Shortly after Towson Catholic?s Baltimore Catholic League championship win over Mount St. Joseph, Owls senior forward Donte Greene turned his focus to DeMatha.
It would be a month away, but the impending re-match with the Washington-area powerhouse drove the team just as much as the opportunity to win another title.
“I think they really did want it,” Owls coach Josh Pratt said. “Its one of those things where, when you lose and you have a chance to play [DeMatha] again, you want to get them back.”
The Owls (32-6) came up short in their bid to win the Alhambra Catholic Invitational Tournament title and to exact revenge against DeMatha in a 58-56 loss Saturday night in the third place game. The two teams also played Jan. 27 in Washington, with DeMatha coming away with a 78-71 win.
The most recent loss to DeMatha concluded in stinging fashion as the Stags? Jeff Peterson hit a running jumper with no time remaining.
Greene scored 22 points while senior guard Malcolm Delaney was held to nine.
Towson Catholic jumped out to an early lead and held an eight-point advantage in the third quarter before DeMatha overtook the Owls.
In the championship semifinals Friday, the Owls lost to Neumann-Goretti, 80-69. Towson Catholic had defeated the Pennsylvania school in a December tournament trip to upstate New York.
Neumann-Goretti carries two of Greene?s future Syracuse teammates in guard Antonio Jardine and center Rick Jackson.
Roman Catholic, from Philadelphia, defeated Neumann-Goretti (also from Philadelphia), 70-50, for the title Saturday.
Still, the Owls? season was filled with success. Towson Catholic went undefeated in Baltimore Catholic League and Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association play ?a first in school history.
“Nobody can ever take that away from us,” Pratt said.
He credited his “tremendous” seniors for their leadership.
“Two years ago when I got the job, they could have left, but they decided to stay,” Pratt said. “I think they did a really good job leading the team. All my kids like playing with one another.”
With the season now complete, Greene and Delaney move forward with their own careers.
Delaney, destined for Virginia Tech, will take part in the Charm City and Capital Classics, while Greene will play in the Jordan Classic and McDonald?s All-American Game.
All-Alhambra
» Donte Greene was named to the All-Tournament first team, along with DeMatha?s Austin Freeman, St. John?s Chris Wright, Roman Catholic?s Bradley Wanamaker and Neumann-Goretti?s Rick Jackson.
» Delaney was named to the All-Tournament second team with DeMatha?s Jeff Peterson, Roman Catholic?s Malik Wayns and Benedictine?s Kelvin Estes and Ed Davis.
» Wanamaker was named the tournament MVP, while Wright was named the most outstanding player after scoring 57 points against Bishop Walsh Saturday.
