Annapolis Boys Topple Arundel, 65-56

ANNAPOLIS—Before the stands could be filled, the Arundel boys basketball team found itself down early and down big. The Panthers of Annapolis High School had stormed out of the gate with a 10-2 run en route to a 17-point lead early in the second quarter.

Though the Wildcats would claw back late into the game, they were unable to complete the comeback, falling 65-56, on the road.

A pair of three pointers from the Panthers' Colin Varn had Annapolis looking strong early, as Arundel would trail by 11 after the first quarter.

Senior Tyler Washington tried to pull the Wildcats back into the game after converting a pair of three-point plays, but the hosts didn't seem to be phased.

"The start didn't lose the game for us," Arundel coach Jeff Starr said. "Every time we got down, we battled back. I think we cut it to two or four, we just didn't have enough to get over the hump tonight."

Junior David Nicholson awoke from a cold first half, with seven third-quarter points, but it wasn't enough as Annapolis matched every little run that Arundel could manage.

The Wildcats clamped down on defense in the fourth quarter, as the Panther offense suddenly went cold. But a late technical on Starr turned a six-point deficit into nine. By that time the Wildcats, who were already facing foul trouble, could do nothing but foul.

Three free throws from Tajuan Watson and two from Domico James of Annapolis put the game out of reach, as the Panthers secured the win.

KEY MOMENT: With about two minutes to play, Arundel had brought the game back to within six points, at 60-54. Then a technical foul on coach Jeff Starr sent Tajuan Watson to the line for Annapolis, where the senior hit one of two. A pair of made free throws on the resulting possession and the Panthers had put the game away with a new nine-point lead.

TOP PERFORMERS: Tyler Washington, 15 points, 14 rebounds, two assists, one block. Billy Fowler, 15 points, five rebounds, two assists, one block, two steals. David Nicholson, 11 points, five rebounds, four assists. Austin Carroll, six points, one assist, two steals.

WHAT IT MEANS: With the loss, the Wildcats have lost their hold on the county's top spot. They now sit in a three-way tie with Glen Burnie and Annapolis for third place.

WHAT THEY SAID: "I told them we did a good job of coming back," Starr said.  "We just can't put ourselves in that position where we keep on battling back.  This [loss] was on us tonight."

"We'll see them again," Arundel sophomore Austin Carroll said in reference to a chance that the two schools would meet in the state playoffs.

"We needed to be the aggressor, instead of waiting for them to do what we had to do," Carroll said. "We should have been more aggressive and gotten to the rack, instead of settling and just play basketball."

"Whenever you coach against coach Brady, it's always going to be a battle," Starr said.

WHAT'S NEXT: The road doesn't get any easier for Arundel, which faces Old Mill on Tuesday. The Patriots sit atop the county with Broadneck. A win for Arundel would put them in second place, barring a setback by the Bruins.

"We should be able to hang with anybody, because we're a good team," Carroll said.

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Grant Shoots Lady Wildcats Past Annapolis

Twenty-four points from Arundel senior Tiffany Grant helped the Lady Wildcats top Annapolis High School for the second time this season, 62-50, on Friday night.

Down two early in the second quarter, Arundel used a 7-0 run to take an eight-point lead into the half. 

The Lady Panthers brought the game to back to one possession in the fourth quarter.  But thanks to some clutch free throw shooting by guard Ashlynn Park and ten points by Grant in the final quarter, the Lady Wildcats walked away 62-50 winners.

Arundel senior Breonna Pinkcett added 14 points in the win.