Maryland Boys High School Basketball State Tournament Begins: Teams, Players & Road to the Championship

The MPSSAA boys basketball tournament kicks off, with top programs like Frederick, Largo, and Edmondson-Westside vying for state titles at Maryland’s Xfinity Center

Frederick's JJ Addison, one of the top players to watch in Class 4A, clutches the 2024 MPSSAA state championship trophy. He and the Cadets begin their request to repeat on Friday. / JJ Addison Instagram

The “madness” is set to begin Friday with opening round play in the Maryland State Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association (MPSSAA) boys basketball tournament.

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In two weeks, four teams (one in Class 1A, 2A. 3A, 4A) will be left standing at the University of Maryland’s Xfinity Center with a state championship trophy. 

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Here’s a preview of the road to College Park.

CLASS 4A

Defending champion: Frederick

Region top seeds: East - Leonardtown & Meade; North - Perry Hall & Springbrook; South - Charles H. Flowers & Laurel; West - Northwest & Walt Whitman

Teams to watch

Charles H. Flowers - The Jaguars look to reach their first state Final Four but will have to overcome Prince George’s County rivals Laurel and Henry A. Wise in what may be the toughest region (South II) in the entire playoffs.

Frederick - The defending champs are aiming to return to the University of Maryland, but will likely have to get past Northwest in West Region I.

Henry A. Wise - After reaching last year’s 4A Final Four, the Pumas will have to rebound from the suspension of coach Lou Wilson for the remainder of the season and forfeiting their regular season wins earlier in the week after Prince George’s County Public Schools officials said they played with an ineligible player. 

Laurel - The Spartans are enjoying a breakout season, winning the Prince George’s County 4A regular season title.

Meade - The Anne Arundel County champ Mustangs are peaking (18 straight wins) and motivated after losing in last year’s state semifinals and the 2023 state final.

Northwest - After blowing a late lead in the Montgomery County final, the Jaguars hope to turn that missed opportunity into a run to a first state Final Four.

Walt Whitman - The Vikings will have their eyes on College Park after losing to Frederick in last year’s state final.

Players to watch

JJ Addison, Frederick, Jr. guard

Tyrell Bowles, Charles H. Flowers, Sr., center

Cayden Hargrove, Henry A. Wise, Sr, guard/forward

Emonte Hill, Frederick, Sr., guard

Keon Scott, Meade, So., Guard

CLASS 3A

Defending champion: Northeast

Region top seeds: East - Centennial & Mount Hebron; North - Overlea & Baltimore City College; South - Oxon Hill & Stephen Decatur; West - James Hubert Blake & North Hagerstown

Teams to watch

Baltimore City College - The Knights, who won the 3A crown in 2023, have a chance for a third 3A Final Four in four seasons.

James Hubert Blake - The Montgomery County champ Bengals, with arguably the state’s best underclassmen in 6-foot-9 sophomore Baba Oladotun, are poised to win their first state championship.

Mount Hebron - The Vikings are feeling confident about a deep run in 3A after winning the inaugural Howard County championship game.

Northeast - The reigning state champ Eagles will have its work cut out as the No. 6 seed in the East Region I. 

Stephen Decatur - The Bayside Conference champ Seahawks have redemption on their minds after a two-point loss in last year’s state semifinals.

Players to watch

Davin Chandler, Stephen Decatur, Sr., guard

Josh Frazier, Centennial, Sr., guard

Baba Oladotun, James Hubert Blake, So., forward/center

Marquel Paschall, Baltimore City College, Sr., guard

Omar Smith Jr., Baltimore City College, Sr., guard/forward

CLASS 2A

Defending champion: Largo

Region top seeds: East - Elkton & Kent Island; North - New Town & Paul Laurence Dunbar; South - Huntingtown & Lackey; West - Century & Williamsport 

Teams to watch

Paul Laurence Dunbar - The Poets, owners of a record 16 state championships, hope to get to their first Final Four since 2018 after falling in the state quarterfinals last year.

Lackey - The Chargers won the Southern Maryland Athletic Conference championship, but will have to get past Largo in the South Region I final to have a chance of reaching their first state Final Four since 2006.

Largo - The reigning champs from Prince George’s County are the overwhelming favorite with the state’s top public player and Michigan State recruit Cam Ward closing in on the state’s all-time career scoring mark.

New Town - The Baltimore County champ Titans, who won the 2A crown in 2023, could be Largo’s biggest obstacle. 

Williamsport - The Lions hope to break a 25-year Final Four drought after winning the Central Maryland Conference Small School title.

Players to watch

William Deshields, New Town, Sr., guard

Zion Dixon, Largo, Sr., forward

Jared Mobley, Largo, Sr. guard

Dylan Sander, C. Milton Wright, Sr., forward

Cam Ward, Largo, Sr., forward/center

CLASS 1A

Defending champion: Edmondson-Westside

Region top seeds: East - Cambridge-South Dorchester & Colonel Richardson; North - Edmondson & Patterson Mill; South - Chesapeake Math & Information Technology & Loch Raven

Teams to watch

Cambridge-South Dorchester - The Vikings should be Edmondson’s biggest hurdle after reaching last year’s state final.

Edmondson - The undefeated Red Storm are the favorite to three-peat and finish the season as the only unbeaten team in Maryland.

Fort Hill - The Sentinels look to return to the 1A Final Four for a third consecutive season. 

Players to watch

DJ Dantzler, Edmondson-Westside, Sr., guard

Xavier Davis, Edmondson-Westside, Sr., forward

Koby Ennals, Cambridge-South Dorchester, Sr., forward

Auston Jackson, Chesapeake Math & Information Technology, Sr., guard

Semaj Pinder, Cambridge-South Dorchester, Jr., forward

STATE TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

Friday, February 28/Saturday March 1 - Region quarterfinals

Tuesday March 4 - Region semifinals

Thursday March 6 - Region finals

Saturday, March 8 - State quarterfinals 

Tuesday March 11 & Wednesday March 12 - State semifinals (various sites)

Friday March 14 & Saturday, March 15 - State finals at University of Maryland