Thomas Stone High School guard Rodney Clark scored a team-high 19 points to lead the Cougars to a Class 4A East Region title Saturday.
Old Mill High School senior A.J. Mann shoots over a Thomas Stone defender for three of his 13 points Saturday. (photos by Evan Roe)
It was never really set in stone.
But senior point guard Rodney Clark had a feeling he would lead his team to the Class 4A state basketball tournament.
During the hoopla following Thomas Stone's 84-76 win over host Old Mill in the East Region championship Saturday, a teary-eyed Clark was hugged by both of his sisters, each of whom helped lead the Cougars' girls team to a region title in 2000.
"I guess I'm sort of a legacy," said Clark, who scored seven points in the final 2 minutes, 25 seconds to lift second-seeded Thomas Stone to victory. "When I was hugging my teammates and my sisters came onto the court, I just couldn't believe it. It was like history in the making."
Clark can now etch his name into the Thomas Stone history books after his 19-point, six-assist performance landed the Cougars (23-2) into the state tournament for the first time since 1989. They will meet the North Carroll/Parkville winner in the state semifinals Thursday at the University of Maryland's Comcast Center in College Park.
The top-seeded Patriots finish the season at 23-3.
"Everyone in the state of Maryland knows that we're not a jump-shooting team," said Thomas Stone coach Dale Lamberth, whose team started three players taller than 6-foot-3. "However, we do rebound very well. So, when you play us, you have to give something up. When any shot goes up, we're sending all five players to the boards."
The Cougars' successful formula of attacking the basket worked against an under-sized Old Mill team, but the outcome of the back-and-forth battle wasn't decided until late in the fourth.
"In this ballgame tonight, every single possession was crucial," Patriots coach Greg Smith said. "It was so close. They just did a better job of taking care of the ball late in the game."
There were eight tied scores and 19 lead changes in the contest.
The biggest sway in momentum occurred after senior guard A.J. Mann knocked down a 3-pointer to cut Stone's lead to 78-76 with 1:49 left. After the basket, a technical foul was called on Old Mill for taunting and the Cougars were awarded two free throws and possession.
"There's no way that call should be made at that point in the game," said Smith, whose team did not score again. "You've got to let the kids decide it. In a game like this with the crowd and the emotion, you know it's going to be physical. I'm not sure that was the right call and it definitely
was not the right time."
Clark hit the first of the ensuing two free throws to open a three-point lead and three equalizer attempts from beyond the arc rimmed out for Old Mill. Brandon Carroll scored on a putback with 15 seconds left and Clark sealed the win with two free throws to close out the game.
Old Mill, a team that has struggled at the free-throw line during the postseason, shot 2-for-8 from the line during the final 3:56.
"It finally caught up with us," said Smith, whose team went 13-for-22 from the line in the game. "We've been living on the edge with the free throws. In a game like this, it hurts. We've been able to escape the last few games but against a team like this, you can't get away with that."
Carroll finished with 18 points, Antionne Edelen pumped in 16 and Malcolm White added 13 points and eight rebounds for the Cougars. A majority of Stone's points came in the paint, mostly off putbacks. The team registered 13 offensive rebounds.
"All year ... all year we've been like that," said Lamberth, who has led Stone to four region championship appearances. "We work hard on what we do. The guys down low know their limitations and they share the ball."
After four consecutive one-in-one free throws from Old Mill seniors DaWayne Spriggs and Deonte Puller, Antionne Edelen scored on a putback to open a 70-69 advantage for the Cougars with 4:23 to go. Stone would not relinquish the lead.
Patriots junior forward Marvin Pinkney exploded with 14 points in the third and finished with a game-high 23 to go along with 10 rebounds. Pinkney was also given the assignment of containing Stone's frontcourt on defense.
"I was just working hard -- we all were," said Pinkney, who was 3-for-3 on 3-point attempts. "It was hard in the paint. All of them were crashing. We're used to being under-sized but we haven't seen a team like that all season."
Senior guard Brandon Riley was in foul trouble most of the game and finished with seven points for Old Mill. Puller picked up his second foul early in the second and was held to eight points.
Mann knocked down three 3-pointers and tallied 13 points, five assists and two steals while freshman forward Eric Savage played out of his head in the first half and finished with 14 points and five rebounds.
Thomas Stone 84, Old Mill 76
Class 4A East Region championship
Thomas Stone 18 20 25 21 -- 84Old Mill 19 19 22 16 -- 76TS: Clark 5 9-12 19, White 6 1-5 13, Carroll 9 0-0 18, Edelen 7 2-2 16, Battle 4(1) 0-1 9, Sherrod 2 1-2 5, Smith 2 0-0 4.
TOTALS: 35(1) 13-22 84.
OM: Mann 5(3) 0-0 13, Spriggs 0 2-2 2, Pinkney 8(3) 4-7 23,
Riley 3 1-2 7, Holley 1 0-0 2, Savage 5(3) 1-1 14, Day 1 0-0 2, Puller
2 4-8 8, Smith 2 1-2 5.
TOTALS: 27(9) 13-22 76.