Pikesville girls claim four-peat in MPSSAA 1A state basketball finals

Panthers overcome recent close calls to race past Southern-Garrett to race

After close calls the last two weeks, Pikesville found its second gear in Saturday’s Class 1A girls championship game. The Panthers defeated Southern-Garrett, 48-39, for their fourth straight title.

The Baltimore County school ceased command in the third quarter to become the first girls team to “four-peat” in Maryland since Brooklyn Park, a now-defunct Anne Arundel County school, won five straight - four C and a 1A (formerly C) - from 1985 to 1989.

Their run to history wasn’t easy. The Panthers (23-3) outlasted Loch Raven, a team it routed for a third straight Baltimore County title, in the region final. They got past Forest Park, 42-41, in the semifinals Tuesday.

Pikesville's girls basketball championship dynasty continued Saturday at the University of Maryland. The Panthers won their fourth consecutive MPSSAA Class 1A state title with a 48-39 win over Southern-Garrett / Photo courtesy of the MPSSAA

“Their resiliency is just unmatched. They surprised me a lot,” said Pikesville coach Mike Dukes. “We might get on them a little hard in practice sometimes, maybe not feeling like we’re seeing enough intensity and I think they look at us sometimes and are like, ‘Coach, relax. We’re good. We’re good.’ They really know how to turn the dial up.”

Mariah Jones-Bey turns the dial for Pikesville

Only a sophomore, Mariah Jones-Bey is Pikesville’s top performer. The 5-foot-6 guard finished with 12 points, 10 rebounds, seven steals and five assists Saturday.

She was the force behind the Panthers’ 15-2 third quarter surge that flipped a 23-21 halftime deficit. Jones-Bey scored six in the frame, including a driving layup with 35 seconds remaining, giving Pikesville a 36-25 advantage.

Jones-Bey, who had 11 points (second-best on team) in Pikesville’s 38-33 victory over Mountain Ridge in last year’s 1A state final, said her teammates motivated her during halftime Saturday.

“They were hyping me up and it encouraged me and boosted my energy, so when we came back out I was more like me instead of doing things that was rushed,” said Jones-Bey. “So I was slowing down and I was playing smart, doing what they were telling me to and things went how I wanted them to.”