MD State 4A Semis
Ron Bailey, Publisher
March 14, 2007 - The largest high school classification in Maryland, 4A, held it’s semifinal round yesterday. Here are recaps:
Thomas Stone 73 Parkville 64
Sometimes games are back and forth affairs, with neither team budging. Generally those contests turn on a play or serious of plays in short order. This battle certainly applies.
After only being able to eek out, a five point, fourth quarter lead, Thomas Stone (24-2) saw the game once again tied at 58, with 3:10 to go in regulation. The Cougars, coached by Dale Lamberth then went on a 10-0, defense fueled run.
First there was a foul shot by senior guard Rodney Clark (16 points, three assists), followed by sophomore forward Stephon Battle’s (13 points, five rebounds) stop and pop jumper. Senior guard Antione Edelen (13 points, four boards, four assists, four steals) then went to work, producing back to back steals and layups. A third Edelen steal allowed Clark to once again sink one of two free throws.
Senior Brandon Carroll (right), is preparing to rebound. For the game, Carroll dropped 17 points, leading Thomas Stone.
“I just took the opportunities” said Edelen of his game changing flourish. “We have a lot of confidence” added Clark.
“Early on, I questioned if they had the heart to play basketball” recalled Lamberth of a past motivational ploy. “They have the heart”.
Parkville (Baltimore County), coached by Rod Norris used a 2-2-1 press to change the game’s momentum in the fourth quarter. “With the press, we wanted to take the ball out of their point guard’s hands” said Norris of that scheme, which also benefited from Clark being planted on the bench for much of the second half due to foul trouble.
“It took us a little while to pick it up” said Lamberth of that full court defense. “We didn’t have our best ball handler on the floor”.
After vanquishing Parkville (18-7), who saw four players hit double figures, including senior guards Tom Cummings (16 points) and Gabe Dell (13 points, five rebounds, three assists), Thomas Stone (Charles County) takes on Springbrook. The contest has historic significance to the Cougar program, as the last time the school was crowned Free State champion was in 1972.
“Before I left Thomas Stone, we said we were going to the ‘States’” recalled Clark, having transferred back to the school from National Christian (Ft. Washington, MD). “They saw a lot of good groups reach the Regionals, but never turn the corner” added Lamberth.
The Cougars have turned that corner, and are in sight of the finish line.
Springbrook 49 Laurel 41
Frequently coaches scout future opponents, either directly or through associates, hoping to gain a strategic edge. The concept has been proven worthy in all levels of competition, in every sport.
Sometimes, that insight is gleaned in unorthodox ways, as was the case when Springbrook (Montgomery County) prepared to take on Laurel (PG County) in Maryland 4A semi-final action. “We read in the paper Eleanor Roosevelt had success” with a zone defense versus Laurel admitted Springbrook’s head coach, Thomas Crowell.
This was the first time all season his previously man-to-man-centric squad employed a 2-3 zone, and did so swimmingly well, as Laurel’s leading scorer, senior frontcourt man Will Alston (two points, eight rebounds) was held almost 20 points below his senior average.
Will Alston (center), battles C.J. Gardner (3) and senior center Ebou Touray (45), who contributed four points and nine rebounds.
“Everything we did was designed to stop Alston” shared Crowell, while his Laurel counterpart, Keith Coutreyer acknowledged that effort and also lamented the inability of others on his team to score; two notable Laurel (22-3) exceptions were junior guard Killian Azah (20 points, and after a second half of close misses, and junior swingman Marcus Hebron (11 points, 12 rebounds).
Our defense creates everything of us” further said Coutreyer of effects regarding his offense’s woes. “We couldn’t get into our ‘make defense’”.
Springbrook (24-2) was paced by senior guard C. J. Gardner (20 points) and junior forward Brandon Davis (16 points), who was granted starter status by the disqualification of Jamal Olasewere in the regional final.
Davis was up for the challenge, not only battling Alston in the paint but early in the fourth quarter, when Springbrook employed an effective spread offense, dribble penetrating to the hoop from 18 feet. “I felt they weren’t respecting me out there” recalled Davis of his penetration. “So I hit some shots and they stopped laying off me, so I went right by them”.
Gardner, an ever present fastbreak threat did what he has done all year, with the late third quarter being but a microcosm: Gardner snagged a rebound and raced coast to coast for a layup, giving Springbrook a 29-20 lead. To end the period, he hit a jump shot, after being hedged away from the hoop by Laurel, re-strengthening his team’s lead at 33-26 lead.
A subplot of this contest was the PG – Montgomery rivalry, one that frequently sees PG County players receiving more recruiting and general respect, but their MoCo brethren recently winning the 4A state championship - Sherwood won it last year, while Walt Whitman was victorious in 2006.
“A tad bit. We feel like we are under the radar” shared Gardner, of being overlooked vis a vis PG County. His coach, Crowell was more diplomatic, saying “We respect PG very much”.
Could it be the third MoCo crown in as many years earned Saturday? Stay tuned.