in next week's District V championship game (vs. Howard County's first-place team) is still up for grabs with No. 7 Annapolis, No. 10 Arundel and No. 11 Old Mill all having just one county loss.

A decisive game to see how it all plays out takes place at Arundel, where the Wildcats will entertain Old Mill at 5 p.m.

In Howard County, Hammond is 12-2 in county play with a one-game lead over River Hill, who is 11-3 in league play.

The teams meet at River Hill today with the opening tip set for 5:15 p.m. Teams still have additional games to play through Saturday.

The District V championship is set for 7 p.m. Tuesday at Arundel.

Posted by Glenn Graham at 12:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Boys basketball
        

With Baltimore Catholic League teams still jockeying for playoff positions, the league plans to make up a number of postponed games prior to the start of the BCL playoffs, set to begin on Saturday, Feb. 27 with quarterfinal play.

Here's a look at the revised schedule:

St. Maria Goretti at Cardinals Gibbons, Saturday, Feb. 21, 3:30 p.m.

Cardinal Gibbons at Archbishop Spalding, Monday, Feb. 22, 4.

Mount St. Joseph at Calvert Hall, Tuesday, Feb. 23, 7.

Cardinal Gibbons at Loyola, Wednesday, Feb. 24, 5:30.

Calvert Hall at Archbishop Spalding, Wednesday, Feb. 24, 7.

Calvert Hall at St. Frances, Thursday, Feb. 25, 7.

Mount St. Joseph has already clinched first place and will receive a first-round bye. The remaining six teams will play in the first round with the semifinals set for Sunday, Feb. 28th and the championship game slated for Monday, March 1. The entire tournament will take place at Loyola University.

Here's a look at the current BCL standings:

Mount St. Joseph 11-0
St. Frances 8-2
Calvert Hall 6-2
Loyola 4-7
Spalding 2-6
Cardinal Gibbons 2-6
St. Maria Goretti 0-9

Posted by Glenn Graham at 12:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Boys basketball
        

We’re back with another installment of The Next Level, and this week there are some changes to the starting lineup.

That is to say this week’s list of the top five men’s performers looks a little different than usual. Making his debut is UMBC guard Chauncey Gilliam (Hammond), who averaged 17.0 points and 5.3 rebounds over three games in a busy week for the Retrievers. Jimmy Conyers of Akron makes his second appearance, and his first since the inaugural top five. The Baltimore native scored 15.5 points per game and grabbed 9.5 rebounds in two contests. After a two-week absence, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi’s Kevin Palmer (Parkville) also returns after averaging 23.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 2.5 steals and 36 minutes over two games.

Continue reading "The Next Level - men's hoops roundup for Feb. 15" »

Posted by Steve Gould at 2:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Former Long Reach basketball star Darryl Webb is doing his thing at Indiana University of Pennsylvania these days, and he also found his way on SportsCenter's Top 10 Plays on Wednesday night -- twice.

The 6-foot-6 junior forward earned the No. 8 play with a jaw-dropping baseline jam and then managed to upstage himself with the No. 5 selection, taking a teammate's pass off the backboard and jamming it home.

Webb, who led Long Reach to its only state title in 2006, is having a standout junior season in the college ranks. He's averaging 17.3 points and 10.8 rebounds for IUP (18-2) with 12 double-doubles on the season. The Crimson Hawks are ranked 11th in the NABC Division II Coaches poll and have a share of first place in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference's West Division with a 7-1 mark.

Webb, who earlier in the season became the program's 25th player to surpass the 1,000-point plateau, has been selected the PSAC West Player of the Week five times this season.

In his senior year at Long Reach, Webb averaged 16.5 points and 11.5 rebounds to earn Howard County Player of the Year and second-team All-Metro honors.

Posted by Glenn Graham at 11:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Boys basketball
        

Welcome back to The Next Level. I hope you were able to dig yourselves out of the snow this past weekend and are nice and toasty today. Speaking of staying warm, some of our Baltimore-area men’s players certainly haven’t let their shots cool off.

Four of our top five performers might look familiar to you, as Massachusetts’ Ricky Harris (Calvert Hall), Morgan State’s Reggie Holmes (St. Frances), New Mexico State’s Jahmar Young (Du Bois) and Malcolm Delaney (Towson Catholic) of Virginia Tech experienced no drop-off in their lofty scoring numbers. On the season, Holmes (sixth, 22.8 points per game), Young (tied for 17th, 21.4 ppg) and Delaney (25th, 20.3 ppg) all rank in the top 25 in Division I in scoring average.

Continue reading "The Next Level -- men's hoops roundup for Feb. 8" »

Posted by Steve Gould at 3:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

In the ongoing snow shuffle, the Baltimore County's girls and boys basketball championship games have been moved to Feb. 23 instead of Feb. 19. The JV finals will be Feb. 24.

That will allow teams to continue making up games until Feb. 19, which is now the final play date in Baltimore County.

Ron Belinko, coordinator of athletics for the Baltimore County public schools, said that as of today, most county teams should have just one game to make up if they have followed the policy of playing on the next available date. However, should more snow arrive Tuesday and Wednesday as predicted, and schools remain closed the rest of the week, that could put teams three games behind with only five days left to play.

The state playoff schedule for basketball has not changed. The draw is scheduled for Feb. 21 and regionals begin on Feb. 26 for girls and Feb. 27 for boys.

Posted by Katherine Dunn at 10:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Another week of college basketball is behind us, and the calendar now reads “February.” That, of course, means that March – the best month of the year if you’re a college hoops fan – is almost upon us. From the looks of things, there are some players from the Baltimore area who are warming up for when the Madness starts.

This past week’s top five men’s performers include some of the usual suspects, as Massachusetts’ Ricky Harris (Calvert Hall), Morgan State’s Reggie Holmes (St. Frances), New Mexico State’s Jahmar Young (Du Bois) and Virginia Tech’s Malcolm Delaney (Towson Catholic) repeated their tendency to score in bunches.

Continue reading "The Next Level -- men's basketball roundup for Feb. 1" »

Posted by Steve Gould at 7:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

We’re another week into the college basketball season, and what looked like it would be an impressive overall season for players from the Baltimore area has exceeded expectations, as there are numerous solid contributors for a variety of teams, and a few players who are putting up huge numbers.

On the men’s side, New Mexico State’s Jahmar Young (Du Bois) and Morgan State’s Reggie Holmes (St. Frances) continued to light up the scoreboard this week. Young averaged 30 points and 36.5 minutes played over two games. Holmes scored 25 points per game and got to the free-throw line an incredible 31 times over two contests, making 27 of those free throws.

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi’s Kevin Palmer (Parkville) turned in a standout performance this week, averaging 25 points, four steals and 34.5 minutes played in two games. Massachusetts’ Ricky Harris (Calvert Hall) scored an average of 18.5 points over two contests. Rounding out the top five, Maryland’s Sean Mosley (St. Frances) averaged 17 points, 5.5 rebounds and three assists in a pair of games.

Continue reading "The Next Level -- men's basketball roundup for Jan. 25" »

Posted by Steve Gould at 5:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Former Lake Clifton basketball standout Will Barton has been named to the 2010 USA Junior National Select Team, which will take on the World Select Team in the 13th annual Nike Hoop Summit at 7 p.m. April 10 at the Rose Garden in Portland, Ore.

Barton, who is now playing at Brewster Academy in New Hampshire, was last year's All-Metro Player of the Year after leading Lake Clifton to a 28-0 record and the Class 3A state championship. The 6-foot-6 guard has signed to play at the University of Memphis.

The Nike Hoop Summit is considered as one of the country's premier annual basketball games, featuring the country's finest high school players going up against the top international players aged 19 and younger.

Posted by Glenn Graham at 1:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Boys basketball
        

We’re only in the second week of basketball coverage here, and already the Next Level is calling a timeout and drawing up a new play.

I had said originally that I was planning to list only Division I’s top 10 men’s performers and top 10 women’s performers who hail from the Baltimore area and give their statistics. However, partially because of my desire not to shortchange anyone and partially because doing so isn’t really any more work for me, I’ll be giving the weekly statistics for every player in my first roundup. (That’s 55 men’s players and 38 women’s players, in case you were curious.)

Continue reading "The Next Level -- men's basketball roundup for Jan. 18" »

Posted by Steve Gould at 7:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

With the 2009-10 college football season in the books and basketball season beginning in earnest with conference play, it’s time to move The Next Level off the gridiron and onto the hardwood.

Here’s the deal: Today, I’ll present a list (compiled by me and my fellow assistant sports editor, the ever-helpful Matt Bracken of The Sun’s Recruiting Report) of all the NCAA Division I men’s and women’s basketball players from the Baltimore area, and give their season statistics so far. Each successive Monday, check back here to find lists of the previous week’s top 10 men’s performers and top 10 women’s performers. (Disclaimer: I’ll be choosing these lists myself, and the process won’t exactly be scientific, as I won’t have had a chance to actually see many of the players in action. Results will be based largely on statistical performance. However, if you feel I’ve left off a deserving player or have any other comments, please feel free to, well, comment on the entry.

That sums up pre-game warm-ups. Let’s tip off and get right into the players we’ll be following this season. As always, thanks for reading.

Continue reading "The Next Level takes the court" »

Posted by Steve Gould at 10:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)
        

Since graduating from St. Frances in 2003, basketball has taken Derrick Brooks all over the country.

The 5-foot-10 point guard -- best known for his contributions to Douglass’ 28-0 Class 3A state championship team in 2002 -- spent his freshman year at Blinn College in Texas, his sophomore season at Hamilton College in Lincoln, Neb., and his junior campaign at Lambuth University in Jackson, Tenn.

Now a senior at Kuyper College in Grand Rapids, Mich., Brooks has finally found a school he can call home. The Baltimore native has quickly emerged as the Cougars’ top player, recording 24.5 points, 4.2 assists and 4.2 steals per game.

Before Christmas break, Brooks was named the National Christian College Athletic Association Player of the Week.

“In that one week, he was averaging right around 30 points per game,” said Kuyper coach Stan Jesky. “He’s just been a godsend for us. ... He’s got this unbelievable quickness -- that’s his strength. He’ll stutter-step and leave you glued to the floor. ... Sometimes [his teammates] get caught up just marveling at him and forget he’s passing them the ball.”

Brooks -- who started his high school career at St. Frances, spent his junior year at Douglass and returned to the Panthers as a senior -- broke his ankle at Lambuth and decided to return home to Baltimore. He took a year off from school but decided last summer that it was time to give basketball one more shot.

“I was e-mailing a lot of different coaches,” Brooks said. “[Kuyper was] one of the schools that was interested in me. So I just decided to come. I was going to make the best out of every situation. I knew my game was going to succeed on [its] own. ... I didn’t care about the recruiting process or the area. I just wanted to try something new.”

Brooks is the only player from outside the Midwest on the Cougars’ roster, but the change of scenery has been a blessing. He is majoring in business and hopes to continue his basketball career overseas after finishing his degree.

For now, Brooks is focused on finishing up strong with Kuyper. The Cougars are 5-13 overall -- thanks to a challenging nonconference schedule that featured several NAIA foes -- but 3-1 in conference play.

On Tuesday, Brooks had the best game of his Kuyper career. He recorded a triple double, scoring a school-record 43 points to go along with 12 rebounds, 10 assists and six steals to lead the Cougars to an 82-74 win over Indiana University Northwest.

“It’s amazing the things he does with the basketball,” Jesky said. “He has been better than advertised.”

Photo of Derrick Brooks courtesy of the Kuyper College athletic department.

Posted by Matt Bracken at 9:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Boys basketball
        

The fall season is still in full swing for most athletes, but here's a look forward to one of the top annual basketball events: the Basketball Academy.

The lineup for the 14th Annual Basketball Academy at Morgan State Jan. 14 through Jan. 16 features some of the area's top boys and girls teams. Make your plans now.

Thursday, Jan. 14
Digital Harbor girls vs. Milford Mill, 3:30 p.m.
Mervo boys vs. Randallstown, 5 p.m.
City girls vs. Perry Hall, 6:30 p.m.
Dunbar boys vs. Woodlawn, 9:30 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 15
City girls vs. Milford Mill, 3:30 p.m.
Digital Harbor boys vs. KIMA (DC), 5 p.m.
Western girls vs. Riverdale Baptist, 6:30 p.m.
Lake Clifton boys vs. Ballou (DC), 8
City boys vs. Longwood (NY), 9:30 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 16
Woodlawn boys vs. Mervo, 10:30 a.m.
Perry Hall girls vs. Archbishop Spalding, noon
Randallstown boys vs. Digital Harbor, 1:30
Digital Harbor girls vs. Riverdale Baptist, 3
Douglass boys vs. KIMA, 4:30
Parkville boys vs. Dunbar, 6
City boys vs. Ballou, 7:30
Lake Clifton boys vs. Longwood, 9

Posted by Katherine Dunn at 11:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Boys basketball, Girls basketball
        

Mount St. Joseph is looking for young men to participate in its fall basketball camp.

The dates of the camp are Saturday, Oct. 3 and Sunday, Oct. 4 from 12 - 2 p.m., Monday, Oct. 5 and Tuesday, Oct. 6 from 6 - 8:30 p.m.

Boys ages 7 - 15 are eligible to attend. The camp will emphasize fundamentals and offensive skill development.

The cost is $90 per camper, $170 for two campers from the same family. For more information, those interested should contact Gaels coach Pat Clatchey at 410-788-3441.

Posted by Sandra McKee at 12:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Boys basketball
        

Lake Clifton boys basketball coach Herman Harried, who is serving as an assistant coach for the U.S. under-16 national team, returned to the United States from Argentina earlier this week with a gold medal and lasting impressions.

The U.S. captured the 2009 FIBA Americas U-16 Championship with a 101-87 win over host Argentina in the title game, posting a 5-0 record in the tournament.

"There's nothing like being in a different country and hearing your national anthem, seeing your flag raised and having a gold medal placed around your neck," Harried said.

The team was in Argentina for nine days, following a seven-day camp in Colorado Springs. Harried said the biggest challenge for the players and coaches was getting comfortable in a foreign country.

"Here we are in a different country -- 12 players, three coaches and the training staff. Our goal as a coaching staff emphasized on dealing with adversity. Argentina loves basketball. All throughout the game they whistled and had noise makers. We had to make sure the kids put that aside and dealt with the basics of basketball," said Harried.

The basketball tour doesn't stop there for Harried this summer. He is currently in Dallas assisting Utah Jazz star guard Deron Williams at his summer camp and also will help run camps for Phoenix Suns star Amare Stoudamire and NBA MVP LeBron James.

Posted by Glenn Graham at 11:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Boys basketball