Titans Relying on Chemistry, Balance to Propel Squad Into Region Finals

As New Town’s Tavon Geter looked ahead to the season in early December, the senior guard emphatically stated, “I want a ring…There’s nothing I want more than to win a state championship.”

 And as the Titans (18-5) get set to face Patterson Mill (15-5) in the Class 1A North semifinals on Wednesday, Geter feels New Town is in excellent position to deliver that ring.

 After winning the Class 1A state championship in 2007, the Titans have failed to advance past the regional semifinals in any of the three seasons since.

 “We’re ready,” Geter said. “We really want [a state championship] bad and we’re going to get it.”

 Fueled by their guard-oriented attack, the Titans have won eight of their last nine games. They beat Pikesville, 81-55, in the Class 1A quarterfinals on Monday.

 Including Geter, who leads New Town in scoring (13.6), the Titans have four guards averaging nine points or more per game. Jalen Clarke (10.5) is second on the team in scoring while Devonte Coleman (10.2) and Tre Washington (9.2) aren’t far behind. Coleman, a senior, averaged a team-best 15 points per game last season.

 But while New Town is a team undoubtedly anchored by its backcourt, it has gotten increased production from its post game throughout the course of the year, which has made the Titans even more potent offensively. Six-foot-five forward Jerrod Lemon, who leads the team in rebounding (eight per game), is averaging 9.7 points per game.

 “We’re much better than we were at the start of the year,” New Town coach Mike Salapata said. “One thing that I think sets us apart is that we don’t rely on just one person to lead us. We’ve had seven different players lead us in scoring and I don’t think too many other teams around the county have that kind of balance. I think that’s something that separates us. And we’ve also been starting to get some good production from our big guys down low. I think we can play with everybody in our region.”

 Geter, who also leads New Town in assists (five per game), agreed.

 “We have three ball-handlers, three point guards, on the court at one time, which is dangerous,” Geter said. “And our big guys are getting better and better every day.”

 Lemon also cited the Titans’ improved chemistry as a key component of their improvement from last season.

 New Town returned all but two players from last year’s team went just 13-12 and was eliminated by Pikesville in the Class 1A North semifinals. Geter referred to that team as “immature and selfish,” but Lemon doesn’t see this season’s team sharing those same characteristics and, like Geter and Salapata, is optimistic the Titans can make a legitimate run at a state championship.

 “Last year, we had no teamwork,” Lemon said. “Everybody was out just doing their own thing and we had no chemistry with each other. But this year, we’ve been playing together since the summer and have really gotten to learn each other’s games even more and have improved our chemistry and that’s what makes us better than last year. I think we can go all the way if we keep playing like we’ve been playing.”

However, to go all the way, the Titans must quell a solid Patterson Mill squad that went 11-1 in division play in Harford County.

 Lemon will be tasked with slowing down 6’5 senior Reggie Daniels, the Huskies best post option, while New Town’s perimeter defenders must keep a close eye on left-handed sharpshooter Garett Burkhead, Patterson Mill’s strongest threat from the outside.

 If they advance, the Titans would take on the winner of the other region semifinal between Owings Mills and Havre de Grace in the 1A North Finals.