Boys Basketball: Springbrook 65, Quince Orchard 51

By Kyle Wannen
DigitalSports.com

Just before halftime of the 4A West Regional Finals, Quince Orchard had gone on a 9-2 run and cut Springbrook's lead to six points. The Cougars seemed to have all the momentum as Blue Devil forward Jamal Olasewere held the ball for the final shot.

Olawesere let the clock run down and fired a shot from a couple feet outside the three-point arc and banked it in off the backboard to regain all the momentum for the Blue Devils, who never looked back and won 65-51.

"We let it get down to four or five seconds and Jamal usually like to rotate the ball back to Jeremy [Williams] but Jeremy was covered so he figured he'd take the shot," Blue Devils coach Tom Crowell said. "Fortunately for us he hit it. That was the big play of the game."

"I kind of hit those shots in practice when people put up the money," Olawesere said. "The money was on the line on that one. We had to win at all costs. [Chris] Carter stepped up. I stepped up and we got it done. We're making our run."

Springbrook (25-0) outscored the Cougars 12-4 in the third quarter and extended their lead to 19 points. Quince Orchard scored more points in the fourth quarter than they had in the first three quarters but the Blue Devils held on as Olawesere scored 25 points.

Olawesere, the Devils top scorer this season, had a monstrous dunk late and also blocked a couple shots to keep the Blue Devils lead. The Blue Devils shot 18-38 from the free throw line but got some key free throws from Carter, who Crowell called the team's MVP for both the game and the playoffs.

"I was just thinking about the win and getting back to Comcast," Carter said. "I was just helping my team."

"He is the MVP of this game," Crowell said. "Him and Jamal both. Chris Carter throughout the playoffs has been just magnificent as a point guard."

Carter finished with seven points while Williams scored 15 points for Springbrook despite being in early foul trouble.

With the win the Blue Devils extended their undefeated streak to 34 in a row dating back to last season. They now advance to the state semifinals where they hope to become the first team in 41 years to repeat as Maryland State Champions.

The Cougars (17-8) had a rough start to the game but got 10 first half points from forward Andre Gaines, who finished with 17. Guard Evan Sirkey scored nine before fouling out and James Hopkins scored eight second half points off the bench.

"Even when they were up 15 I kept thinking we're going to make a run here and I always have to find the right five guys at the end," Cougars coach Paul Foringer said. "I like the way we fight and these kids are coming back next year."