Class 3A Final Four Preview
Well, I wish I could say this is the best time of year because usually it is, but given that the coronavirus has taken over and now is a legitimate pandemic there are causes for concern. The NCAA announced earlier…
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Continue ReadingWell, I wish I could say this is the best time of year because usually it is, but given that the coronavirus has taken over and now is a legitimate pandemic there are causes for concern. The NCAA announced earlier today that both the men and women’s NCAA Tournament will be held without fans and that only essential staff and family will be allowed to attend. As I type this, the MPSSAA is standing strong that they will go forward with the final four and championship games this weekend. With that being said, so will our previews. I start things off with the Class 3A Final Four games.
#2 Poly vs #3 Northeast-AA (March 12, 3pm)
Poly’s path to the Final Four: Bye, 94-52 win vs Franklin, 92-60 win vs City 80-43, win vs Frederick
Northeast-AA’s path to the Final Four: Bye, 58-38 win vs Easton, 58-56 win vs Kent Island, 68-60 win vs Wilde Lake
The Engineers have steamrolled their way back to the Xfinity Center as they look to capture their fourth-straight Class 3A title. Arguably their best team in school history, Poly is led by Marquette commit Justin Lewis Justin Lewis 6'8" | PF Baltimore Poly | 2020 State #49 Nation MD and 2020 guard Brandon Murray Brandon Murray 6'5" | SG IMG Academy | 2021 #220 Nation FL who is now a nationally-coveted prospect being recruited by a number of high-major programs. 2020 point guard Rahim Ali Rahim Ali 5'11" | PG Baltimore Poly | 2020 State MD attempts to make history as he’s been the floor general for the past three championship teams and will be extremely comfortable in this setting.
For Northeast, 2020 guard Jaylin Albury runs the show. The 5-foot-11 guard scored 25 of his 33 points in the second and third quarters in their win over Wilde Lake. Albury has some craft to his overall game and is an effective scorer from all three levels. The danger that Albury brings is the fact that he can rattle off a lot of points in a short amount of time. 2021 forward Stephen Haley provides the size for the Eagles inside at 6-foot-5. He grabbed 15 rebounds and chipped in with nine points against Wilde Lake. Darrell Shepard, a 6-foot-4 senior forward, finished with 11 rebounds and eight points in the win.
My take:
Although Poly is the #2 team behind #1 St. Charles, they’re the overwhelming favorite to win the Class 3A hardware again. The majority of teams around the state haven’t faced a team with the talent, size and skill that Poly possesses. While Northeast has put together a nice run thus far and is equipped with some talented players, the combination of Lewis, Murray, Ali and even 6-foot-9 freshman Kwame Evans will simply be too much. The Xfinity Center has become Poly’s secondary home court at this point and that alone will play a huge role in their success over the next three days.
#1 St. Charles vs #5 Atholton
St. Charles’ path to the Final Four: 79-36 win vs Chopticon, 78-62 win vs Oxon Hill, 75-72 win vs Potomac, 69-44 win vs Watkins’ Mill
Atholton’s path to the Final Four: 75-70 win vs Long Reach, 79-68 win @ Oakland Mills, 62-60 win @ Reservoir, 68-62 win @ C. Milton Wright
St. Charles has put together and outstanding season currently sitting with a 27-1 overall record. UMass-Lowell commit Max Brooks Max Brooks 6'7" | PF St. Charles | 2020 State MD is one of the most improved players in the entire DMV. The 6-foot-7 forward uses his elite length and athleticism to give opposing teams nightmares on both ends. He’s a threat to finish above the rim whenever he is in the vicinity, has proven to be an elite shot-blocker and has controlled games with his rebounding prowess. 2020 guard Tremaine Chesley Tremaine Chesley 6'3" | CG St. Charles | 2020 State MD brings the hard hat for the Spartans as a 6-foot-4 versatile guard who can defend multiple positions. Chesley is averaging 12.1 points per game and is a player who can impact the box score in many ways. 2022 guard Amir Dade Amir Dade 5'11" | PG St. Charles | 2022 State MD is having a productive sophomore campaign averaging 11.8 points and five boards a game. His activity and efficiency gives the Spartans a dependable option next to Brooks and Chesley.
Atholton is a battle-tested team who upset multiple opponents on their journey to the Final Four. Led by 2020 Jordan Oates’ impressive 17.7 points and 14.2 rebounds per game, the Raiders come in looking to cause another upset. 2020 guard Raymond Brown is also a staple of this team following up Oates with 12.8 points per game. Tournament time is all about getting hot and playing your best basketball and the Raiders are certainly doing that at this time.
My take:
This game is similar to Poly/Northeast in that while Atholton has a couple of key players (Oates and Brown), St. Charles will overwhelm them with their size, athleticism and overall skill.The deciding factor will be the match up between Brooks and Oates. Can Oates deal with Brooks’ length? The only way I see this happening is if Oates is involved with a ton of ball-screen situations to maybe force the Spartans into a switch. Even if this happens, St. Charles is equipped with a bunch of guys who are capable of holding their own against bigger players. The potential championship game between Poly and St. Charles has been talked about ever since the Spartans’ success became legitimate. Can Atholton ruin that prediction? That’s why we play the games.