By Josh Barr
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, March 14, 2008

The instructions for Brandon Davis were pretty simple.

Davis, a Springbrook junior forward making his second career start because a teammate was suspended, was supposed to do anything he could to harass the opposing center and scoop up as many loose balls or rebounds as he could. Scoring wasn't much of a concern for a player averaging fewer than five points a game.

But in the biggest game of his career, Davis not only helped the seventh-ranked Blue Devils execute their defensive game plan, he scored a career-high 16 points. Several other role players made key contributions and standout guard C.J. Garner scored 20 points to lead Springbrook to a 49-41 victory over fourth-ranked Laurel last night in a Maryland 4A boys' basketball semifinal before 3,500 at Comcast Center.

"I was nervous, it was my first time being here in a big arena," said Davis, who had scored in double figures just twice this season but made 8 of 12 shots last night.

Springbrook (24-2) advanced to tomorrow night's final against No. 10 Thomas Stone. In the first 4A semifinal, senior guard Antionne Edelen sparked a late Thomas Stone run with his defense, lifting the Cougars to a 73-64 victory over Parkville of Baltimore. Brandon Carroll led Thomas Stone with 17 points and eight rebounds.

Defense also helped spur Springbrook. Playing without 6-foot-5 forward Jamal Olasewere, who was ejected from the Blue Devils' previous game and had to sit out, Coach Tom Crowell was focused solely on stopping Laurel center Will Alston, who averages 18.5 points. For the first time this season, Springbrook switched to a 2-3 zone defense, with multiple players swarming every time the 6-6 Alston touched the ball. Alston finished with two points on 1-of-6 shooting.

"We were double- and triple-teaming Alston," Crowell said. "It wasn't just one guy. Our whole game plan was to stop him. I said: 'Don't leave the red [paint in the lane]. If you leave the red, you're wrong.' "

Killian Azah scored 20 points for Laurel (22-3).

In the first semifinal, Thomas Stone (24-2) advanced after a thrilling late rally. The game was tied at 58 with three minutes left when Edelen sparked a 13-0 run that sealed the outcome.

Although Montgomery and Prince George's counties have dominated the Maryland 4A recently -- winning seven of eight titles this decade -- the Cougars are trying to become the first boys' state champion from the Southern Maryland Athletic Conference since their school prevailed in 1972.

"I kind of challenged a couple guys to step up and do what we've been doing all year," Thomas Stone Coach Dale Lamberth said. "That [first] steal Antionne got was crucial. It kind of opened up the floodgates from there. We didn't get here just by scoring. We buckled down and played defense."