MIAA Basketball Update

by Nelson Coffin

Archbishop Spalding’s 39-20 halftime advantage paved the way for a 74-59 road victory over St. Mary’s last week.

Colt Busse paced the Cavaliers (9-8, 3-3 A Conference Red Division) with 22 points while Nash Avery added 21 and Army West Point commit TJ Moultrie scored his 1,000th career point. 

The Saints (8-15, 1-7 A Conference Black) countered with 20 points from Ezra Rich, 12 from Gavin Johnson with 12 and 11 from Noah Cerny.

St. Mary’s finished the holidays with a 64-47 verdict over St. Mary’s Ryken (No. 15 in the state) at the Behan Strong Invitational in Washington, D.C. as Gavin Johnson led the Saints with 21 points and seven assists to go with 14 points each from Chisom Eze and Noah Cerny.

John Carroll fell behind Calvert Hall, 31-29, at halftime before a 21-12 third quarter helped the Patriots (13-3, 4-0 A Conference Red) overcome the Cardinals, 69-51, in Bel Air. 

Aidan Able led the John Carroll scoring parade with 32 points, with Andrew Clark (13) and Parris Lee (11) chipping in. Lee added two key 3-pointers late in the third quarter to upend Calvert Hall (12-8, 2-4 Black), which was led by Cameron Wood (18 ) and Billy Stanfield III (17)

The Cardinals also dropped a 46-43 encounter with old non-league rival Dunbar on Saturday night in the opener of the Baltimore Basketball Festival despite Wood’s 21-point effort..

The Patriots hope to end a five-game skid against Mount Carmel (15-3, 6-0 Black) when they travel to Essex on Monday for a showdown between division-leading squads. While John Carroll leads the all-time series 21-12 between the powerhouse programs, the Cougars are looking to draw even at 8-8 on their home court against the Patriots. 

Mount St. Joseph (16-4, 5-1 Black) raced out to a commanding 48-16 halftime advantage to topple Loyola Blakefield, 83-43, behind BJ Ranson’s 19 points and Aaron Early Jr.’s dozen. The Dons (5-12, 2-5 Red) boasted nine points each from Ayo Olofintila, Kaleb Haysbert and BJ Simmons.

St. Paul’s buzzer-beating tip-in sent Loyola to another defeat in a game highlighted by Simmons’ 12 points and eight rebounds. Olofintila and Colin Clevenger each scored 11 with Brant Hall Jr. adding 10.

St. Frances (17-3, 5-0 Red) defeated St. Vincent Pallotti, 73-52, in Laurel with Terence Jones III (19) Carter Fisk (18) and Chance McCoy (14) providing the scoring punch and then romped past Miller Mill, 82-36, at the Baltimore Basketball Festival for its 17th straight home win in Phelps Gymnasium. Terence Jones III led the Panthers with 17 points, and Carter Fisk added 16.

Archbishop Curley  (7-9, 1-1 B Conference Red Division) will be seeking its third straight win when it confronts Loch Raven on Monday before taking on St. John’s Catholic Prep and Poly later in the week

The Friars handled Rosedale Christian, 56-50, and Randallstown, 54-52, to finish the holidays on an upswing.

Severn’s two-game winning streak was snapped by Anne Arundel County power Meade, 52-43, after the Admirals (6-5, 2-1 B Conference Black) had topped Gerstell Academy, 53-45, and Atholton, 47-17. 

Mount St. Joseph is the next team on the docket for Severn before it returns to league play against Indian Creek on Friday.