Carl Buck thought about all the ways to end the best season in his lifetime for Bethesda-Chevy Chase basketball. But he never envisioned himself lying face down on the Comcast Center court in total disbelief lamenting a loss.
After a frenetic sequence under the basket, Randallstown center -- and Maryland football recruit -- Melvin Alaeze scored on a put-back as overtime expired to clinch a 78-76 victory for the Rams in Maryland 3A championship game.
Bethesda-Chevy Chase players Cameron Ezell (15) and Carl Buck are left dejected after the Barons' overtime loss to Randallstown at Comcast Center.
(Kevin Clark -- The Washington Post)
|
Stags' Jones To Coach at Jordan Game
DeMatha basketball coach Mike Jones has been named an assistant coach for the inaugural Jordan Classic all-star game in New York on April 16.
"Anytime you put Michael Jordan's name on something, it's special," Jones said. "It's an honor for myself, DeMatha and our program."
The event is the all-star game that Nike's Jordan-brand division decided to sponsor after dropping its sponsorship of Washington's Capital Classic last month.
Jones has guided the Stags to a 27-1 record and the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference and City Title championships this season. Jones was selected to coach at the USA Olympic Youth Festival in Colorado Springs last summer.
-- Tarik El-Bashir
|
| |
| _____ Schedules & Results _____
• Follow your team through the postseason with nightly updates to basketball
scores and schedules:
• Virginia
• Maryland
• D.C.
• Private
| | |
|  Football
Northwest quarterback Ike Whitaker completed 157 of 262 passes for a school-record 2,586 yards, with 28 TDs and only 10 INTs in leading the Jaguars to the Maryland 3A championship. He is The Post's Offensive Player of the Year.
North Stafford defensive lineman Cordarrow Thompson had 102 tackles, including 43 for a loss, and nine sacks in 13 games to lead the Wolverines' smothering defense. He is The Post's Defensive Player of the Year.
• All-League Teams
• Fall 2004 All-Mets
• All-Mets Since 1990
|
| |
|
Just like that, the season few expected was over. With it went the school's first trip to the state tournament since winning the 1984 AA title, a few years before any of the current Barons were born. The 11-game winning streak the Barons carried into the game didn't matter anymore. Also toss out two late-game comebacks against Randallstown (26-1).
"We can't lose like that," said Buck, a senior guard, who had team highs of 27 points, 11 rebounds and 7 assists. "That was too close. It wasn't supposed to be like that.
"This hurts too much."
With about 10 seconds left, Randallstown senior guard Shamar Davis penetrated the baseline from the left corner and missed a layup. He got the rebound and fed senior Marlon Johnson in the lane. The rebound of his shot caromed off a couple of hands over to the far side of the basket to Alaeze.
There, he stood unblocked for the layup as the final buzzer sounded, giving the Rams their third state title in 11 years.
"I didn't know how much time was left. I just put it up," said the 6-foot-2, 280-pound Alaeze, who scored 15 of his 17 points after halftime. He also added 15 rebounds.
There was never any doubt whether Alaeze got the shot off in time. Officials immediately signaled it was good, and Randallstown's bench -- led by Coach Kim Rivers -- streaked across the court to the opposite basket in celebration.
"It did seem like an eternity," Rivers said of the last sequence. "I've seen the tears on my own players like that. I don't want anyone to have to be there."
It seemed for a while there would only be tears of joy from the Bethesda-Chevy Chase bench. Buck opened the second-half scoring with a layup to give the Barons (19-8) their biggest lead, 34-22.
Randallstown then shook off 7-for-40 first-half shooting to go on a 21-4 run to take a 43-38 lead, its first advantage since 5-3. Sophomore guard Johnny Higgins, who was held to two first half points, got hot. He scored 21 points in the second half before fouling out midway through overtime.
Bethesda-Chevy Chase went on a 13-2 run to take a six-point lead, and the game was nip and tuck until Randallstown pulled ahead 65-59 on a pair of Alaeze free throws with 1 minute 18 seconds left in regulation. Buck hit a pair of free throws 10 seconds later and a pair of layups to force overtime.
In overtime, the Barons took a 72-68 lead on a layup by senior Kyle McBurney with 2:44 left. But a three-pointer by Caray Sanders and a three-point play by Domonic Venable on successive possessions gave Randallstown a 74-72 lead with 2:03 remaining.
Trailing 76-73, McBurney pulled the Barons to within one on a layup with 1:14 to go. Following a timeout, Bethesda-Chevy Chase forced a poor pass from Randallstown. On the next possession, sophomore Cameron Ezell tied the game with a free throw with 26 seconds left.
Randallstown called a timeout with 15 seconds left to set up the final sequence, but the action was very harried. After two missed shots, Alaeze softly banked in the winner, and Buck collapsed over the three-point arc.
"It was unreal," Buck said. "I was speechless."
