The East Coast Bump

The East Coast Bump at UMBC is upon us, featuring a trio of national top 25 teams – Oak Hill (#2 Max Preps, #5 ESPN), IMG (#14, #9) , and St Frances (#22, #16), along with three-time defending 3A champion Poly, who was ranked among the top 25 in both polls two weeks ago, before its 57-53 loss to St Frances. The Panthers take on Oak Hill at 6pm at the UMBC Event Center, while the Engineers face IMG at 8pm. Tickets are available at EastCoastBump.com or the UMBC box office.

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Coach Steve Smith’s Warriors are 32-2, with four wins over teams currently in the Max Preps Top 25 – #5 Dorman SC, #6 Wasatch UT, #13 Paul VI, and #20 Bishop Gorman NV. The Warriors boast four players ranked among the top 100 by 247 in the 2020 class in the country, including 6’3 LSU commit Cameron Thomas (ranked #23 in the country, #6 SG), point guard KK Robinson, an Arkansas commit (#70, #12 PG), 6’4 Virginia Tech commit Darius Maddox (#92, #15 SG), and 6’8 power forward Jabari Sibley (#93, #17 PF), though the latter has been out for two weeks with a forearm fracture. Thomas took the MVP honors at the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions, after scoring 26 points in the Warriors 15-point win over Paul VI in the final, two weeks ago. The Warriors have won nine national championships, and produced 33 NBA players.

The Panthers have moved back into the national top 25 rankings, thanks to its win over Poly, 10 days ago. The Panthers are the defending MIAA and BCL champions, and in addition to the victory over the Engineers, have wins over Simeon IL, Imhotep PA, and nationally top 25 ranked West Oak Academy FL (#23 in Max Preps), one of two teams to beat Oak Hill this season. The Panthers (28-3), who lost two 6’3 starters, Jordan Toles and Jahmal Banks as early enrollees, are led by 6’6 South Alabama commit Jamal West and VCU commit Ace Baldwin, with 6’9 junior Julian Reese, who has offers from Maryland, LSU, Georgetown, and Virginia Tech, among others, aids West in the Paint.

IMG (16-5) fell to #1 Montverde for the third time this season last week at the St James Invitational in Hagerstown. The Ascenders have seven wins over team that have been ranked among the Top 100 this season – Tampa Catholic FL, Gonzaga DC, Memphis East, St Joseph Prep WV, St Frances, Patrick School NJ, and Hillcrest Prep AZ.  The Ascenders roster boasts ten players that rank among the Top 100 in the country in their respective classes, including a pair of Duke commits 6’4 guard Jalen Johnson (#11, #3 SF) and 7’0 center Mark Williams (#29, #5 C). Jaden Springer, a 6’5 guard and Tennessee commit, is ranked #16 in the 2020 class, while 6’9 forward Moussa Diabate is ranked #10 in the 2021 class and holds a dozen major offers, while 6’6 small forward Jarace Walker is ranked #4 in the 2022 class, and 6’8 Kentucky commit Brandon Huntley-Hatfield is ranked #9 in the same class by 247 Sports.

The Engineers, who ranked among the Top 150 (#141) in the Max Preps final rankings in 2018, and Top 100 (#82) in 2019, would be poised to rank among the top 50, with a win on Saturday. The Engineers rose as high as #19 in the ESPN rankings and #24 in the Max Preps rankings before its loss to St Frances at Morgan State. The Engineers knocked off a then Top 25 Harvard-Westlake CA, 56-46, in the Beach Ball Classic in South Carolina over the holidays. The Engineers are led by their three seniors, 6’7 Marquette commit Justin Lewis, 6’4 scoring machine Brandon Murray, and three-year starting point guard Rahim Ali.

MIAA

John Carroll paved huge inroads to the 3 seed in the MIAA A Red Division, as Jalen Bryant led the Patriots to a 70-56 win over Spalding last night, scoring 18 points. The Pats (18-8) moved to 9-5 in MIAA play, while the Cavs (14-9) fell to 9-7. St Frances (28-3, 14-1) and Mt St Joe (22-3, 14-2) have locked up the top two seeds in the division, with a probable winner-take all matchup on Valentine’s Day.

The Gaels won their 11th straight game Monday night, with their 55-45 win over the Loyola Dons on Monday night, with Jason Edokpayi leading the way with 20 points. While the Patriots have a nice path to the three seed, it looks as though the Cavs and now sputtering Dons will battle for the fourth and final seed in the division, with the Dons (15-10, 8-7) trailing the Cavaliers by a half-game in MIAA league play.

Reservoir, Howard County co-leader with Centennial, edged MIAA A Black Division co-leader Gilman, 77-74, last night. The Greyhounds (12-9) hold a 9-5 record in league play heading into their matchup with Pallotti on Wednesday night at Gilman, though the Panthers (15-10, 8-6) have an opportunity to tie things up in the division with a win. Glenelg Country (13-8, 10-6) is currently tied with Gilman in the Red Division standings, but have one more than the Hounds in the loss  column. Gilman possesses the more favorable remaining schedule among the trio, with Calvert Hall, McDonogh, and Annapolis Area Christian still on the slate. McDonogh (14-14, 8-8) kept it’s MIAA post-season hopes alive last night, with its 62-60 win over Boys Latin (11-10, 8-6), to move a game (two in the loss column) with the Lakers and Pallotti, who are tied for third place.

The Lakers, who held a 1.5 game lead in division play just 10 days ago, now find themselves a game back of both Gilman and Glenelg Country. The road for the Lakers doesn’t get any easier for the remainder of the week, heading to John Carroll on Wednesday, and Spalding on Friday.

Baltimore City

The city league is everything but complete, for all intent purposes, as no games remain between any of the top five teams in the league – #1 Poly, #4 Lake Clifton, #5 City College, #8 Edmondson, and #15 Mervo. The City League title game is set, with Poly facing Lake Clifton.

In the battle at the ‘Castle on the Hill’ on Monday between the Engineers and Black Knights, Brandon Murray put on an offensive performance that ranks among the best in the century-plus rivalry. Murray scored 44 points on 18-21 shooting (7-8 3pt), as the Engineers jumped out to a 24-5 lead to open the game and never looked back. The Knights has cut the lead to 8 in the middle of the second stanza, before the Engineers extended the lead to 20, settling on a 15 point lead at intermission.

The Engineers (17-2) face its fourth nationally ranked top 25 opponent in the last three years this Saturday when they take on IMG at the East Coast Bump Showcase, following its loss to St Frances two weeks ago, it’s win over Harvard-Westlake in late December, and their 71-64 loss to Simeon IL in January 2018. The Engineers played three other nationally ranked top 50 teams over the last three years, including St Frances in January of ‘18 (L 65-57) and ‘19 (W 59-58) and St Johns DC (W 58-58 OT) in December of ‘18.

Lake Clifton (12-4) will look for some redemption in the City League Championship, after getting trounced by the Engineers in their first meeting, 79-52. Since, the Lakers have beaten #10 Oxon Hill, #15 Mervo, #5 City College, and #8 Edmondson. The Black Knights (16-2), meanwhile, who started 15-0, before losing two of their last three, will have to wait for that redemption in the sectional finals, where they will likely get another shot at their arch rivals, the Engineers.

Edmondson (13-4) edged Mervo, 61-59, last Tuesday, before falling to Lake Clifton, 45-41, on Friday. There’s a chance that the Red Storm could meet Lake Clifton in a rematch in College Park, in the new quarterfinal re-seed format, as they are the heavy 1A North Section I favorites, and the Lakers are the heavy favorites in the 1A North Section II bracket. Mervo (10-5) will likely have to battle both Parkville and Dulaney to escape the 4A North Section I bracket, while Springbrook, ranked below the aforementioned trio, will be the favorite in Section II.

Baltimore County

New Town (15-1) looks poised to defend its Baltimore County title, pending a win over Parkville on Valentine’s Day, with a likely matchup set with Woodlawn (12-3), in a rematch of the 2016 county championship. Parkville (14-2) follows up its contest with New Town by heading to Franklin (11-3), then hosting Edgewood (10-6). Dulaney (12-4) looks like they will be headed back to College Park in March, as the Lions are the 2nd ranked 4A team in the MPSSAA, behind Eleanor Roosevelt.

New Town leads both Dulaney and Parkville by a game in Division I, while Woodlawn leads Franklin by a game in Division II. Randallstown (12-4) trails Woodlawn by two games, and will likely have a matchup with Pikesville (11-5) in the 3A North Section I bracket, with New Town looming afterward. Woodlawn and Franklin will be saddled with Poly and City College in the 3A North Section I bracket, and will likely meeting either of the two in the sectional semifinals. The Titans of New Town will be the 2A state champion favorites, with Wicomico and Douglass PG the top contenders.

Howard County

Centennial earned a hard fought victory at Oakland Mills on Friday night, 68-61, in a battle of a pair of the county tri-leaders, as junior guard Bryson Baker poured in 27 points, to give the Eagles (13-3, 8-2) a one game edge in the loss column on the Scorpions (13-4, 8-3), and keep them on par with Reservoir (13-3, 8-2). Reservoir goes to Hammond on Wednesday, and Oakland Mills hosts Howard the same night, before the Gators face the Scorpions on Friday night in Fulton. The Gators are coming off a 77-74 win over MIAA A Red Division-leading Gilman on Monday night, with Bobby Hill (17.9 ppg) leading the 2019 3A state finalists with 25 points.

The Eagles go to Mt Hebron on Wednesday, before hosting Atholton (9-6) on Friday night. Marriotts Ridge (11-5), who is locked in with Oakland Mills at 8-3 in league play, host Long Reach on Wednesday, before heading to Howard (9-6) on Friday. Wilde Lake (11-5) will be the favorite in each of its games on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, when the Wildecats travel to Glenelg, host Chesapeake Science Point, and then Mt Hebron, respectively. Unlike Baltimore City, Baltimore County, and Anne Arundel County, Howard County doesn’t hold a league championship game, and the county champion or champions are determined by league records.

Anne Arundel County

Annapolis has an inside track to its first berth in the county championship game since 2015, with a two game lead on the surging Broadneck Bruins, with the Panthers (14-3) posting a 11-1 league record, and the Bruins (12-6), 9-3. The Panthers host the Bruins, who have won eight straight games, on Friday. In the other division race, Northeast (13-4) and North County (14-3) are tied at 9-3, and face off against each other on Friday as well, at Northeast.

Coach Dan Smalley is in his fourth year in Capital City, and has gone 64-26 since taking over for the legendary John Brady, who finished as the fourth all-time winningest high school coach in Maryland, with a 772-173 record. Nap Town, Broadneck, and South River, will battle with Leonardtown in the 4A East Section II bracket, while North County should grab the 1 seed in Section I. Northeast will take one of the top two seeds in the 3A South Section II bracket, avoiding Section I, that holds a quartet of top 20 teams in #2 St Charles, #7 Potomac, #10 Oxon Hill, and #18 Great Mills.  Southern (13-5) will likely be one of the top two seeds in the 2A South Section I bracket, along with Thomas Stone.

UCBAC

Havre de Grace (15-2) has locked up the Susquehanna Division, and maintain an undefeated record in league play. The Warriors will likely have to beat Joppatowne (11-4) a third time to advance to the 1A quarterfinals. The Mariners held a first half lead against the Warriors in their second meeting, and a tie game after three quarters before the Warriors pulled out a 70-65 victory. Edgewood (10-7), CM Wright (11-6), and Aberdeen (8-8), will battle for a state tournament quarterfinal berth in the 3A North Section II bracket, while #1 Poly, #5 City College, and #16 Woodlawn battle for the quarterfinal berth in Section I.

Carroll County

Century (15-2, 9-1) has took command of the Carroll County top spot, following their 64-52 victory over Westminster (13-5, 8-2) on Tuesday night, winning their eighth straight game. Noah Riley led the Knights, scoring 25 points. Riley sparked a 12-0 run that bled into the fourth quarter that gave the Knights a 17 point lead to put away the Owls. The Knights will carry the 1 seed in the 2A West Section I bracket, with Glenelg and Liberty, the top contenders to unseat the Knights. Westminster will battle the likes of Centennial, Marriotts Ridge, and Wilde Lake, in the 3A East Section I bracket.