EDMONDSON 48, WOODLAWN 45 Defense lifts No. 5 Red Storm to victory over rival Warriors

The Edmondson boys basketball team was clinging to a one-point lead against Woodlawn, hunkering down in a 2-3 zone with 41 seconds to play.

Defense has long been a constant for the No. 5 Red Storm, and it showed once again.

Guard Dedrick Harrell’s quick hands turned a steal into a layup and forward Brian Rice secured the team’s 48-45 win over the Warriors with a blocked shot in the closing seconds at the 24th annual Baltimore City Public Schools Basketball Academy at Morgan State’s Hill Field House.

Senior guard Eontae Nelson carried the offense with 20 points as the Red Storm improved to 11-2. Woodlawn fell to 5-3.

“The kids are playing well and the focus was there down the stretch,” Edmondson coach Darnell Dantzler said. “I called a timeout to settle them down a little and told them we had to get the defensive stops. They did well on the defensive end and that’s what I’m most proud of.”

The game was tight well into the third quarter until Edmondson senior Daniel Frink went on his own 8-0 run — including a basket, a three-point play and a 3-pointer — to put the Red Storm up, 38-31, in the final minute of the third quarter.

But the schools are only 2 miles away from each other and neither team was about to budge.

So Woodlawn, which got 10 points each from Kiran Thompson and Tyray Cooper, stayed persistent and chipped away with a 3-pointer from Cooper that tied the game at 42 with 4:47 to play.

Edmondson’s Tra’Shawn Lewis answered with a quick basket inside and then two free throws before Emanuel Rice hit a 3-pointer for Woodlawn with 1:11 left to cut the Red Storm lead to 46-45.

Nelson said the Red Storm was just fine with the business of closing the tight game with a quick talk at halftime helping at the end.

“We stayed together, we executed and got the win,” he said. “At halftime, we were talking about coming together on defense and we did. We communicated better on defense, got some steals and some fast break layups. [In the final minute,] I just told my team to stay calm and we go it.”

Despite the setback, Woodlawn coach Bobby Richardson saw plenty to build on as the Warriors look to get into the thick of their Baltimore County slate.

“A couple mishaps down the stretch, but great competitiveness,” he said. “We’re really coming along — it was a gritty game. This gets you ready for county play — it’s a high level of basketball where every team can be beat.”

E – Lewis 8, Nelson 20, Hartz 5, Jones 4, Frink 8, Harrell 4. Totals: 16 10-18 48

W – Thompson 10, Cooper 10, Downs 4, Allen 9, Rice 8, Thomas 2, Riggs 2. Totals: 17 4-9 45. Half: W, 22-20

No. 9 Dulaney 53, New Era 47: The Lions (7-3) trailed 40-32 early in the fourth quarter before closing with a 12-2 to earn the come-from-behind win at the Basketball Academy.

Jaylen Amoruso had a steal and layup to tie the game at 45 with 1:46 to play and found Cameron Byers inside on the Lions next possession to give them the lead for good. Byers scored the Lions final eight points to finish with a team-high 13 points. New Era (7-4) got 13 points from Rico Lang.

NE - Howard 6, Cannady 11, Elliott 5, Coles 2, Lang 13, Richardson 2, Little 8. Totals: 18 9-15 47

D - Harper 9 , Byers 15, Adams 2, Amoruso 6, Webster 12, Conway 9. Totals: 19 14-22 53. Half: D, 25-17

Girls

City 30, Coppin Academy 29: Freshman guard Taylor Addison’s driving layup with 30 seconds was the difference as the Knights were able to hold off the Eagles at the Basketball Academy.

Her basket gave City a 30-28 lead and then after one free throw from Coppin’s Arrie Ealy cut the lead to one, the Knights used tight defense to close the win.

Just before the buzzer, Coppin guard Ahniya Free got a shot off from the left corner that was blocked by Remises McCrea.

City got a game-high 10 points from Katara Roman.