Baltimore Area High School Basketball Report Part 2: The Counties

In Part 1 of this series, we took a look at the MIAA & Baltimore City. Our series continues with a look at the Counties.

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Baltimore County

Baltimore County has boasted seven state champions in the last ten years, but the ‘18-19 season saw a four year title run come to an end. Perry Hall won back-to-back 4A state titles in ‘17 and ‘18, while New Town followed up a 1A state championship in ‘15 with a 2A state championship in ‘16. Milford Mill started the decade winning three of four 3A state titles in ‘10, ‘11, and ‘13. The county has a handful of hopefuls to reach College Park this March, though the top two, took hits in the transfer portal.

New Town (1-1) features seniors Andrew Mills and Montaz Robinson, but lost the services of 6’9 junior Julian Reese to St Frances. Still, the Titans should be a player in both the county and 2A classification, as Mills is coming off a junior campaign where he was named to the All-Met First Team, after averaging 16 points and 8 rebounds per game, while Robinson (Delaware St commit) is a three-year starter. The Titans were 21-1 last season when they were eliminated by Edmondson in the sectional final. New Town plays county powers Milford Mill and Dulaney in January, as well as Wise and Chester PA after the new year.

Dulaney (3-0) looked to be a favorite to make the 4A state title this season, after a Final Four finish last season, before 6’6 senior Che Evans and 6’6 junior Isaiah Cornish both transferred. Still, with 6’1 junior guard Ryan Conway (‘19 21.5, 4.5 ast, 42% 3pt, 85% ft) and 6’6 senior Cameron Byers back, the Lions will still make a push in 4A. With the transfers of Evans and Cornish, junior Jaylin Webster will take on a bigger role. The Lions, who won 21 games last year, have started 3-0, including a 63-59 win over the UCBAC’s best, Havre de Grace, and a 75-60 win over Franklin. Lions coach Matt Lochte is in his 16th season at Dulaney, posting a 239-117 record.

Milford Mill (2-0) looks to rebound from a 10-12 season and an opening round playoff  loss to Landsdowne last season, with three-year contributor  Jermaine Goodwyn, and a trio of transfers – 6’8 junior Detawn Montague from St Frances, 6’2 sophomore Andrew Rhuebottom from Parkville, and sophomore Sammy Scott from City College, leading the way. The Millers will face a quartet of tests in the first 15 days of the new year, hosting McDonogh on the 3rd, heading Dulaney on the 8th, taking on City College in the Mayors Academy, then going to New Town on the 15th.

After a historical season on the gridiron at Parkville, the Knights (2-1) are poised to partake in a special season on the hardwoods, buoyed by 6’4 senior Jordan Strickland and 6’3 junior and City College transfer Darrius Tilghman.  The Knights, who finished 17-6 last season, and who’ve made just one Final Four appearance in 32 seasons, have a pair of seniors, John Godinez and Khalil Dukes, and a junior, Malik Scorpio, to compliment Strickland and Tilghman.

Coach Bobby Richardson’s Woodlawn Warriors, who lost in the regional final to C.M. Wright last season, posted a 69-56 win over the aforementioned Parkville Knights on Friday night.

The Franklin Indians (3-1) won 17 games last season, and look to build on that success this season, returning its top two scorers in 6’1 senior Ben Murphy (‘19 16.3, 8.0 reb) and 6’0 senior Reggie Truitt (12.3 ppg), with point guard Shamar McCall running the show. The Indians reeled off three straight wins to start the season, including a 15 point win over McDonogh, a 18 point win over Liberty, before a 75-60 loss to Dulaney.

Anne Arundel

The Anne Arundel county race appears to be wide open, with perennial contender Meade (104 wins, last 5 seasons) having to replace the MPSSAA’s leading scorer Mahzi Thames (26.3 ppg) and their leading rebounder and second leading scorer, Tre Dunn (13.4, 9.6 reb), due to graduation. Old Mill, who have won 91 games in the last five seasons, lost a pair of All-County guards in Avion Robinson and Daevone Johnson to graduation, and 4A state finalist Broadneck saw four of five starters matriculate.

Northeast, who reached a 3A regional final last year, is 3-0, and led by senior Jaylin Albury and Trent McNeil. Travis Smoot and Darrell Sheppard bolster the Eagles attack. The Eagles throttled Meade, 81-53, Friday night, as McNeil scored 24 points, grabbed 5 rebounds and dished out 7 assists. Smoot scores 18 points, Sheppard grabbed 12 rebounds, and Albert supplied 12 assists in the win.

Broadneck lost four starters from last year’s 4A state finalist team, but bring back its biggest, 6’9 senior Logan Vican, who averaged 12.9 points and 7.9 rebounds per game last season, scoring 18 points in the Bruins county championship loss, and scoring 19 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in their state semifinal win over Richard Montgomery. Together, with 6’6 senior Andrew Rose, 5’8 senior Brendan Davis, and 6’0 sophomore Josh Erlich, it was thought the Bruins would still contend for the county title this season, but the Bruins have dropped their first two games – a 5 point loss to Southern, and a 18 point loss to City College, before a win over St Mary’s.

Annapolis lost its leading leading scorer of a year ago, Byron Ireland, when the talented junior transferred to St Frances, but nonetheless, have won its first two games, including a 70-69 victory over previously unbeaten Southern. Craig Pratt and Meiji Ross scored 22 and 14 points, respectively, in the win over the Bulldogs.

The Southern Bulldogs could contend for county prominence, led by senior captains Jay Carter and Khiyon Washington, junior Russell Dandridge, and sophomore Larry Bullick. The ‘Dawgs are 2-1, including their season-opening win over Broadneck. North County (2-0) has posted a pair of 15 point wins over Old Mill and Glen Burnie, and is led by 6’5 junior O’Meech Wilson.

Coach Mike Glick’s Meade Mustangs (1-2) do have their third leading scorer from a year ago back, junior TJ Speight, who averaged 12.1 points per game last season, and who poured in 30 points in the ‘Stangs opening season win over Glen Burnie. Senior guard Corey Williams and 6’5 junior Devin Barksdale will provide help to Speight. Old Mill lost its coach of five years, Mike Francis, to Meade football, and have sputtered to start, with a 15 point loss to North County, and a 32 point loss to City College.

Howard

Reservoir advanced to the 2019 3A state title game, before running into a juggernaut in three-time defending 3A champion Poly. Gators coach Mike Coughlan stepped down after 7 years and two Final Four’s in Fulton, as did Chad Hollowledel, after 12 years as the head coach at Centennial. Coughlan (.646 126-69) and Hollowledel (.645 193-105) rank 4th and 5th all-time in county history in winning percentage, respectively.

The Gators (2-1) return four key pieces from last year’s team, and add a pair of transfers to put the Gators in the top tier in the county. Junior Aria Amelia led the county in three-pointers made last season, with 61, while Ryan Saunderson is a three- year contributor. Jaylen Manning and Kaleb Glasper were rotation players for the 3A finalists, as well. Bobby Hill, a 6’4 junior, transferred in from DeMatha, and will be a centerpiece. The Gators have the pieces to get back to College Park. The Gators opened the season with a 92-62 win over Mt Hebron, followed by a 18 point win over Hammond, before a 74-73 loss to Centennial on Friday.

Atholton (3-1) won the county title last year, and finished the regular season at 19-2, before a shocking first round loss to Mt Hebron in the regionals. Jordan Oates, a 6’4 212 senior, will lead the Raiders, after averaging 10.2 points and 10.7 rebounds per game last season. Seniors Jabari Rankin and Raymond Brown will be key to the Raiders success, as will junior Deven David. The Raiders are 3-1, with wins over Howard, Meade, and River Hill, and a loss to Oakland Mills on Friday.

River Hill (0-3) brings back one of the two top returners in the county in 6’2 junior Nick Marshall, who was named to the All-County First Team after averaging 13.9 points and 5.8 rebounds per game. Seniors Elijah Feeney and Jackson Graves provide experience to Marshall’s talents. The Hawks, who were thought to battle Reservoir and Atholton for the county title, have dropped their first thee games, to Hammond and Atholton, both in overtime, and Marriotts Ridge, on a buzzer-beating put-back.

Marriotts Ridge (4-0) has started strong, with wins over Centennial, South Carroll, Long Reach, and River Hill, and is led by 6’1 junior John Miller. Centennial (2-1) rebounded from their opening night loss to Marriotts Ridge, with wins over Mt Hebron and Reservoir. The Eagles are led by 6’3 seniors Joey Sedlacko and Joeng Hwang. Hwang scored 25 points, Sedlacko, 20, and Shane Taylor, 17, in the 74-73 win over Reservoir.

Oakland Mills (1-2), who has played in 8 regional final games in 10 years, looks to be in a bit of a rebuild mode, with the loss of 2019 Howard County Player of the Year, Daeshawn Eaton, to graduation. The Scorpions will be led by 6’6 junior Barry Evans and senior guard Truth Norton. Scorpions Coach John Browne (.687 233-106), in his 15th season at Oakland Mills, has the all-time best winning percentage in county history, and is six wins away from being the 5th all-time winningest coach in county history.

Howard has rolled out to a 3-1 start, including a 63-61 win over Oakland Mills, followed by a 2 point win over Westminster. Wilde Lake, who finished second in the county last year, has started 3-0 this season, and will face 4-0 Northeast of Anne Arundel County, next Wednesday.

UCBAC

Havre de Grace (3-1) made a magical run last season, going 23-0, before losing in the regional final to Crisfield, 72-66. The Warriors return their best player, 6’4 junior Marlon Lewis. The Warriors are 3-1, with a 63-59 loss to 4A state contender, Dulaney.

Aberdeen is off to a 3-0 start, with an overtime win over Kenwood, and a double overtime win over Havre de Grace. Junior Tyrell Williams is averaging 22.3 points per game, while senior Jeramiah Stewart is averaging 18 points per game, with sophomore Donovan Peyton averaging 6.7 assists per game.

C.M. Wright should be a league contender, with 6’7 senior Corey Patterson, and brothers Brian and Jordan Stiemke, the former a senior, the latter, a sophomore. Jordan scored 23, Brian, 21, in the 94-89 double overtime loss to Aberdeen. Elkton has started 3-0, while Edgewood is 2-0.

Carroll

Liberty and Century were Carroll County co-champions last season, both finishing with an 11-1 league record. The Lions and Knights both finished with one of their best seasons in their respective school’s histories, with both the Lions and Knights winning 20 games. The Lions and Knights figure to be fighting for the top spot in the county again this year.

The Liberty Lions look to replace Carroll County Player of the Year Tristan Kent, who finished second in the county in scoring (18.2) and led the county in rebounding (11.8) last season. The Lions will be led by seniors Peyton Scheufele, Connor Stewart, and Nate Kent. Scheufele averaged 11.2 points and 6.3 rebounds per game last season, and Stewart averaged 10.1 points per game.

Century Head Coach George Wunder enters his 18th season as head coach of the Knights. Senior Justin Wunder leads the Knights, who lost to Oakdale in the sectional final last season. Wunder, the county’s top 3-point shooter last season, scored 20 points in the Knights opening night win over Owings Mills.

Westminster, who finished 14-10 last season, could battle the Lions and Knights for county supremacy, adding the county’s leading scorer of a year ago, Chandler Gentzel (19.6), through the transfer portal by way of Winters Mill. Bruce Carnes enters his 31st season at the helm in South Carroll, his 5th in his second stint for the Cavaliers.