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.