Five Takeaways: Baltimore County Championship
This evening, the Baltimore County crown was up for grabs at Towson University’s SECU Arena. The two teams battling for supremacy were Woodlawn and Dundalk. In an entertaining and fast-paced game, Woodlawn reigned victorious 69-61 to bring home the Baltimore County championship.
Here are some takeaways from tonight’s match up.
Brinkley stays hot
One player that the Warriors have leaned on heavily all season has been senior guard Mark Brinkley. Not only has he come through then, but he also answered the call in what was the biggest game of their season thus far. The 6-foot-1 guard led his team with 18 points that included four triples. In the fourth quarter, he made a few key steals that helped swing the momentum back in favor for the Warriors as Dundalk began chipping away at the lead. Brinkley handled pressure nicely and had his leadership on full display as he played a floor general role throughout for Woodlawn.
Johnson’s light it up from deep
A pair of junior guards for Dundalk, Michael Johnson and Jaylon Johnson had their way from deep tonight. Each hit five three’s a piece to pace the Owls throughout. Michael led all scorers with 19 points and Jaylon finished with 17 of his own. Both are two talented guards that are main reasons why the Owls have had so much success this season. As the state playoffs approach, they’ll only be counted on even more to play like they did this evening.
Woodlawn’s other seniors finish strong
Aside from Brinkley, senior guards Demauri Warren and Reshaud Garrison have been longing for a Baltimore County title since they stepped on campus. The three are extremely close both on and off the floor, so it doesn’t take long to see the chemistry they play with. Warren, a Shepard University commit for football, followed Brinkley’s 18 points with 16 of his own. The 6-foot-3 guard was impressive on the glass throughout as well. Garrison helped shoot Dundalk out of their zone by burying two three’s late in the game. Garrison also spent time initiating offensive sets and taking his man to the rim for tough finishes.
Quick start for Cook
Dundalk senior guard Gates Cook game out guns blazing by connecting with three three’s in the first 4 minutes of action. He would finish with 16 points on the game, but his play early on helped set the tone for a Dundalk team that was being overlooked coming into the match up. From that point, Woodlawn had to be cognizant of where Cook was at all times, which opened up shots for both Johnson’s and driving lanes for others.
The freshman comes up big
Woodlawn freshman Marlon Lewis had yet another impressive performance tonight. He has caught the eyes of many over the past few weeks and continues to cement himself in the conversation as one of the best freshman in the state at this time. The 6-foot-4 forward finished with 15 points and more than a handful of impact plays that coaches long for. Not only was his hands on almost every rebound, but he even stepped in to take a charge with less than four minutes left in the game as Dundalk was making their run. The following possession, Woodlawn scored to gain the breathing room that was needed to seal the victory.