CLASS 3A STATE BOYS’ BASKETBALL SEMIFINALS
Milford Mill (23-2) vs. Friendly (23-3)
When: Thursday, 3 p.m.
Where: Comcast Center, University of Maryland
Path to Comcast
Milford Mill defeated Hereford (65-43), Patapsco (80-43), and Parkville (65-58) to win North Region; Friendly defeated Westlake (73-63), Largo (66-59), and LaPlata (95-88) to win South Region
Team leaders
Scoring: Milford Mill-Isaiah McCray & Tevin Hanner (10.5 points per game); Friendly-Sherrod Baltimore (17 ppg.)
Rebounds: Milford Mill-Hanner (7.5 rpg); Friendly-Davon Morton (10 rpg.)
Assists: Milford Mill-McCray & Chase Cormier (2.5 apg.); Friendly-Baltimore (8 apg.)
Steals: Milford Mill-McCray (2 spg.); Friendly-Baltimore (3 apg.)
Outlook
Milford Mill returns to College Park, hoping to bring back a second straight 3A crown. The No. 3 Millers needed a fourth quarter push to turn away Parkville in last weekend’s region finals as McCray, a Colgate University recruit, finished with 16.
The Baltimore County power has a deep veteran unit led by McCray and Hanner, co-players of the year in Baltimore County. Milford Mill’s only losses came against a pair of state Final Four entrants, No. 1 Patterson and Eleanor Roosevelt, who will battle in the 4A semifinals Thursday evening.
Friendly, ranked No. 6 in D.C. metro area by the Washington Post, used an epic rally to punch its ticket back to University of Maryland last weekend. The Patriots overcame an 18-point fourth quarter deficit, outlasting LaPlata in two overtimes. Sherrod Baltimore finished with 39 points.
Baltimore, headed to the University of Maine on a football scholarship, is one of five senior starters for the Prince George’s County champions. The Fort Washington school’s previous state Final Four appearance was in 2009 when Friendly was the final victim of Lake Clifton’s 28-0 juggernaut which featured Will and Antonio Barton (both at University of Memphis) and Cleveland Melvin, recently named the Big East Conference’s rookie of the year for DePaul.
Coach Speak
Milford Mill’s Albert Holley on Friendly: “They go hard and they attack. They try to score a lot of points.”
Friendly’s Rob Garner on Milford Mill: “They’re very good. They’re a Baltimore squad and tough. They’re the defending champions; I think that’s enough to know.”
By the numbers
15: Points in fourth quarter by Baltimore in fourth quarter of Patriots’ rally against LaPLata in South Region finals
7: Total margin of Milford Mill’s two losses this season
1: Starter back (Hanner) from Milford Mill’s title team last year
22: Consecutive wins by Friendly; last loss Dec. 18 against St. Mary’s Ryken
2: Overtime victories for Friendly this season
