Written By: Diego Aguillen
Game 1 Blake Bengals 55 vs. Sandy Spring 52
From tip-off, Blake had the momentum, but Sandy Spring stayed in it the whole game. Blake dominated the rebounding game, and that was the separating factor, as it was 35-17. Recent Capitol Hoops Summer League All-Star Anjo Yette was their leading scorer with 13 points and 3 rebounds, but that just was not enough, as the Bengals had two players score more than that. Also, recent All-Star Bilal Swangin had a double-double, scoring 22 points and 15 rebounds. This was ultimately the deciding factor with such a close game, with this kind of performance, and a Sandy Spring team that ultimately could not get anything going offensively. Their next game is against No. 5 seed DeMatha.
Game 2 Clinton Grace 86 vs. South River 49 (Seahawks)
Clinton Grace played in their first-round matchup as the favorite, and they did nothing but prove that by making a statement win over South River. In the first half, the Seahawks kept the game close, being able to keep the deficit to 5 going into halftime at 30-35. But the Clinton Grace coach must have told them something at halftime because it was a much different team in the second half. Isaiah Carpenter was the game MVP, and he proved why, impacting the game on both sides of the ball with 22 points, 5 rebounds, 5 steals, 1 assist, and 1 block. The separating factor was the bench points. Every one of Clinton Grace’s players scored 5 points, and they outscored South River’s bench 24-13. South River’s leading scorer was Nick Yotter, who had a double-double, having 14 points, 13 rebounds, along with 2 assists and 1 block. But you cannot win when no other player scores above 7 points and you turn the ball over 28 times. All in all, a great performance by Clinton Grace, and they just kept it rolling to beat the No. 7 Wildcats (Walter Johnson).
Game 3 Tenley Tigers 53 (Jackson-Reed) vs. Gonzaga 73
This game was a high-profile matchup between two DCSAA powerhouses. Gonzaga came into the game on a three-game hot streak that continued today. It was a team win for the Eagles, as every single one of their players got involved and scored. Their most impactful player, though, was Matteo Jones, who ended with 20 points, 5 rebounds, 5 steals, and 1 block. On the other side, the highlight player was Lane Mahan, who had 23 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals, and 2 assists. But this proved to be not enough, as Jackson-Reed got dominated in the battle for the boards, 22-34. Gonzaga has now gotten the better of Tenley two times this season. They also had little to no bench contribution or scoring production at all outside of Mahan, and that is what led to the loss. Gonzaga will have to keep their four-game hot streak alive to beat the No. 1 seeded Flint Hill.
Game 4 John Carroll 60 vs. St. Mary’s Annapolis
St. Mary’s Annapolis vs. John Carroll was defined by late-game heroics. St. Mary’s went on a 12-0 run to end the game and stop John Carroll, and this was led by Ayden Riley and Jovanni Hall. Ayden Riley had 17 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block. Jovanni Hall had 17 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block. Along with those players, they had three other players score above 9 points, with Ezra Rich scoring 13 points, along with Chisom Eze and Ari Hopson both having 9 points. All of these players’ late scoring production led to St. Mary’s holding them off. On the other side, John Carroll struggled with their small bench, leading to their players being exhausted down the stretch. Their star, Daniel Brown, had 14 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block. But with St. Mary’s making 21 free throws and out-rebounding them, it just was not enough. Their next opponent is the No. 4 seeded Bethel Academy.
Game 5 Bullis 87 vs. Vikes (Whitman) 69
Bullis came into the game as the favorite, and they proved why with a blowout victory over the Vikes. The combination of center Brady Potter and guards Dylan Saurtich and Israel “Izzy” Tchounfong is a force to be reckoned with. They combined for over half of the Bulldogs’ points, scoring a combined 47 points. Israel had the highlight game between them, having a double-double with 20 points and 16 rebounds. On the other side, the Vikes never got any consistent scoring going, as they shot 38% from the field and from three. Their best scorer was Grady Miller with 15 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists. But that is not enough when you get out-rebounded 26-44. Bullis dominated bench points 32-16 and points in the paint 42-16. Bullis’ size played a big role in the win, especially in the paint and on the boards, which led to the victory over the Vikes. Their next opponent is the No. 8 seeded New Hope Academy.
Game 6 Patriots 52 vs. Concordia Prep 50
This was one of the most entertaining games of the day, as the Patriots barely pulled it out. The game was close all the way through, as the biggest lead was 6 points. The difference was Puran Wadhwa, who scored a career-high 20 points with 6 rebounds and 3 steals. The Patriots’ ability to cash in on 7 threes was the difference, alongside them making 82% of their free throws. Concordia Prep’s standout in the loss was James Gordon, who had a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds. But it was not enough, as Concordia struggled to get everyone involved other than James and wing Ethan Harris Robinson, who also had 16 points and 8 rebounds. Nobody else on the team was able to reach double digits. That was the difference. One team was able to get everyone involved, and one was not in the game decided by two points. Their next opponent is the No. 3 seeded Potomac School.
Game 7 Hayfield 71 vs. Colonels (Magruder) 75
This game came down to the wire, with it going to overtime. This game went back and forth as the lead changed 13 times. The Colonels went into the half up by 6, but Hayfield made up the difference in the second half to tie it up and take it to overtime. In overtime, Magruder went on a 10-6 run to win and advance to the next round. Magruder was led by their guard combo of Alan Burt and Zeke Dabbondanza. Both combined for 37 points and 12 rebounds. Alan Burt was the game MVP, as he had 19 points and 6 rebounds. The difference was Magruder being able to knock down 3 of 4 from the field, while Hayfield only knocked down 1 shot in the extra period. On the other side, guard Chase Jackson had 24 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 assist. But it was not enough when only three players reached double digits. Magruder also dominated in the paint, 44-28, which was a big part of the game when it was so tightly contested. Their next opponent is the No. 2 seeded Good Counsel.