On Saturday December 2 at the campus of University of Maryland Baltimore County located in Catonsville, MD the 2017 Charm City Challenge will be held. It is an excellent 4 game tournament which features 4 of Baltimore’s top Baltimore Catholic League (BCL) teams vs 4 of Washington, DCs DMV top Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) teams in a 4 game tourney with games scheduled below. Game #1 begins @ 2pm & game #4 starts at 7pm. Part 1 of the review features games 1 & 2 while Part 2 covers games 3 & 4. This is a superb tourney & Prep Hoops will be in attendance for all 4 games with game & player reports.
2pm: Our Lady of Mt. Carmel vs McNamara
3:45: St. Mary Ryken vs John Carroll
5:15pm: St. Johns College HS vs Mt. St. Joseph
7pm St. Frances vs Gonzaga College HS
Game #1 @ 2pm Bishop McNamara vs Our Lady Mt. Carmel
Bishop McNamara Mustangs. 6800 Marlboro Pike, Forestville, MD. 20747 Head Coach Martin Keithline (WCAC Conference)
This summer the Mustangs lost the core of their team to Prep Schools when 6’9″ Mahki Mitchell & his twin brother Mahkel Mitchell transferred to Montverde Prep. The twins are nationally ranked at #49 & #106 respectively by Prep Hoops. 5’10” Jonathan McGriff transferred to Huntington Prep WV & is ranked nationally by some services. The Mustangs top players will be: 6’1″ junior Garrett Kirkland pictured right (#69), 6’3′ senior guard Leshoun Taylor (#77). 5’10” senior Ibn Williams (St. Anthony HS) & 6’4″ senior transfer Nigel Marshall via St. Anthony NJ. Look for 2 promising freshmen: 5’10” Kenneth Womack & 6’2″ Amari Bell. to impress. Bishop McNamara has reloaded for 2017/18 & we are curious to see how this new unit plays & we expect some surprises.
VS.
Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Cougars. 1706 Old Eastern Avenue, Baltimore, MD. 21221. Head Coach: Hakim Hibbert
(BCL Conference & MIAA Red)
Last season the Cougars had an excellent season finishing @ 24-9. MC must replace outstanding 6’3″ G Terry Nolan Jr who is now playing for George Washington University & 6’5″ junior Will Thomas (#17) who transferred to Mervo. Mt. Carmel is currently 2-0 with impressive wins over BCL rival Calvert Hall & the Gerstell Academy. The Cougars will be lead by 6’0″ senior CG Will Miller (#100), 6’2″ senior G Rasheed Brown (#89) 6’9″ senior F Brandon Watson(#34), 6’7′ senior F/C Jordon Jones pictured right (#29), & 6’0″ senior CG Dwight Felton(#93). The loss of Will Thomas stings, but with 5 players ranked in our top 100 2018 DC/MD rankings the Cougars have a strong starting unit.
Game #2@ 3:45 pm. St. Mary Ryken vs John Carroll
St. Mary Ryken Knights. 22600 Camp Calvert Road, Leonardtown, MD. 20650
Head Coach: Walter Booth (Conference WCAC)
The Knights hired a gem in 1st year Head Coach Walter Booth & we know he will get the job done at SMR. Despite losing 6’6″ nationally ranked junior Mehki Long to Massanuten Military & promising 6’1″ junior Jhamir Young to DeMatha the Knights will be very competitive & dangerous in the WCAC. Coach Booth has reloaded & added 5 big time players in 6’8″ Severt Alperen Kurnaz (#22) from Turkey who is a stretch 5 & pictured right, 6’3″ junior sharpshooter Wei-chieh (Louis) Tang from Taiwan, 6’3″ WG Jules Bikoy from the DMV & 6’3″ sophomore Mike Sumner Jr. (#10) via Oxon Hill HSn & 5’10” senior PG D’Angelo Tull (#75) from Kings Christian HS. 6’7″ senior Lelan Eackles (#62) is poised for a breakout season. Keep a lookout for 2 freshmen: 6’5″ Kenny McKoy & 6’1″ Aaron Jasper. We rank the Knights @ #20 in the new DC DMV & DC/MD power team rankings. Adam Ayalew & myself saw the Knights workout this fall & we came away very, very impressed.
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John Carroll Patriots. 703 East Churchville Road, Bel Air, MD. 21015 Head Coach : John Zito
(BCL & MIAA Black Conference)
John Carroll has one of the best back courts in the nation in 6’4″ PG Immanuel Quickley pictured right who is ranked in the top 10 nationally & committed to Kentucky & 6’4″ senior Montez Mathis ranked in the top 90 nationally & committed to Rutgers. At this time we believe Immanuel may not play due to illness. The Patriots added 6’7″ junior Yavuz Gultekin from Turkey who is ranked #10 by Prep Hoops for DC/MD, but we predict could become a national recruit. 6’0″ junior G Nigel Haughton (#41) is a key returnee, and 6’6″ Cameron Byers (#29) is an impact sophomore. In our new team power rankings the Patriots come in at #4, but lost a controversial game to BCL rival St. Frances in OT without Immanuel on 11-29-17. However, on 11-27 -17 the Patriots crushed Mt. Joseph 74-53 & are currently 2-1. If John Carroll can remain healthy this season they are our pick win the BCL.