Crusaders prevail in a low scoring MIAA B Conference hoops battle in Brooklandville; AACS tops Chapelgate; St. Mary’s stays undefeated in league play
There are few secrets when St. Paul’s and Archbishop Curley meet on the hardwood.
St. Paul’s coach Phil Hahn, now in his fourth season in Brooklandville, coached the Friars for several seasons where current Curley coach Darnell Hopkins was his assistant. Hopkins and Hahn, however, go back much further to when they were high school teammates at now defunct Towson Catholic High School, along with NBA legend Carmelo Anthony.
So, when the Friars and Crusaders met for the second time this season, Friday evening at St. Paul’s (7-8 overall, 4-3 MIAA B), Hopkins put in a variety of defensive wrinkles that challenged Hahn’s Crusaders. Although St. Paul’s never got fully comfortable on the offensive end, it found enough answers to pull out a 42-36 victory, snapping the Friars four-game win streak.
The key for the Crusaders was a balanced offense that saw eight different players score, with none of them hitting double figures. Curley (5-9, 4-4) had the games top two scorers, as Zach Lee scored 16 points and Omarr Smith netted 14 points.
The game was back and forth until St. Paul’s took the lead for good on a layup midway through the fourth quarter by freshman Marquel Paschall.
ANNAPOLIS AREA CHRISTIAN 65, CHAPLEGATE CHRISTIAN 59
Playing on the road in Ellicott City, Annapolis Area Christian got off to a fast start in its MIAA B Conference basketball clash with Chapelgate Christian, Friday, and the visiting Eagles held on for a 65-59 victory.
Senior Jonathan Hardy carried the Eagle offense, scoring a game-high 27 points. AACS (6-6, 3-4) also got double-digit efforts from Jabari Young and Nate Klinkscale added 11 points.
Three Chapelgate players scored in double-digits for the Yellow Jackets (12-5, 5-3), led by 19 from Jax Felder.
ST. MARY’S 68, ST. JOHN’S CATHOLIC PREP 56
First-place St. Mary’s stayed undefeated in MIAA B Conference play, Friday, as the Saints traveled out to Frederick and defeated host St. John’s Catholic Prep, 58-56.
The Saints, who have run away from most league opponents, established a 34-17 halftime lead and still led by 17 after three quarters, before the host Vikings (5-6, 3-3) closed the gap a bit in the final quarter.
Jacob Aryee and Aidan Harris combined for 29 points to lead the Saints (14-7, 7-0), while Audric Washington, Peyton Mason, Grady Wolfe and Connor Harris combined for 35 more. Aryee and Washington each grabbed 9 rebounds and Mason added five assists.
