HCPSS Athletics Weekly Update - The First County Championship and more...

SPOTLIGHT

County Championship Preview: Oakland Mills vs Reservoir

Two 16-win teams will face off in the first county championship game of the basketball season.

This playoff season will feature five teams with at least 15 wins and two of the best are kicking off the slate.

Oakland Mills and Reservoir meet for the second time this season with all of the playoff pressure.

The Scorpions’ path to another state championship appearance, including the possibility for redemption of the 2025 team, will start against a nearly flawless Gator squad.

The Gators are a similar juggernaut that could be poised for a deeper run than last season. An early January hiccup did not slow them down at all before the playoffs.

Tomorrow’s county championship could be the best game of the season and recent history from both teams suggests that the matchup will be fiercely intense.

Oakland Mills has found success in February matchups against Reservoir. Since the 2021-2022 season, the Scorpions are 3-1 in those matchups with a point differential of +29. That February success also extends to other matchups. Oakland Mills has not lost a game in the month since Feb. 21, 2024, against Hammond.

Reservoir’s road trip should not slow their momentum at all. The Gators are 9-1 away from their court. They have won each game where they scored at least 30 points. Defense will be key to winning against Oakland Mills for the first time in three years.

The Gators allowed at least 60 points in the last three games against Oakland Mills. Their current season high allowed is 52, which came in an out-of-county matchup against Notre Dame Prep on January 10. February has seen the best defensive performances yet. Opposing teams have eclipsed 40 points just once in eight games.

The Scorpions will be the toughest assignment because of their offensive consistency. Oakland Mills has scored at least 55 points in home games since Jan. 7 against Wilde Lake. On the season, they have reached that mark in six of their eight home games. A majority of the February schedule had at least 65 points scored.

The Scorpions and Gators will face off at 5:00 p.m. tomorrow for the county crown.

Boys’ Basketball 🏀

Today’s games are cancelled, but the first county championship is tomorrow night.

Marriotts Ridge travels to Oakland Mills as the two best teams face off.

The Mustangs are undefeated on the road at 7-0.

Oakland Mills has the better record but lost a 66-64 game on Saturday against Atholton.

Girls’ Basketball 🏀

Christian Davis reported on the development of Guilford Park’s team. Check it out here!

AROUND THE LEAGUE

The MPSSAA basketball state championships find a new home

MPSSAA shifted the venue for the 2026 boys and girls basketball state championships from the University of Maryland's Xfinity Center to the UMBC Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena.

The move, announced earlier this month, marks the first change in location for the boys' finals since they began at UMD facilities in 1947.

The boys' championships have historically been held at Ritchie Coliseum from 1947 to 1955, Cole Field House from 1956 to 2001, and the Xfinity Center since 2003. The girls' championships have bounced between venues, going from UMBC in 1993-2013 to Towson University's SECU Arena from 2014-19 and most recently to the Xfinity Center.

Whitman boys’ basketball coach Christopher Lun explained that the tradition of competing at the University of Maryland will take time to move past.

“Many of our past Whitman teams have such great memories in College Park,” Lun said.

The Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena has a capacity of 6,000, but only 5,000 seats are available for basketball games. The Xfinity Center had room for over 17,000 fans.

The new venue’s proximity could be the source of the change. In some counties, like Howard County, the average distance to the games decreased by over five miles. Pikesville basketball coach Michael Dukes appreciated the easier access and the potential for boosted attendance.

Other team coaches had mixed opinions on the sudden change to UMBC.

Towson girls’ basketball coach Eric Erhardt did not feel strongly about the change and offered a more ambivalent reaction.

“Obviously, the facilities aren’t quite as nice as Maryland; however, I’ve been to UMBC games and think the gym and atmosphere have always been good. The location is fairly easy to get to off the beltway. I prefer UMBC because of the proximity,” Erhardt said.

Peter Kenah, the coach for the Walt Whitman girls’ basketball team, saw his team go to both UMBC and UMD for the championships. He looked forward to fewer logistical restrictions from playing at UMD.

“I am a huge fan of the change…The smaller venue compared to the cavernous UMD is great…More intimate, more exciting,” Kenah said.

Kenah also wants to see the state semifinals come to UMBC instead of just the finals.

“That was the best rather than the model now. It made it really feel special to make the state final four,” Kenah said.

The MPSSAA basketball state championships will be held from March 12 to March 14.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Indoor Track 🏃

Student ambassador Vivian Robbins had in-depth coverage of the 3A Central competition.

Click here to learn about the results!

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