Johns Hopkins men?s basketball coach Bill Nelson said the more than 1,300 fans who attended his team?s victory over Villa Julie in the first round of the Division III Tournament this past March were the most spectators he had ever seen pack in Goldfarb Gym.
But Nelson said a majorreason why the rivals drew such a large crowd was because the anticipation for the game began two years earlier, when the two Baltimore colleges met in the championship game of the inaugural Provident Bank Pride of Maryland tournament.
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“That atmosphere in that game against Villa Julie last year was so amazing,” Nelson said. “The seeds of that rivalry were planted in the Pride of Maryland tournament.”
The third annual Pride of Maryland Tournament tips off tonight with eight of the state?s nine Division III schools battling for local bragging rights. Frostburg State agreed to sit out because it would have been too difficult to construct a bracket for a nine-team tournament.
The tournament consists of three rounds, with the victor of each game remaining in the winner?s bracket. The losers of tonight?s games are unable to finish higher than fifth place in the consolation division. The final two rounds will be at Johns Hopkins, with semifinals on Saturday and the championship games on Sunday.
Villa Julie beat Hopkins for the inaugural title before the Blue Jays rebounded last season and defeated Salisbury in the finals. Each year, the tournament?s champion went on to qualify for the NCAA Tournament with three teams from the field ? Hopkins, Villa Julie and Frederick County?s Hood College ? advancing last season.
Johns Hopkins and Villa Julie could possibly play each other again if both reach the championship game. Johns Hopkins opens the tournament at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Hood, with Villa Julie playing at McDaniel at 8 p.m. However, the road to a successful season will be much more difficult for both Hopkins and Villa Julie. Villa Julie will have a completely new starting lineup as it graduated four starters and a fifth ? forward Kerry Dugan ? is out for the year after having microfracture surgery on his ankle. John Hopkins graduated five players who accounted for more than 4,000 career points and 2,000 career rebounds.
“These are such intense games,” said Villa Julie coach and athletic director Brett Adams. “This is such a great tournament and is a great way to bring attention to the quality Division III basketball in the state.”
