The Starting Five

This is what I come up with for the 2012-13 Tri-State basketball season. Obviously I have not seen everyone, so much is based on what I heard from others and stats,but for the fun of it, let’s have a go at it:

BOYS BASKETBALL
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Donte Grantham, Martinsburg
FIRST TEAM
Martin Geben, St. Maria Goretti
Obi Enechionyia, Saint James
Jalen Lewis, Martinsburg
Devon King, South Hagerstown
Sterling Christy, Williamsport
Kellen Williams, Chambersburg
Dominique Newman, Washington
Donte Grantham, Martinsburg
(continue reading…)

It appears Notre Dame has officially offered Saint James 4-star PF Obi Enechionyia. From Rivals’ Alex Kline:

@TheRecruitScoop: Notre Dame has offered 2014 Saint James (MD) PF Obi Enechonyia.

Enechionyia has collected plenty  of offers since last summer but has yet to make an official decision on where he’ll play in 2014.

Perhaps Tim Koelble and I should read up NCAA compliance policies so we don’t make any ill-advised comments to Obi about playing for Tim’s Fighting Irish or my Terps.

Covering Thursday’s North Hagerstown-Albert Einstein playoff game turned out to be a real treat, even though the homestanding Hubs lost 81-72 in overtime.

There was a fair following on the North side and I was amazed at how many adults and student made the trip up from Montgomery County.

Quickly found out that the Einstein head coach, Richie Porac Jr., is a Washington County native, having graduated from Williamsport. (You’ll see an upcoming article in the next day or two).

The contest was one of the better games of the season on both sides. It got physical, was fairly officiated, and the excitement went down to the very end.

And a note saying ‘well done’ goes to the school officials that came along with the Einstein following. They controlled the students with chants near the end of the game and from running onto the court at the end, showing a level of respect. Well done.

Well, February leaves us with only 3 Washington County basketball teams left in the Maryland playoffs — two in boys and one in girls, and two of those belong to South Hagerstown.
After Thursday’s results saw South Hagerstown beat Northwood and Smithsburg beat Boonsboro while North Hagerstown lost to Albert Einstein and Clear Spring lost to Brunswick.
That means next Tuesday, March 5, South Hagerstown travels to Tuscarora and Smithsburg goes to Brunswick. THAT IS A CHALLENGE !!
South played Tuscarora back on Dec. 20 at home and lost 70-63.
Smithsburg lost twice during the regular season to Brunswick.
Are we done with the boys season after next Tuesday?

South Hagerstown carries the final girls hope in the county tonight and they have a monster challenge ahead of them at top-seed Damascus in the 3A West final. The Hornets are tree timbers and can play darn good basketball, so South will have its work cut out for them.

As I predicted last week here, online and in print, this is the end of the line for Washington County this season.

Here’s a quick look at the Washington County teams entering the 2013 Maryland playoffs:
GIRLS
1A West: In the East Section No. 1-seed Boonsboro (14-8) must get stronger on the inside with the capabilities of Shannon O’Brien and Tiffany Bowman. Warriors should get to region finals after beating North Carroll.
In the West Section we have Hancock along with Fort Hill, Allegany, Northern Garrett, Southern Garrett, Mountain Ridge. Hancock (15-7) is the underdog against Fort Hill (13-6). Allegany just beat 2A Williamsport for Doub title and has won 6 of last 8 games. Southern Garrett and Mountain Ridge are even better, and Southern (18-2) should meet Mountain Ridge in West semis.
Final: Southern Garrett defeats Boonsboro.
2A West: Like the 1A West section, the 2A West is loaded and that’s where Williamsport is docked. The Wildcats (13-8) play at Middletown (14-7) tonight and this is their fourth game this week. Caitlin McLister tough for Middletown averaging 14 points. And if they are fortunate to win, No. 1-seed Walkersville (18-4) is ahead. But in the scope of things, Middletown beats Walkersville in semis and South Carroll gets Oakdale.
Final: Middletown defeats South Carroll.
(continue reading…)

On Sunday, overall records of Maryland prep basketball teams won’t mean a thing … at least as far as the MPSSAA is concerned. You see, when they conduct their drawings, a two-game tournament any school plays during the season is not considered part of the schedule, which I consider — well, HOG WASH. It’s my contention, and always will be, they are games played and ALL games should count on the schedule.

At any rate, I’ll not continue to harp on this at the moment and instead, look at unofficial records of teams prior to Friday’s games ahead of the Sunday seedings.

In Boys Class 3A, if things ended now North Hagerstown and Urbana would be deadlocked at 15-3 for the second seed. Tuscarora, at 17-2, would have the top seed. South Hagerstown is 11-6 and could get a 4-seed.

In Boys Class 2A, Oakdale is in a class by itself at 18-1. The nearest team in Poolesville at 14-5. Locally, Williamsport stands 11-7.

In Boys class 1A, it appears Brunswick, at 12-7, should be the East Region top seed without a challenge and Allegany the top seed in the West.

(continue reading…)

Saint James senior Nnamdi Enechionyia has made his college choice. Saints coach Paul Easton gave me the official word on Nnamdi’s decision to attend Division I Samford University.
I will be talking to Nnamdi Monday getting the information.

Saint James forward Obi Enechionyia’s stock is beginning to rise on the recruiting trail.

Over the summer, the junior was pegged as a 3-star recruit, but, according to Rivals, he has since been elevated to a 4-star forward in the 2014 class. Rivals put him at 82 in their 2014 player rankings. Enechionyia is averaging a double-double per game this season with the Saints, putting up 21.3 PPG and grabbing 13.0 RPG.

He has yet to take an official visit, but has received offers from: Indiana, Maryland (!), Massachusetts, Miami (FL), VCU, Villanova, Virginia and Xavier (exhales). Enechionyia is also getting looks from Ohio State and Stanford.

Official visits should begin sometime after Saint James’ season ends and I’ll be sure to pass along more information as it becomes available.

Been busy with preseason preview, all-county stuff from the fall season and now with added TV to do, there just doesn’t seem like there is enough time in the day.
So, we are into the basketball season, one of my favorites both from the prep and college point of view.
I talked in my boys preview about the privates — Goretti and Saint James — possibly being the cream of the crop in Washington County this year.
The Gaels have Martin Geben and Tyrus Fleetwood and the Saints have Obi and Nnamdi Enechionyia, among others.
And Wednesday night the teams got together with Goretti imposing themselves on the Saints to the tune of a 63-44 victory.
The early season book on South Hagerstown and North Hagerstown has yet to see the second chapter. South has a good starting five but needs depth and North has the depth but needs to come together at one time, much as it did not do Tuesday in a loss to South.
On the girls scene, it appears that South Hagerstown is the top team around. The Lady Rebels will get a good test later against Martinsburg.
(continue reading…)

It’s been almost two months since St. James standout Obi Enechionyia took his visit at the University of Maryland and plenty has happened to the 2014 forward. He picked up an offer from Maryland shortly after his June visit on July 2. He’s also gotten offers from UMass, Temple, VCU and Xavier and helped lead his AAU team to consecutive championships this summer.

When asked who Enechionyia compares his playing style to at a tournament last week, the soon-to-be junior told a reporter, “Kevin Durant, but with a little more of a post game.”

Georgetown, Villanova, Virginia, Stanford, Ohio State and Miami have all reportedly expressed interest in him, too, but have yet to make any offers. Enechionyia, however, doesn’t currently have a favorite and is waiting for the end of his junior season to a make decision.

Right now, it’s looking like Enechionyia is projected as a 3-star recruit, but that could change depending on his performance this season.