Albury, Northeast capture 3A quarterfinal

If Jaylin Albury has two better quarters of basketball in him, he can display it at the Xfinity Center on Thursday in the state semifinals

The Northeast senior scored 25 points combined in the second and third quarters and finished with 33 points, six rebounds, six assists and four steals as the Eagles overcame a nine-point deficit early in the second quarter to defeat Wilde Lake, 68-60, in a Class 3A state boys basketball quarterfinal game in Pasadena on Saturday afternoon.

After being limited to just four points in the game between the two squads back on Dec. 12 in which Northeast won 59-56, Albury was held to just two points in a first quarter in which the hosts scored only 10 points and trailed 18-10 after the first eight minutes.

“I have to say that this was probably one of my best games,” Albury said. “Somebody mentioned to me that this was my last game on this floor. I didn’t even realize that. But to drop 33 points is something special.”

The 5-foot, 11-inch point guard exploded for 16 second-half points to help guide a 14-6 run to knot the game at 24-24 with 3 minutes, 16 seconds left before halftime. Northeast continued its run and took a 36-30 lead at the break, outscoring the visitors from Howard County 26-12 over the second eight minutes.

“He’s Teflon. He takes hits when he attacks the basket and just keeps on going. Nothing bothers him,” said Northeast coach Roger O’Dea, who two minutes before tip-off, ran out to his car to get the prayer card he has carried every game in honor of his late father, Patrick Michael O’Dea, Sr., who DIED before the season started.“

Albury had a pair of Wildecats that were nipping at his heals in Marcus Mitchell, who sank five 3-pointers on his way to 22 points, and Brince Shelton, who posted 15 points with a pair of 3-pointers. However, the Wilde Lake bigs were a missing piece that could have changed the outcome.

Northeast will meet Poly on Thursday at the Xfinity Center in College Park. Poly defeated Frederick, 80-43, earlier in the day Saturday.

— Mike Morea

Atholton 68. C. M. Wright 62: Jordan Oates scored 22 points to lead the Raiders (14-7) past the host Mustangs (15-6) in a Class 3A State quarterfinal. Jordan Stiemke had a game-high 23 points for C.M. Wright. Atholton led 30-26 at the half.

“We talked a lot about trying to start fast, accelerate in the middle and then finish strong. These guys did those three things to perfection tonight,” Atholton coach Jared Albert said. “Basketball is a game of runs, that’s a great team over there that played their hearts out and pushed us every step of the way, but we never gave in. Every time we needed an answer, we got one.”

Jordan Oates scored 12 of his team-high 23 points in the fourth quarter, while also pulling down 17 rebounds on the game, to help Atholton (19-7) hold off several spirited comeback attempts by the Mustangs. Jack Anderson added a career-high 15 points for a Raiders’ squad that had seven players contribute four or more points to the team’s eighth straight victory.

Led by a game-high 26 points from Jordan Stiemke, C. Milton Wright closed to within a single possession of the lead on 13 different occasions over the course of the evening. But Atholton simply embraced the “Bend, but don’t break” mentality.

— Brent Kennedy

No. 7 Edmondson vs. Crisfield: In the Class 1A boys quarterfinal game between No. 7 Edmondson and host Crisfield on Saturday, play was suspended after an altercation took place midway through the third quarter with the Red Storm leading, 47-27.

After a foul by the Crabbers, players from both teams started jawing and it further escalated with spectators getting involved in a melee on the court.

The teams were separated, going to their respective locker rooms and the gym was being cleared of all spectators before play was expected to resume. Edmondson coach Darnell Dantzer said the host Crabbers changed clothes and did not return to the court.

He added that a Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association official later informed Red Storm athletic director Dewitt Doss that the game would have to be completed at a later date. Edmondson has requested a neutral location.

The incident occurred with 3:20 to play in the third quarter.

The winner is slated to meet the Southern-Garrett/Surrattsville quarterfinal winner in Friday’s semifinal at Maryland’s Xfinity Center.

Edmondson, which claimed the North Region I with a win over Coppin Academy, took a 20-4 mark into Saturday’s game.

— Glenn Graham

New Town 70, Liberty 50: The raucous, Hawaiian-clad Liberty student section brought the noise and the spirited Lions defense kept the powerful New Town offense at bay early in the game and kept the contest close. Freshman Camaren Sparrow helped the Titans find their footing in the second half and roll.

Sparrow and senior Twan Carter each hit 3-pointers during an 11-2 run to start the third quarter that took a slim 31-27 lead to an 11-point advantage for the Titans.

“Coach told us not to let our foot off the gas,” Sparrow said. “We came out on a mission, just keep on the ball, get in rhythm.

I started to get going after I saw one go in.”

The Titans continued to build on the momentum after that, sprinting out to a 20-point lead midway through the fourth quarter. The size of New Town’s frontcourt started to wear down the Lions as Titans senior Andrew Mills crashed the glass with four rebounds and racked up 16 points inside.

— Eric Bem, For The Baltimore Sun

Calvert Hall wins two: The Cardinals (2-0) beat Lake Norman (N.C.), 16-3 on Friday and St. Christopher’s (Va.), 15-9, Saturday. Both games were played at the University of North Carolina. Calvert Hall will host IMG Academy (Fla.) Tuesday at 4 p.m.

Severn 10, Charlotte Catholic (N.C.) 1: Sophomore attackman Paul Baldwin led the Admirals (2-0) in scoring with three goals and an assist, while senior attackman Colin Ervin and freshman midfielder Jacob Todd both tallied two goals and an assist.

Junior midfielder Walker Sherill, junior attackman Owen Wellschlager and sophomore midfielder Justin Queen each registered a goal. Freshman face-off midfielder Nick Sotiropoulos-Lawrence won 10 of 12 faceoffs.