After a handful of opening-round games tonight, the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association playoffs begin in earnest next week. A full slate of boys games Monday are followed by the girls on Tuesday and so on throughout the week.
Here’s a look at the prospects of the local Class 4A teams:
Boys
4A West
» Favorite: Magruder (16-5) enters the postseason in top form following a 54-52 defeat of B-CC (18-3) Tuesday despite Colonels top scorer Donald Robinson being out sick.
» Who’s Hot: Defending 4A state champ Whitman (12-9) has won five of its last six using its distinctive brand of defense.
» Who’s Not: Richard Montgomery (13-8) got the No. 4 seed, but has lost four of its last six averaging just 46 points per game.
» Look Out: Quince Orchard (14-7) is the best team in the weak bottom-half of the region draw.
4A South
» Favorite: Flowers (18-2) is the top seed, but in this loaded region several teams have the talent to win a state championship.
» Who’s Hot: Eleanor Roosevelt (15-6) has won six straight behind 6-foot-7 Darnell Dodson (Pittsburgh), who has averaged 30.6 points during the stretch.
» Who’s Not: After an 11-1 start, Laurel (14-7) has lost six of its last seven games decided by fewer than nine points.
» Look Out: Bladensburg (16-4) has little depth and depends heavily on sophomores at center and the point, but the Mustangs enter the playoffs with six straight wins and loads of confidence.
4A North
» Favorite: Parkville (20-3) is seeded No. 1, but the Knights’ competition is suspect. Consider Springbrook (18-3), led by C.J. Garner, the team to beat.
» Who’s Hot: Sherwood (17-4), led by Deontay Twyman, has won nine of its last 10 including two victories over Magruder and one over Springbrook. Expect a Springbrook-Sherwood clash in the region semifinals.
» Who’s Not: Blake (13-8) has lost four of six, but the Bengals are on the weak half of the bracket and could easily make it to the finals.
Girls
4A West
» Favorite: Top-seeded Wootton (18-3) has won 14 straight games, including the last 12 by double-digit margins. The only rub against the Patriots is history. They’ve never won a region title.
» Who’s Hot: Magruder (8-13) enters the playoffs on the heels of its best win this season, a 50-49 upset of B-CC. The Colonels will likely play Wootton Monday.
» Who’s Not: After an 11-3 start, opponents have figured out Churchill (12-8), which has lost five of its last six.
» Look Out: Whitman (16-5) lost to Wootton, 67-53, Tuesday. But was coach Pete Kanah’s team playing opossum?
4A South
» Favorite: It will take a monumental effort to topple two-time defending state champion Eleanor Roosevelt (18-2), which has beaten all of its county opponents by at least nine points.
» Who’s Hot: After a 5-5 start, Parkdale (13-8) has played up to its preseason expectations with quality wins over Bowie and Bladensburg.
» Look Out: Two of the losses by Flowers (16-3) came to ER. One was a nine-point verdict, the closest any P.G. team has come against the Raiders.
4A North
» Favorite: Dulaney (20-0) of Baltimore County is the top seed.
» Who’s Hot: Springbrook (18-3) has won four straight and, as the region’s two-time defending champion, will be viewed by some as the team to beat.
» Look Out: Despite a recent 56-37 loss to Springbrook, Blake (14-5) has a nice blend of experience and young talent to make noise in this region.
