Baltimore Sun high school sports Top 15 polls (March 13) By Baltimore Sun staff
Baltimore Sun

BOYS BASKETBALL (FINAL)
Rank, team, record, previous rank

1. Mount Saint Joseph (38-4) 2

2. City (28-0) 3

3. St. Frances (29-11) 1

4. New Town (22-3) 4

5. Parkville (27-1) 5

6. Edmondson (22-7) 8

7. Meade (25-4) 11

8. Lake Clifton (22-5) 6

9. Mount Carmel (20-16) 7

10. Archbishop Spalding (15-18) 9

11. St. Mary’s (24-7) 10

12. Aberdeen (22-5) 13

13. Broadneck (17-7) 15

14. Wilde Lake (21-4) 14

15. Poly (20-3) 12

Others considered: Calvert Hall (19-18), Dulaney (18-6), John Carroll (14-18), Liberty (19-6), Long Reach (21-3), Loyola Blakefield (11-15)

Boys’ basketball final Top 20: By Washington Post Staff March 13, 2023 at 9:00 a.m. EDT

Another dramatic and entertaining year of D.C.-area high school basketball is in the books. Our final boys’ rankings of the winter are filled with programs that achieved something impressive this season, whether that was a conference championship, a deep playoff run or a strong record.

In College Park, it was a rough few days for local programs at the state championships. Damascus, Largo and Meade put together impressive seasons but came up one win short of ultimate glory.

1. Sidwell Friends (27-4) Last ranked: 1
The Quakers set themselves apart this winter by winning the outright Mid-Atlantic Athletic Conference title and a D.C. state title.

2. St. John’s (32-4) LR: 2
The WCAC champion fell to DeMatha in overtime in the Alhambra semifinals.

3. Paul VI (32-3) LR: 3
Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association champion and WCAC finalist will partake in the Geico Nationals tournament at the end of the month.

4. Hayfield (30-1) LR: 4
The Hawks successfully defended last year’s Virginia state title, defeating Patriot on Friday in the Class 6 final.

5. Patriot (27-4) LR: 6
The Pioneers’ impressive season ended one win short of a state title.

6. Bishop McNamara (27-9) LR: 8
The Mustangs fell to DeMatha in the Alhambra championship.

7. Gonzaga (26-11) LR: 7
The Eagles lost to Bishop McNamara in the Alhambra semifinals.

8. Bullis (26-5) LR: 6
The IAC champion was bounced from the Alhambra bracket by Bishop McNamara.

9. Jackson-Reed (28-8) LR: 9
The Tigers reached the D.C. State Athletic Association final for a second straight year.

10. Mt. Zion Prep (27-11) LR: 15
The Warriors earned a gritty win over Shabach Christian in Monday’s Maryland Private Schools Tournament championship game.

11. Shabach Christian (31-7) LR: 10
The Eagles fell to Mt. Zion Prep in the Maryland Private School Tournament championship game.

12. Largo (21-7) LR: 12
The Lions were defeated by New Town in the Maryland 2A championship game.

13. Riverdale Baptist (27-4) LR: 11
The Crusaders had a strong season, winning the Metro Independent School Athletic League title for a second straight season.

14. DeMatha (22-12) LR: 18
The Stags ended a tough season on a high note by beating McNamara in the Alhambra Invitational championship.

15. St. Andrew’s (24-7) LR: 13
The Lions finished in second place behind Sidwell Friends in the MAC regular season standings and conference tournament.

16. Bard (24-7) LR: 14
It was a dream season for the Falcons, who won the D.C. Interscholastic Athletic Association and DCSAA A tournaments.

17. Damascus (25-3) LR: 16
After knocking off undefeated Frederick in the state semifinals, the Hornets fell to City College in the Maryland 3A title game.

18. Meade (24-4) LR: 19
The Mustangs lost to Parkville in Saturday’s Maryland 4A title game.

19. South Lakes (24-4) LR: 17
The Seahawks fell to Hayfield in the Virginia Class 6 semifinals.

20. Gaithersburg (19-7) LR: NR
The Trojans reached the Maryland 4A semifinals, where they lost to eventual champion Parkville.

Dropped out: No. 20 Sherwood

By Varun Shankar March 11, 2023 at 10:50 p.m. EST

A late Meade foul sent Parkville to the free throw line to extend an already impenetrable lead Saturday night. The senior forward stood at midcourt, looking to the Xfinity Center rafters as Knights players high-fived and chest-bumped around him. After the buzzer, he joined fellow senior Xavion Roberson and Coach Mike Glick for a hug before they entered one of their final huddles together.

Jones led all scorers with 25 points, but it wasn’t enough. The Meade boys’ basketball team achieved two of its three goals — securing county and region titles — but lost in the Maryland 4A state championship to Parkville, 72-56.

The senior’s efforts featured six blocks, including one with under three minutes left as he smacked away what looked like a wide-open Knights layup. But the ensuing fast break turned into an air-balled three, and the Mustangs’ deficit remained too steep to overcome.

“We had an incredible season,” Jones said. “ … It’s not the outcome that we wanted, but we always just want to keep our heads up and move forward.”

The loss concluded Glick’s 30th season as a high school head coach. He has spent 17 of those at public schools and led squads to the state semifinals six times. He has never won a state title, with five losses in the final four and now two in the championship game.

“Oh, my God. You kidding me?” Glick said before the game when asked what the achievement would mean to him. “It would be maybe one of the crowning achievements of my coaching career, personally. . . . It’s been elusive.”

His previous appearance in the semifinals came last year when Meade lost to Churchill after blowing a 14-point lead. The Mustangs (24-4) seemingly made up for that defeat this year by beating Sherwood in the semis, quelling a pair of comeback attempts in the process.

The season started with an 18-1 run before back-to-back losses to Broadneck and South River prompted internal reexamination. Meade recovered, beating Broadneck in the Anne Arundel County championship game before galloping through the region for another title.

It looked as though the final goal might be reached, with Jones scoring to put the Mustangs up by three at halftime. He scored again exiting the break, dunking to extend the lead to five. But Parkville (27-1) swung the game in its favor and ended the third quarter ahead by six.

“We’re devastated right now,” Glick said. “I’m a little bit older than the guys with me; I think everybody will look back on this when they become older, and I think they’ll realize the incredible journey that we had.”

By Glenn Graham Baltimore Sun Mar 11, 2023 at 9:08 pm

COLLEGE PARK — Parkville only saw its season ending one way.

The No. 5 Knights pictured a state title since this time last year, when they lost by two points in the semifinal round. The adversity they overcame since then made them stronger.

In Saturday’s Class 4A championship game, they shook off No. 11 Meade with a dominating second half, enjoying a balanced performance in a 72-56 win at University of Maryland’s Xfinity Center that produced the program’s first state title.

Junior guard Josiah Legree proved the spark, scoring 16 of his 22 points in the Knights’ take-charge third quarter. Senior Caron Smith led with 23 points and Sincere Barfield came off the bench to provide 14.

A season that was dedicated to coach Josh Czerski’s mother, Nancy, who passed away on July 11, ended in jubilation on Xfinity Center’s court.

“Anything less, was kind of a bust for us,” Czerski said. “The kids knew that — we were going to spin things into something positive. This is what we wanted. This is what we started the season for. This is what we spoke about — going 2-0 once we got to the final four.”

The Knights (27-1) beefed up their schedule to prime for the ultimate task, with their only blemish coming in the Baltimore County championship when Class 2A state champion New Town proved better.

Meade, which captured the Anne Arundel County crown, got a sensational 25-point performance from senior Shawn Jones to finish the season 25-3.

With the Knights trailing 37-33 midway through the third quarter, Legree made the rest of the frame his own. He scored 14 points — capped by a 3-pointer and foul — that gave them a 50-41 advantage.

“I just wanted to pick up my game and step up for my team and be a leader,” he said. “I trusted my coach and trusted my teammates to find me and let me find my rhythm throughout the game. It felt great. My teammates kept finding me and I kept scoring and then it opened things up for the rest of the offense like Caron getting his and Sincere.”

In the fourth quarter, the Mustangs tried to muster a final rally with Zamar Jones hitting a 3-pointer that cut the lead to 59-53 with 4:02 to play. But Parkville showed it had plenty left to put the game away.

Tre Worsley hit a follow and Barfield upped the lead to 63-53 before the Knights made six straight free throws to seal the win.

Czerski said more patience on offense and a switch defensively, going to a 1-2-2 pressure zone, played vital in the efficient second half. He reflected on the journey and the support he received from his basketball family.

“My mom passed away on July 11, eight months to the day exactly,” he said. “It’s something we talked about throughout the season. This year, they stepped up to be my crutch, my motivation to get up every day and work for them along with my family and son [Daniel]. These guys have been amazing through that.”

The Mustangs, who also lost in last year’s state semifinals, got plenty of mileage in playing in the state’s big gym on the season’s last day.

“We’re devastated right now. I’m older than the guys with me and I think everybody will look back on this when they become older and they’ll realize the incredible journey that we had,” Meade coach Mike Glick said. “I just couldn’t be prouder of the group of kids. It’s a tough way for us to go out. It wasn’t the third and fourth quarters that we wanted, but it doesn’t diminish at all what these guys accomplished this season together.”

The Knights appeared poised to take hold of the game after settling in late in the first quarter. In the final minute, Smith converted a 3-point play and Barfield hit his second 3-pointer of the frame to give them a 21-13 lead.

On the opening possession of the second quarter, the Knights took their first double-digit lead when Worsley finished inside.

But the Mustangs weren’t deterred.

Getting stops and rebounds and leaning on their long-range shooting, they went on a 13-0 run. John Teague hit two 3s and KeSean Graham hit another from the left side to give the Mustangs a 26-23 lead. A basket from Jones near the buzzer gave Meade a 29-26 advantage at the break.

M — S. Jones 25, Robinson 10, Scott 4, Teague 6, Z. Jones 5, Graham 6. Totals: 20 9-11 56

P — Legree 22, Smith 23, Barfield 14, Okigweh 6, Worsley 6, Woodland 1. Totals: 23 18-21 72

Half: 29-26, M

By Katherine Fominykh Capital Gazette Mar 11, 2023 at 10:38 pm

COLLEGE PARK — If Meade boys basketball could have just kept doing what won them the second quarter, it’d be the Mustangs holding up the Class 4A trophy Saturday night.

Instead, for three quarters, Meade played as the team Parkville forced them to be. The ones that couldn’t stop the Knights from playing the game they wanted to play. The last step in the Knights’ story, rather than the other way around.

Falling 72-56 in the championship proved just how dangerous Meade’s final opponent truly was. But the score hardly reflected the true nature of the game, and moreover, did not wipe out what Meade boys basketball had done. The Mustangs lost in the state semifinals last year, graduated some key seniors, but chose to improve and go a step farther, becoming state runners-up.

“It’s been amazing. The season, the rollercoasters, it started off tough, but we stayed together,” senior Xavion Roberson said. “We worked through everything, communicated, and I felt like we got better. To be where we are today, win or loss, I’m thankful for it.”

The loss didn’t negate what the Mustangs had been to its community this winter.

Coach Mike Glick knows the pain his team feels now, but couldn’t feel more pride for the role his nine seniors played in the halls of Meade High School.

“It’s great because our school’s gotten a lot of negativity,” senior Kyree Scott said. “For me, everything we’ve done with basketball has been a good thing.”

Senior John Teague felt the doubt from others originally. But to feel the love outpouring all year long proved that what he and his teammates had done was convince everyone to believe in them, regardless of the outcome.

It’s that kind of love, both from community and from the team itself, that inspired Teague to put down two 3-pointers to help spark Meade’s one-and-only run of the night.

“They started pushing me. Coach Glick started to push me, to push me to go harder than what I was doing last year,” Teague said, “and I thank him for that.”

[ Parkville reaches ultimate goal of the program’s first state championship ]

It wasn’t the cavernous expanse of the college court that fazed Meade. It wasn’t the pressure of all they’d done to get here, and how it would end with the second-place trophy if they didn’t put it to good use. It was just their opponent.

Meade had seen no one quite like Parkville in the county this year: unless it looked in a mirror. The Knights moved quickly up the floor. They forced and capitalized on turnovers. They made big blocks, shot game-changing 3-pointers over and over again (8-for-20). They owned the glass and the paint. Parkville funneled away 12 points on second chances, and an incalculable more on loose balls that, in any other game, Meade would be the one coming up with.

“You might feel worse if you played horribly, but I give Parkville a lot of credit,” Glick said. “They moved the ball exceptionally well.”

Senior Shawn Jones seemed the only antidote to the Knights’ play sometimes, shooting 71.5% from field goal range and perfect (5-for-5) from the line for 25 points, as well as 11 rebounds.

The 6-foot-6 senior stood tall in the first quarter and in the last two. It showed just how much he’d grown into what Meade needed him to be.

“I wanted to play with a lot of confidence and believe in myself,” Jones said. “I knew that if I played good, everyone else would feed off that energy. I could get my teammates the ball on offense. On defense, I could block shots and grab long rebounds.”

After trailing 21-13 after one, Meade had Parkville’s master plan under control. For a quarter.

Teague’s attacks sparked Meade’s 10-2 run, and senior KeSean Graham followed his lead. The Mustangs forced Parkville to rush shots and turn the ball over. Meade led 29-26 at halftime.

But in the third quarter, the Mustangs could hear the water rushing toward them. It had the defenses to hold them back. Graham’s 3-pointer seemed to stop Parkville’s run.

They were wrong.

Parkville not only reclaimed its power at the perimeter, outscoring Meade 21-7 to give itself a 49-41 lead. But a deficit Meade could manage. Losing Roberson, who suffered his third and fourth fouls in the third quarter, it could not.

Roberson, who scored 10 points Saturday, ran the point all season. To have to repeatedly bench him and gingerly use him when he was on the floor stole the beginnings of Meade’s drives.

“We stopped attacking the basket the second half. The zone they put on us was very effective,” Glick said.

Meade fell behind 63-53 in the final minutes. Just when hope flared in Jones’ 3-point play, Parkville’s Cayne Woodland (23 points) drained a 3-pointer.

With it fell Jones’ face. A minute remained, but there would be no heroics. There would be turnovers, missed shots and Mustang fouls. And silver medals.

“This is not the outcome we wanted, but we just have to keep our heads up,” Jones said. “This is a lesson, not a loss.”

No. 3 Knights, Mustangs get opportunity at atonement in 4A semifinals

By VSN Staff
Published on: March 07, 2023 10:30 AM EST|Updated on: March 07, 2023 1:24 PM EST

Since a heartbreaking end to their respective seasons in the Class 4A state boys basketball semifinals last year, Meade and Parkville each made getting back its sole mission this season.

Redemption, as well as a championship, is on the menu for the Mustangs and Knights after advancing back to the 4A state Final Four Saturday. No. 3 Parkville defeated Prince George’s DuVal, 59-49, while Meade eliminated Montgomery County’s Wootton, 64-53,

Broadneck’s bid to make it three Baltimore area teams in 4A state semifinals, came up short in a 67-52 loss to Gaithersburg in Montgomery County. Jalen Carter finished with 17 points for the Bruins (17-8 overall), and Jordan Brown had 14.

The Anne Arundel County regular season champs were unable to overcome a 12-0 opening run by the Trojans, who led 23-7 after the first quarter. Gaithersburg had its largest lead, 33-11, in the second quarter.

Sincere Barfield scored 15 points for Parkville in a victory over Prince George’s County DuVal in a Class 4A state quarterfinal. The No. 3 Knights will play Montgomery County’s Sherwood in a state semifinal match, Wednesday at Henry A. Wise in Prince George’s County. (John Bowers)
Broadneck battled in the second half, closing to 44-36, but couldn’t complete what would’ve been an epic comeback. Meade, which won the Anne Arundel County title game, established a big early lead against Wootton at home.

Senior guard Xavion Roberson led the Mustangs (23-3) with 19 points and post Shawn Jones added a double-double of 17 points and 13 rebounds. John Teague pulled down 13 rebounds.

Meade led 23-8 after the opening quarter, and 51-33 after three, punching its fourth 4A Final Four ticket since 2015. The Mustangs will play another Montgomery County school, Sherwood, Wednesday at Blair.

Last year, Meade blew a 14-point second half lead against Winston Churchill in a state 4A semifinal at Henry A. Wise. The Mustangs recovered to take the lead late, but the Montgomery County squad pulled away for a 55-50 victory.

Parkville gained its third straight state semifinal berth, getting 15 points from Sincere Barfield and Fortune Okigweh finished with 14. Josiah Legree, whose 3-pointer at the buzzer propelled the Knights to an overtime victory over Dulaney in the North Region I final Thursday, added 10.

Parkville (25-1) will play Gaithersburg, Wednesday at Prince George’s County’s Wise, for a spot in this weekend’s 4A state final at the University of Maryland. A year ago, the Knights lost to eventual state champ Prince George’s County’s Eleanor Roosevelt, in a semifinal at North Point in Charles County, ending a bid at a perfect season and first state title.