Omar Strong should've been holding up three fingers on each hand instead two Wednesday night. The Douglass High guard drained six three-pointers en route to a game-high 24 points as the City defeated the County, 102-96, in the annual senior all-star basketball contest at New Town.
Owings Mills guard Karron Hunter displays his MVP award for County team with Baltimore City Supervisor of Athletics Bob Wade (left) and Baltimore County Supervisor of Athletics Ron Belinko (right). Hunter had 12 points in the 102-96 City squad win over the County.
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The postseason ended in disappointment for Karron Hunter and Omar Strong, but they got their postseason all-star campaigns off to a good start Wednesday. Strong and Hunter was the most valuable player for their respective teams as Baltimore City defeated Baltimore County, 102-96, in the annual senior game at New Town High.
Strong, a guard from Douglass, led all scorers with 24 points for the City team, including six three-pointers. Hunter, a guard from Owings Mills, scored 12 points for the County squad, leading a couple of surges as the City led by as many as 17 points.
The MVP award was a consolation for Strong and Hunter, whose respective teams came within a wisp of reaching the state Final Four. Owings Mills lost to Dunbar, 86-81, in a three-overtime marathon in the Class 1A Region title game, while a basket by Randallstown with four seconds remaining in regulation denied Douglass of the 2A North Region crown.
“I wasn’t too mad because it was a good game,” said Strong of 59-57 season-ending loss to the Rams. “I was back on the court Monday working out because I got to get ready for college.”
“I didn’t even go to my sports banquet,” said Hunter, whose team missed its first opportunity at reaching the state Final Four. “It hurt, but I’m bouncing back. I had fun playing with my friends, but I wanted to get the win.”
Trailing by 16 points in the third quarter, Hunter brought the County squad to within 75-68 on his three-pointer. The City led 77-70 after three periods, then re-inserted its starting lineup of James Carmon (City College), Daniel Horton (Lake Clifton), Brandon Simms (Douglass), Strong and Byron Westmoreland (Mervo) for the start of the fourth.
'It quickly regained command as Strong opened with a three-pointer, and Horton (13 points) had a dunk and a score off a rebound, extending the lead to 84-71. A three-pointer by Westmoreland (11 points) made it 92-75 with 5 minutes, 30 seconds remaining.
A layup by Digital Harbor’s Jermaine Edwards gave the City 100 points with 80 seconds remaining before County got within six with under 40 seconds remaining. Forest Park forward Carlos Smith contributed 11 points to the City cause.
Western Tech guard/forward Denzell Mooney led the County with 20 points, with the Woodlawn backcourt of Darius Nesmith and Keon Bennett adding 12 and 10 points, respectively. Mooney and Nesmith, who started with Bennett, Alex Frederick (Dulaney), Jordan Lee (Loch Raven) and Ben Wareheim (Hereford), combined for 16 points as County led 25-22 in the first quarter, before Simms went for 13 in the second giving the City an 11-point halftime advantage.
Strong and Hunter will next play at the Charm City Challenge at the Towson Center April 6. Hunter will participate in the City/County preliminary contest while Strong will be part of a Baltimore metro squad that will face a roster of U.S. standouts in the showcase game.
“It’s all about having fun,” said Strong.
Baltimore County/City Boys’ Senior All-Star Game
At New Town
City 102, County 96
CITY: Johnson (Samuel Banks) 4, Brown (Lake Clifton) 3, Simms (Douglass) 7, Howze (Patterson) 7, Strong (Douglass) 24, Drake (Mervo) 2, Westmoreland (Mervo) 11, Smith (Forest Park) 12, Horton (Lake Clifton) 13, Gregory (Carver) 4, Morris (Edmondson) 2, Carmon (City College) 7, Edwards (Digital Harbor) 6. Totals 37 10-14 102.
COUNTY: Bacchus (Dundalk) 3, Bennett (Woodlawn) 10, Sokolis (Perry Hall) 5, Smith (Overlea) 2, Hunter (Owings Mills) 12, Nesmith (Woodlawn) 12, Jackson 4, Hawkins 4 (Loch Raven), Kleeman (Owings Mills) 8, Mooney (Western Tech) 20, Lee (Loch Raven) 2, Code (Milford Mill) 6, Wareheim (Hereford) 2, Holtman (Eastern Tech) 6. Totals 43 10-12 96.
Halftime: City 57, County 49.
City 23 34 20 25-102
County 25 24 21 26-96