Crofton 13-U Boys Complete Perfect Season

The Crofton 13-under team scored a pair of victories recently to finish with a perfect record and the championship in the Salisbury division of the Anne Arundel County rec league.            

Crofton scored a 33-29 overtime victory over the BAYS and followed that with a 36-25 win over the BUCS. That let Crofton end the season with a 10-0 mark and locked up first place.            

The battle against the BAYS was a tough one. Crofton trailed for long stretch of that game and was behind for most of the second half before rallying late. James Taylor hit a clutch three-point shot to give Crofton a 24-22 lead with less than two minutes remaining in regulation.            

The BAYS came back to take a 26-25 edge before Taylor and Aaron Barclay hooked up to force overtime. Taylor saved a shot from going out of bounds in the final 10 seconds and got the ball back to Barclay. He then drove to the basket and was fouled with one second left.            

Barclay made one of two free throws to force overtime. That’s when Crofton made some clutch free throws to pull out the four-point win and clinch the title.  

Crofton came back with a solid second-half effort the following day and had an easier time en route to the 11-point victory.            

The BUCS held a 16-12 halftime lead as Crofton struggled in the first half. But Crofton stepped up its defensive pressure in the second half and outscored the BUCS, 24-9, after the break to pull out the victory.            

“I am proud of all ten of the kids,” said coach Bert Taylor. “They have won some tight ballgames this year. Their determination is a credit to them and their families.”            

In addition to Barclay and Taylor, here’s the rest of the championship team: Matt Bauckman, Ben Davisson, Billy Nolan, Dylan Stein, Jaedrian Dade, Jalen Gillespie, Kyle Marlovic and Tyler Tullos.