BREAKING DOWN THE

Monday, March 3, 2008 GAME TO WATCH

examiner.com

38

BCL TOURNAMENT
For breaking sports news, visit

Towson Catholic vs. Calvert Hall 7 p.m., Tonight

Towson Catholic won both meetings during the regular season, but the Cardinals are better than their 15-17 record indicates. But so are the Owls (20-11), who enter the tournament after knocking off top-ranked Mount St. Joseph, 54-44, in the championship game of the MIAA A Conference Tournament last week. The Owls allow an average of just 53 points per game, and Calvert Hall scores just 55.7 points per game. Towson Catholic is anchored by 6-foot-5, 205-pound Brandon Greene, the Baltimore Catholic League Defensive Player of the Year whose inside presence will force the Cardinals to shoot well from the outside if they are to pull an upset. Sean Welsh

PLAYER TO WATCH SEAN MOSLEY

The St. Frances senior guard began his high school career with a BCL title, but itll take a magnificent three-game performance from the Maryland-bound senior guard to finish his career with another one. The 6-foot-4, 210-pounder averages 22.4 points per game, and is coming off a 23-point performance in a loss to Towson Catholic in the semifinals of the MIAA A Conference Tournament. Sean Welsh

Baltimore Catholic League Tournament

When: Today-Wednesday Where: Reitz Arena, Loyola College Tickets: $5 for students, $8 for adults, free for children 13 and under

Today
No. 1 Mount St. Joseph

Tournament Story Lines

Can Larry Bastfield power Towson Catholic to another title? The Toledo-bound 1 guard endured a sprained left ankle during last weeks MIAA A Conference final to lead his team to a 54-44 victory over then-top-ranked Mount St. Joseph for the Owls second straight title. Larry Bastfield will be counted on heavily to lead his team to a second straight BCL Tournament crown, a feat accomplished just seven times in the events 37-year history and just once by Towson Catholic (1992-93). Bastfield isnt a prolific scorer, but his steady leadership and court awareness make him invaluable. Hell have to give another stellar, three-game performance to end his high school career with a win. Can St. Frances find a second option behind Sean Mosley? The senior 2 guard has carried the Panthers all season, but he may be hardpressed to lead them to a title. He scored 23 points in a loss to Towson Catholic in the semifinals of the MIAA A Conference Tournament last week. But it will take a team effort for the Panthers to send legendary coach William Wells, who is retiring after 28 years as head coach, out with a win. The Panthers have several talented players, including Anthony Oquendo (7.7 ppg) and Wayne Sparrow (8.6 ppg), who will have to alleviate a portion of the scoring burden from Mosley. Mosley should continue to be double-teamed after scoring 740 points this season, accounting for 34 percent of the offense. How will Mount St. Joseph respond? The Gaels were the top-ranked team 3 for most of the season until Towson Catholic ended their 12-game winning streak in the MIAA A Conference championship game. Mount St. Jo7:00 p.m. seph dominated the regular season, going 13-1 in league play and 28-2 overall. The top seed will face eighth-seeded Spalding (6-23, 0-14 BCL) in the first round. The Gaels beat the Cavaliers twice by a combined score of 122-69, and their two regular season losses were against national power Oak Hill of Virginia (73-70 on Jan. 20) and St. Frances (57-51 on Dec. 23). The Gaels also havent lost back-to-back games since February of 2007, and are vying for their fourth tournament title in the past six years. Which team can pull a first-round upset? The top three seeds Mount St. Joseph, St. 4 Frances and Towson Catholic appear unbeatable in the first round. But fifthranked Loyola (17-9 overall, 7-7 BCL) could upend fourth-seeded Cardinal Gibbons (15-12, 7-7). The pair split the season series, with Gibbons winning the most recent meeting, 57-52, in January. The tournament isnt known for producing big upsets last years championship pitted top-seeded Towson Catholic against second-seed Mount St. Joseph, with the Owls winning. But Loyola features first-team All-BCL forward Matt Rum and second-team guard James Davenport, who should give Gibbons guards Jamar Briscoe and Paul Kouvaris all they can handle. Which player will be this years surprise? The BCL Tournament is a one-stop shop for college re5 cruiters, who can see some of the best basketball Baltimore has to offer under one roof. Mosley broke out in the 2005, and was being courted by numerous Division I powers by the next year. Cal-

Tues.
5:15 p.m.

No. 8 Spalding No. 4 Cardinal Gibbons 6:00 p.m.

Wed.

8:45 p.m.

No. 5 Loyola No. 3 Towson Catholic

7:00 p.m.

No. 6 Calvert Hall No. 7 St. Maria Goretti 7:45 p.m.

3:30 p.m.

vert Hall has some young talent, led by sophomore power forward Jonathan Graham (18 ppg, 8 rpg). St. Frances point guard Ronald Williams only averaged seven points per game in the regular season, but the 5-foot-8 freshman plays beyond his size and age. Mount St. Joseph has sophomore point guard Eric Atkins. This much is clear: If the past is any indication, at least one player will see his collegiate horizon broadened with a strong showing this week.
Sean Welsh
Arianne Starnes/Examiner

No. 2 St. Frances

ALL-BCL HONORS
Players of the Year G Sean Mosley, St. Frances, Sr. C Henry Sims, Mount St. Joesph, Sr. Defensive Player of the Year F Brandon Greene, Towson Catholic, Sr. Coaches of the Year Josh Pratt, Towson Catholic William Wells, St. Frances

First Team G Jamar Briscoe, Cardinal Gibbons, Sr. G Jonathan Graham, Calvert Hall, Soph. G Eric Atkins, Mount St. Joseph, Soph. F Brandon Greene, Towson Catholic, Sr. F Matt Rum, Loyola, Jr. Second Team G Larry Bastfield, Towson Catholic, Sr. G Kevin Breslin, St. Maria Goretti, Sr. F Anthony Oquendo, St. Frances, Sr. G James Davenport, Loyola, Sr. G Paul Kouvaris, Cardinal Gibbons, Sr.

BALTIMORE CATHOLIC LEAGUE STANDINGS

Team Mount St. Joseph St. Frances Towson Catholic Cardinal Gibbons Loyola Calvert Hall St. Maria Goretti Spalding Conf. 13-1 11-3 10-4 7-7 7-7 5-9 3-11 0-14 Overall 28-2 25-9 20-11 15-12 15-12 15-17 12-18 6-23

PAST BCL CHAMPIONS

2007: 2006: 2005: 2004: 2003: 2002: 2001: 2000: Towson Catholic 70, Mount St. Joseph 54 St. Frances 57, Towson Catholic, 48 Mount St. Joseph 36, Spalding 33 Mount St. Joseph 49, Spalding 48 Spalding 45, St. Maria Goretti 36 St. Maria Goretti 59, Towson Catholic 53 Spalding 48, Towson Catholic 41 Donte Greene, TC, MVP Sean Mosley, SF Will Thomas, MSJ Will Thomas, MSJ Landy Thompson, SP Matt Tanner, SMG Derrick Snowden SP Mount St. Joseph 62, Towson Catholic 52 Louis Birdsong, MSJ