Maryland high school basketball news and notes (2/12/2024)

The Maryland high school basketball postseason starts Tuesday with the opening round of the Interscholastic Athletic Association of Maryland (IAAM) playoffs.

Riding a 25-game league win streak, including playoffs, McDonogh School will try to capture a third straight A Conference championship. The Eagles (23-4 overall, 16-0 IAAM A) will host Mercy or St. Mary’s in Thursday’s semifinals.

St. Mary’s (19-8), which went undefeated last season en route to the IAAM B crown, has fared well in its first season back in the A league (last time 2008), including a regular season sweep of Mercy (12-12).

St. Frances (18-7), which has made the final in the previous seven tourneys, will play the winner of St. Vincent Pallotti/Roland Park Country in the other semifinal. Roland Park (7-14) upset Pallotti (13-10) last week.

McDonogh and St. Frances have won every A championship since 2013 (Archbishop Spalding).

After going undefeated (10-0) in regular season play, Gerstell Academy (14-6) seeks its first title as the No. 1 seed in the B playoffs. Mount de Sales (19-4), the No. 2 seed, has won 11 straight.

Indian Creek (17-6) and Glenelg Country School (16-4) appear to be on a collision course in the C final. The squads (both went 13-1 in league) split their two matches during the regular season.

IAAM TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

First round - Tuesday Feb. 13

C CONFERENCE

No. 5 seed Beth Tfiloh at No. 4 Annapolis Area Christian

No. 6 Friends at No. 3 Park

B CONFERENCE

No. 8 Maryvale Prep at No. 1 Gerstell Academy

No. 5 Severn at No. 4 Notre Dame Prep

No. 6 St. John’s Catholic Prep at No. 3 John Carroll

No. 7 St. Paul’s at No. 2 Mount de Sales

A CONFERENCE

No. 5 Mercy at No. 4 St. Mary’s

No. 6 Roland Park Country at No. 3 St. Vincent Pallotti

Semifinals (at higher seed) - Thursday Feb. 15

C CONFERENCE

Beth Tfiloh/Annapolis Area Christian winner at No. 1 Glenelg Country

Friends/Park winner at No. 2 Indian Creek

B CONFERENCE

Maryvale Prep/Gerstell Academy winner vs. Severn/Notre Dame Prep winner

St. John’s Catholic/John Carroll winner vs. St. Paul’s/Mount de Sales winner

A CONFERENCE

Mercy/St. Mary’s winner at No. 1 McDonogh

Roland Park Country/Pallotti winner at No. 2 St. Frances

Final at Stevenson University - Sunday Feb. 18

A CONFERENCE - Mercy or St. Mary’s/McDonogh winner vs. Roland Park or Pallotti/St. Frances winner, 1 p.m.

C CONFERENCE - Beth Tfiloh or Annapolis Area Christian/Glenelg Country winner vs. Friends or Park/Indian Creek winner, 3 p.m.

B CONFERENCE - Maryvale Prep or Gerstell/Severn or Notre Dame Prep winner vs. St. John’s Catholic or John Carroll/St. Paul’s or Mount de Sales winner, 5:30 p.m.

Another title for Mount St. Joseph

Mount St. Joseph clinched its second straight Baltimore Catholic League regular season championship with a victory over Calvert Hall and loss by second-place St. Frances over the weekend. The Gaels (29-4 overall, 11-1 BCL) will be the No. 1 seed for the upcoming postseason tournament.

It was the 12th BCL regular season championship for the Gaels, tied for most in league history. The 53rd BCL Tournament takes place March 1-3 at Goucher College following next week's MIAA playoffs.

Quadruple thousand for Brycen Coleman

Stephen Decatur’s Brycen Coleman added another entry to impressive high school resume last week. The senior scored his 1,000th career point in the Seahawks’ 72-66 victory over Wicomico.

Coleman, who will play football for Vanderbilt in the fall, is the first athlete in Maryland public history to score 1,000 points in basketball, and collect 1,000 career yards in passing, receiving and rushing in football.

Coleman quarterbacked Stephen Decatur to the Class 2A state football crown in the fall. He will play tight end at Vanderbilt.