By Josh Barr
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, February 14, 2008

Springbrook enters the week on an 11-game win streak, and its most recent win may have been the Blue Devils' biggest confidence-booster -- a 56-52 victory over Magruder last Friday, which Coach Tom Crowell called it "a big thrill for our kids."

Springbrook (16-1, 9-1 Montgomery 4A East entering this week) had not beaten Magruder since 2004. Winning on the road and with standout guard C.J. Garner trying to do less on his own and getting more help from his teammates made things even sweeter for the Blue Devils.

"Beating Magruder is something that has been hanging over us for a while,," Crowell said. "It's not easy to do, and we finally did it. It was like getting a monkey off our backs."

Garner, who is averaging 21.3 points, had 17 against Magruder. That included making 9 of 10 free throws in what Crowell called "his best all-around game."

"It wasn't just about points," Crowell said. "It was about helping the team all that he could. He made sure everybody was set up right. He was a leader. He played great defense. Instead of forcing to get the ball all the time, he played within the game. At times, C.J. thinks he has to do everything."

Against Magruder, the game was tied 50-50 when Springbrook senior point guard Mounda Williams made a three-pointer with just over one minute remaining. Williams finished with 14 points, and Jamal Olasewere added 13. Backup guard Chris Carter made 1 of 2 free throws late in the game to seal the outcome.

"They were excited," Crowell said. "But they still have [four] games left to play."

Earlier last week, Springbrook beat Richard Montgomery, 64-48. The Rockets then were routed by Blair, 60-31. But Richard Montgomery, with its youthful lineup, made amends in its next game, pulling off a 59-57 victory over another of the county's top teams, Wootton, in double overtime.

Richard Montgomery (6-12, 2-8 Montgomery 4A East entering the week) led by 29-18 at halftime and by as many as 14 points in the third quarter. But the Rockets, with five sophomores in the playing rotation, including three starters, were unable to hold the lead.

Wootton (14-3, 10-1 Montgomery 4A West) rallied and tied the game late. Richard Montgomery had a chance to win late in regulation, but its best free-throw shooter, sophomore guard Nick Brown (game-high 16 points), missed two free throws in the final seconds.

"That was one thing all day we weren't doing well," Rockets Coach Scott Spear said, noting his team's 18-of-33 performance from the foul line.

Richard Montgomery missed another chance to win at the end of the first overtime and fell behind by three points in the second extra four-minute period. However, senior guard Alex Chike scored on a drive with eight seconds left to lift the Rockets to victory.

"We're starting three sophomores, so you expect some ups and downs," Spear said. "We've beaten Magruder and Wootton, two of the top teams in the county, and we've lost to some teams that don't have such good records. We looked like two different teams on consecutive days."