Festival Preview: Saint Frances is Poised for Big Things

Ron Bailey, Publisher

November 25, 2008 – The Baltimore Catholic League has long been a must stop location on the college recruiting circuit, having for decades produced talented, tough high school basketball players. This year is no different, and at the top of the Baltimore Catholic League’s preseason food chain is Saint Frances Academy - a venerable entity also holding the distinction of being the oldest, continuous institution educating black kids in America.

Mark Karcher coaching up his Saint Frances crew last year.

Located in the heart of East Baltimore, Saint Frances, coached by school alum Mark Karcher, is loaded with a number of players destined to play college hoops: Senior forward Terrell Vinson – a 6’7” transfer from Montrose Christian has declared Loyola Marymount will be his future college home, while junior 6’3” guard Wayne Sparrow orally committed to Richmond. Joining that duo in college ball will be a pair of sophomores – 5’9” point man Ronald Williams and 6’9” center Greg Lewis - along with junior swingman Dante Holmes, a 6’3” all around player. One must also add his classmate Carlos Corbin, who stands 6’0” and is a guard that can handle and shoot.

Karcher, though humble, likes his team’s chances of taking their league.

“We won it last year” informed the Baltimore native who went on the star at Temple University. “But we are definitely looking to win it again”.

After noting “chemistry will be the key” in reaching that goal, Karcher went on to elaborate on many of his player’s games. First off was Williams, of whom Karcher said “He’s an outstanding floor leader, who does everything a coach needs on the floor”, while Sparrow is “a great shooter who came back with more confidence”. Holmes is a “starting wing” that in addition to defending and rebounding will be called upon to deliver “15-16 points a game”.

Up front, Karcher went on to identify Vinson’s impact as “providing more team depth” in addition to being an inside-outside threat, while Lewis, a developing big man is “360 degrees from last year” in that he is starting to understand the game and dominate inside.

Last season, in addition to winning the BCL, Saint Frances tallied a 28-10 record and earned fourth place in the prestigious Alhambra Catholic Invitational. This, the 2008-2009 campaign could prove to be even more successful.

Before that can occur, there is Bishop McNamara (MD) the in DTLR National High School Hoops Festival Presented by Nike. What are Karcher’s thoughts on playing McNamara? “We are looking forward to it” he said. “It’ll be a good test.

Rest assured Karcher’s Saint Frances Panthers will test many teams this year.