MIAA basketball programs shooting for the top in 2024-25
Defending champions, Mount St. Joe, Severn and Saints Peter and Paul, seek repeats
by Nelson Coffin
If the early results for all three defending MIAA conference champions are any indication of things to come, the 2024-2025 basketball season could be a wild and woolly affair.
That’s because reigning A Conference winner Mount St. Joseph, B Conference king Severn and C Conference victor Saints Peter and Paul have started a little slowly out of the gate, compiling a combined 7-6 mark to open the season.
Whether or not that means other serious contenders can take advantage of what might be a temporary lull remains to be seen.
Most assuredly, the teams that prevail when the season ends in February will be well versed in what it means to be a winner.
A CONFERENCE
Although Mount St. Joseph has already fallen to league rival Loyola Blakefield and B Conference member Annapolis Area Christian School, look for the Gaels to find the answers under the dean of MIAA coaches, Pat Clatchey, who led his alma mater to a 36-5 record last season.
Junior 6-foot-1 guard BJ Ranson is emerging as the caliber of player who can help his young team come together as the season progresses.
He will join 6-4 forward Joe Green, 6-7 forward Brandon Holmes and 6-foot sophomore transfer Nasir Barnes as the most likely prospects to keep the Gaels in the title chase.
The dream backcourt of 6-2 junior Jasiah Cannady, 6-4 senior Jahshua Lamothe and 6-1 sophomore Terence Jones III should make St. Frances a formidable foe this season, especially when meshing with transfers Camontae Griffin (5-11, sophomore) and Kam Lawson (5-11 junior).
As Tony Martin enters his second season as the Our Lady of Mount Carmel coach, he is witnessing a growth spurt for a team that is attempting “to build the foundation of a championship culture.“
Martin will have only two senior leaders — 5-foot-9 point guard Rodney Scott and 6-2 wing Mario Tatum — at his disposal this winter.
“This is still a relatively young roster,” he. “We continue to play the most challenging schedule so we have gained a lot of high-level game experience.”
Four junior forwards, 6-6 Tristen Wilson, 6-8 Ralph Rudusans, 6-8 Gage Howard and 6-6 Tristan Heflin, give the Cougars plenty of reasons to believe they can be a major factor in the conference chase. So will 6-9 sophomores center Junior Mancho, and classmates Samartine Hill (5-8 point guard) and Mazari Browne (6-4 wing) a
Freshman Antwan Williams (6-3 point guard) and juniors Harmony Okojie (6-5 forward) and Tyson Heflin (6-6 forward) “add to our pursuit of team success,” Martin said. “We pride ourselves on connected team defense and sharing the ball on offense.”
After piloting Parkville High to its only state championship two years ago, Loyola Blakefield coach Josh Czerski is hoping to claim another banner, this time for the Dons — and he might just have the wherewithal to get it done.
With 6-4 senior point guard Mason Ellison joining 6-0 senior Marlon Williams and 5-11 junior Jesse LeGree in the backcourt, the Dons are well positioned to mesh with 6-7 junior transfer Ayo Olofintila’s work in the paint.
In the 65-58 win over Mt. St. Joe, it was Ellison’s fadeaway foul-line jumper with 1:48 left that put the Dons ahead for good.
Considering that 6-5 freshman Mikey Williams appears to be another top prospect, Loyola might have what it takes to continue to make serious waves in league play.
Gilman suffered a devastating early blow when junior Mt. St. Joe transfer Kellen Lettinga sustained a season-ending injury that, coupled with jack-of-all-trades senior Harrison Schline (UNC Lacrosse commit) being unavailable until February, will hamper the Greyhounds’ chances to start quickly.
Still, with 6-8 senior forward and three-year starter Evan Quintero on the court to shoulder the lion's share of scoring and rebounding on both ends, Gilman does bring some serious experience, size and talent to the court.
Moreover, Gilman coach Will Bartz said that four-year varsity veteran Tyler Marshall will lead a bevy of guards that feature a healthy mix of both experience and youth.
“With a lot of depth at both the guard and forward spots, the ‘Hounds will look for scoring and uptempo play to help navigate the challenging MIAA A Conference,” Bartz said, noting that seniors Jackson Brooks and Dylan Buchalter also bring experience and versatility to the lineup with classmates Jake Mohler and Amir Arnold.
Senior Will Beauchamp and juniors JV call-ups Masiah Chase and Jute Taylor join Matthew Gordon and Bashir Abou to pad the backcourt depth.
Sophomores Marcus Turpin and Chad Deveaux will also be counted on to log key minutes after hanging up their football helmets and pads for the season.
John Carroll has been perfect in the non-conference portion of its schedule, producing wins over Annapolis Area Christian School, St. Paul’s, Calvert Hall, Loyola Blakefield and a pair of North Carolina schools.
However, coach Seth Goldberg is well aware that the first test against an A Conference opponent will be a serious challenge when the Patriots travel to St. Frances on Wednesday.
Even so, with guards Aidan Abel and Caden Chinnia-Falline, wing Theartis Battle and 6-8 transfer Andrew Clark joining forces, John Carroll won’t be intimidated.
According to coach Gerry Abrams, McDonogh will feature a team with a solid blend of youth and experience this winter.
Texas State commit Rob Fields, a 6-9 forward, is hovering less than 400 rebounds from 1,000 career boards and 80 points shy of four figures while fellow senior Jefferson Exinor is approaching the 2,000-point milestone. The 6-4 four-year starter “has been our leader for quite some time,” Abrams said.
Carlos Furguson, a 6-6 swingman, has almost unlimited potential, Abrams added.
“Our uncertainty is at the guard spot,” Abrams continued. “We have two junior guards, Marcus Williams and BJ Hopkins, who are both on-and-off starters since they were freshmen. But this year, they move into (being) main contributors.”
Youth will be served with talented freshmen Rob Moore (high-level scorer), Maurice Costley (can play all positions) and Ben Orthwein (elite shooter).
“All of them will be great players one day, and are in the rotation in this early season,” Abrams said. “Our success will reside in dominating in the paint and the guards maturing quickly to play in this tough league.”
Compared to some of its league rivals, Boys’ Latin will be one of the smaller teams in the A Conference.
The Lakers’ tallest player — senior small forward Elijah Fonotia is only 6-4, although 6-3 junior combo guard Elliott Hopes flashes good size on the perimeter.
Ghavyne Saint Pierre, an über-quick 5-10 point guard, will lead a Lakers’ running game that was on full display in an 85-41 thumping of Gilman to open the season.
Super smooth 6-1 guard Darrell Davis lends to BL’s sleekness and skill.
Junior Jack Rubenstein and freshman Noah Sulaiman lend more talent to the backcourt for coach Dominic Milburn.
Glenelg Country School will find out if, or how much, size matters when the Dragons unleash a team with every player measuring 6 feet or more.
The most notable of that group is senior 7-0 center Deng Jok, whose defensive skills should set the table at the other end of the floor for 6-2 senior shooting guard Pat Curtin and 6-0 point guard Ronald Alford.
That leaves 6-5 senior Jalen Baker and 6-4 junior small forward Donavan Marshburn to play underneath the basket with Jok.
Although coach Garrett O’Donnell’s team posted a sub-.500 record last winter, this year’s outfit seems better positioned to exceed that mark while already off and winging to a 4-1 start.
New Calvert Hall coach David Gately will begin his second stint as an A Conference coach after guiding a winless McDonogh to a 10-8 record in his first year with the Eagles.
He will now try to work similar magic for the Cardinals, who have nowhere to go but up after some rough times the past few seasons.
He will lean on heavily on 6-0 senior shooting guard Mac Latoga and 5-10 combo guard Jonathan Nalty, the latter of whom hit key long-range shots in a 69-63 verdict over Indian Creek.
The future belongs to 6-6 freshman small forward Billy Stanfield, one of four freshmen and sophomores slated to compile quality playing time this winter.
“We’re going to have to play fast because we’re not that big,” said Gately, a former Mount St. Joseph and Loyola University Maryland star. “We try to motivate the kids every day to get better. Our practices are very competitive. We’re really excited and We’ll try to scratch out a couple of wins.”
Although Archbishop Spalding will be missing a key component from last year’s 23-10 squad, the loss of Malik Washington to the Maryland football program hardly dooms the Cavaliers to the conference dungeon.
Junior guards TJ Moultrie (6-3), Kam Carter (5-11) and Elijah Barrett (6-2) are part of the reason why Spalding has prevailed in its first four games this season.
And with 6-8 freshman Braxton Bogard on board, the program’s future is bright for coach Josh Pratt’s crew.
B CONFERENCE
St. Mary’s will feature senior forward Tyler Tillman, junior guard Gavin Johnson, sophomore guard Jovanni Hall, sophomore center James DiBitetto and sophomore wing Noah Cerny
“We are looking forward to a very competitive year in the MIAA this year,” St. Mary’s coach Trey Quinn said. “We have some excellent players returning and the league has some very talented teams.”
St. Paul’s young yet experienced team boasts junior Andrew Cooper and sophomore Cahron Wheeler, both of whom are expected to lead the Crusaders on the boards and provide consistent scoring, coach Phil Han said.
“Seniors Ben Lichter and Bryce Matthews provide instant offense on a deep and versatile team,” Hahn concluded.
Concordia Prep could give defending champion Severn a battle royale this winter, considering that 6-1 senior guard Noah Robinson, who averaged 18 points per game last season, is seeking to eclipse 1,000 points while teaming with 6-4 junior Christian Okenkpa and 6-2 junior Jaylen Madden in the backcourt.
Presley Prettyman, a 6-1 junior guard, adds to the riches.
Junior center Jordan Okudo will use his 6-9 length to maneuver in the paint while role players, like Syracuse football commit Justin Dixon and junior guard Lamont Jackson, wreak havoc with their elite athleticism.
“The biggest thing for us will be to get connected,” said first-year coach Derrick Matthews, whose team’s only setback was to A Conference power Mt. Carmel. “With four transfers, we’re still working out the kinks. We want to play the right way and get away from personal agendas. Our conference is tough — it will be a challenge.”
Even with top-notch rivals like Concordia Prep in hot pursuit, Severn has the goods to defend its championship.
The Admirals not only boast 1,000 point-scorer Jacob Randall — the eighth Admiral to surpass that mark — they also are well stocked with senior Daniel Growney, junior Sean Harvey and sophomore DJ Lee in the backcourt.
Chapelgate Christian Academy, which has split its first six games this season, will be paced by senior guards Bryson Milledge, Landen Custis, Mason Plater and Damien Little. Junior Justin Davis rounds out the unit.
Sophomore guards Paul Ayivor and Jonah Ludwig and sophomore forward Jevin Ludwig will also be counted on to keep the Yellow Jackets in good stead.
“We are expecting to be competitive in the MIAA B Conference, and our goal is to make the playoffs after missing them by one game last season,” Chapelgate coach Frick Frierson said. “We are returning three starters (Custis, Milledg, and Plater), plus two more guys (Davis and Little) who played significant minutes last year.
“The addition of Ayivor, Jonah Ludwig, and Jevin Ludwig gives us some depth with young talent who will see significant action this year.”
Jimmy Little said that his first season at Indian Creek was a “reset” for the program that was seeking to bring a new focus toward building something special to the Eagles’ nest.
The result was an 8-16 record for a squad that hopes to better that mark this winter.
“When healthy, we will have a very exciting team this season,” Little said. “We started the season with a very rigorous schedule playing four A Conference teams to prepare us for B Conference play.
Guard play will be the Indian Creek’s strong suit, with senior Jayden Abraham and junior Kyle Harvin in the limelight.
Junior forwards Nick Parris and Teron Power and junior guard Ethan Jeffries are newcomers of note on a team that will emphasize defense, “but we hope to open up our offense more this season and play at a breakneck pace,.” Little said.
“We have faced a lot of adversity,” Williams said. “And I think we have reacted well.”
The Vikings will be strong in the front court with 6-7 sophomore center Mamou Sako and 6-5 junior forward Aaron Shoffner. Point guard Cameron Eager will handle the ball up top with junior combo guard Blaine Kalaw in support.
“We plan to compete for a championship,” Williams said. “We have guys who can step up this season.”
C CONFERENCE
Park will be led by junior point guard Zach Chait, a second-year starter.
Senior forward Samson Polakoff, senior center Jack Cohen and junior forward Cross Levy handle play under the basket.
“We return six players from last year while adding a few expected contributors from last year's JV team,” Park coach Edwin Gordon said. “As a first-year coach of an inexperienced team, our goal was to make the playoffs simply. After a heartbreaking defeat in the semis last year, we believe we can be one of the better teams in the C Conference and compete for a championship.”