Cobras Advance to Class 2A State Basketball Semifinal

For the first time in school history, the Harford Tech Cobras won the regional boys basketball championship. Coached by Bill Jones, the Cobras (19-5) played a very tight game against Parkside Saturday in the Class 2A East Regional final game.

This game marked the third straight year the Cobras had seen the regional final game, but the first time they managed to win the game. The game was won in large part due to one of Harford Tech's senior guards Dominic Webb. Webb made several crucial plays in the final moments, scoring his team's last six points, including two free throws with 4.5 seconds left that gave host Harford Tech a 59-57 victory.

Webb made one of two free throws with 34.5 seconds left that cut Parkside's lead to two, after a made free throw by Parkside Webb drilled a three-pointer that tied the game with 18 seconds left.

"As a senior, I had to step up," Webb said. "I had to take leadership."

Webb said the late free throws didn't make him too nervous as he prepares for those situations on a regular basis.

"I practice this all the time," he said. "I came out there and...just did it."

Coach Bill Jones and his team will face Patterson, from Baltimore City, in the Class 2A state semifinal at the University of Maryland on Friday at 7 p.m.

After the game, Coach Jones said: "I think now we're starting to earn respect in the county and state that we're a good basketball program. Dominic came through tonight. He was a real leader for us."

On a personal note as a Harford Tech alumni and former Harford Tech boys basketball coach, I coached these seniors when they were just Freshmen at Harford Tech, and I can still remember telling Jaylin Kelley and Dominic Webb at our last JV game that year, that by their senior year they would go to states. Cobras, let's get us a state championship. To coach Bill Jones, job well done, sir!