Maryland high school basketball notebook (1/10/204)

St. Frances hands No. 1 Mount St. Joe its first loss; IAC sweeps the MAC; Howard girls continue to dominate

St. Frances Academy boys basketball coach Nick Myles has the same response when asked about playing Mount St. Joseph.

“The best rivalry in Baltimore basketball,” Myles said.

The latest chapter didn’t disappoint Monday night in Baltimore City as St. Frances ended the Gaels’ perfect start with a 64-59 overtime decision.

“At the end of the game, in the clutch moments, it was about knowing what to do, not making mistakes and staying disciplined,” Panther sophomore guard Jasiah Cannady said to the Baltimore Sun. “That was a big win for us. That’s a rivalry game.”

In the first of a potential four matchups this season, St. Frances ended Mount St. Joseph’s 22-game winning streak, dating back to last season. The Panthers denied the Gaels a second straight Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference championship with a 78-75 overtime victory last year at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County (UMBC), ending a 19-game Gael win streak.

St. Frances head coach Nick Myles improved his all-time record against Mount St. Joseph and legendary head coach Pat Clatchey to 21-18 when his Panthers knocked off the undefeated Gaels, 64-59 in overtime, on Monday, in what is Baltimore's best basketball rivalry / Photo by Derek Toney

Donovan Flamer, a 6-foot-8 senior transfer from Rosedale Christian, finished with 20 points for St. Frances (14-6) and Cannady, a transfer from Bishop O’Connell (Virginia), added 19.

Mount St. Joseph (19-1) will host the Panthers February 16. The squads could also square off in the MIAA A and Baltimore Catholic League postseason tournaments.

“It’s going to boost our confidence and make us all better,” Cannady added. “That’s a great team and we’re going to see them again later in the season.”

Monday’s victory improved Myles’ mark to 21-18 against Mount St. Joseph and Clatchey, who has 811 career victories in 32 seasons with the Gaels.

The IAC is up for the Challenge

The Interstate Athletic Conference dominated the Mid-Atlantic Athletic Conference in the IAC/MAC Challenge at Georgetown Day in Washington, D.C., Saturday. The IAC claimed all six contests, capped with a come-from-behind victory for Bullis over Sidwell Friends (D.C.) in a match-up of two of the best squads in the DMV.

Down by as many as 17 points in the opening half, Bullis didn’t get its first lead until there were five minutes left in regulation. The Bulldogs won, 60-56, behind 22 points from Holy Cross commit Tyler Boston.

Georgetown Prep topped Maret, 70-61, as Akbar Waheed finished with 18 points and 6-foot-8 post Tyler Garrett added a double-double (13 points and 11 rebounds). In a match-up of Maryland private schools, Landon edged St. Andrew’s Episcopal, 57-56.

Howard girls still roaring

Despite losing nearly its starting five from last year’s Class 3A state championship team, Howard girls basketball squad hasn’t missed a beat. The Lions are off to a 7-2 start.

Howard won its second state title last year, defeating 2022 champ Poly, 64-52, at the University of Maryland. The Lions graduated starters Gabby Kennerly (Mount St. Mary’s), Samiyah Nassir (College of St. Rose) and Jenna Vetter (Florida Southern College for lacrosse) while Megan Yarnevich, one of the state’s top underclass post players, transferred to Bullis.

With guard Riley Watson, the lone holdover from last season’s starting five, leading the charge, Howard is undefeated in the Howard County league (6-0). The Lions have won the past seven league championships.

The Lions, whose 57-8 win last week against Wilde Lake marked its 57th straight against Howard County opponents, are set to play at undefeated league foe Hammond (10-0 overall, 6-0 Howard County) Wednesday evening.