Lesson learned by Aberdeen boys results in victory
Not this time.
The Aberdeen boys basketball team learned a valuable lesson from its first meeting against Harford County rival C. Milton Wright this season.
For the host Eagles, there would be no relinquishing an early advantage Tuesday night, as they did last time. Senior guard Tylan Bass was the catalyst and received plenty of help from his teammates, who were all determined to play the second half on their terms.
Bass scored a game-high 27 points, leading four players in double figures as Aberdeen pulled away for a comfortable 77-68 win over the Mustangs.
The win, Aberdeen’s seventh straight, avenged the Mustangs’ 63-58 comeback win Jan. 5 and puts the Eagles (14-4) atop the Upper Chesapeake Bay Athletic Conference’s Chesapeake division with an 8-1 mark. C. Milton Wright (13-4) is 7-2 and saw its nine-game winning streak come to an end.
“Last time we were upset about the loss, so we already knew what we had to do,” Bass said. “We just came out strong, trusted each other and got the win. We knew they were going to get a run. They’re a good team, so we just had to stay focused, trust our defense and build off of that.”
Like the first meeting, the Eagles jumped out fast with an 18-2 run capped by a Bass 3-pointer that provided a 20-6 lead with 1 minute, 27 seconds left in the first quarter. But the Mustangs slowed the Eagles down in the second quarter and climbed back into the game, with Jordan Ross (team-high 23 points) connecting on two 3s early in the frame and Dylan Sander scoring two inside baskets to cut Aberdeen’s lead to 28-25 with 57 seconds left in the half.
After taking a 30-25 lead into halftime, the Eagles pulled away in the third quarter when Darion Parris (16 points) and Bass hit 3-pointers on consecutive possessions midway through the frame to extend the advantage to 50-39.
The lead would grow to 15 later in the third quarter and the Mustangs never got closer than eight the rest of the game. Tyseaun Rodgers scored 15 points — including a 3-pointer with 1:34 left to push the lead to 71-58 — while Artarus Brown added 10 and Kenny Hunter chipped in nine.
“We did maintain the energy and we made shots,” Aberdeen coach Bill Jones said. “The biggest thing is Tylan Bass. We’ve played some really good teams this year — Parkville, Dunbar and Mervo among them — and he’s been as good as any player on the court. When he’s on, we’re a different team.”
The Mustangs, who also got 21 points from Kyle Ashman, moved the ball swiftly but fell behind because of some missed baskets from in close early in the game. Coach Mario Scott also said the Eagles’ work on the offensive boards was vital.
“We just didn’t rebound the ball,” he said. “I think if you look back at the game, at least half of their points were second-chance shots off of 50-50 balls that we can’t just assume we’re going to get.”
Aberdeen got right back on the court Wednesday with a road game at Fallston. C. Milton Wright next hosts Havre de Grace on Friday at 6:45 p.m.
Other boys basketball scores
Manchester Valley 54, Century 40: The feeling was so nice Manchester Valley boys basketball did it twice.
After picking up the program’s first-ever win against Century in the initial meeting between the teams this season, the Mavericks hit the road and completed a regular-season sweep of the Knights.
While Brendan Luddy put on yet another impressive scoring performance, key minutes from Grant Miller and other reserves made the difference as the Mavericks got off to a great start and pulled away.
With one of Carroll County’s leading rebounders, Braylen Williams, out for the game, the Mavericks’ depth was tested early. That test was made even harder with Luddy slowed down in the first half with two fouls.
Still, Manchester Valley was able to keep the ball moving and jumped out to an early lead.
Miller and Carter Strohman stepped up. They both knocked down 3-pointers that instantly quieted the Century student section, taking advantage of crisp ball movement that was on display all night.
“It was my team,” said Miller, who finished with 11 points. “Honestly, I couldn’t have done it without them.”
Luddy was back on the floor in the second half, and his scoring took Manchester Valley to another level. With Miller’s big first half earning him extra attention from Century defenders, Luddy’s job was made easier as the junior played more like himself, knocking down shot after shot and finishing with 11 points of his own.
— Timothy Dashiell
Meade 68, Glen Burnie 61
South River 81, Crofton 55
Broadneck 53, Northeast 38
Old Mill 77, Arundel 55
Patterson Mill 66, Havre de Grace 41 Fallston 58, North East 55
Harford Tech 56, Franklin 52
North Harford 43, Bohemia Manor 37