Boys Basketball: Laurel 69, Bowie 61

***Check here for game highlights, and interviews***

By James A. McCray III
Prince George's County, Content Manager

It may be hard to simulate a playoff-atmosphere only three games into the season, but, Tuesday night's boys' basketball contest with the hosting Bowie Bulldogs and visiting Laurel Spartans was just that as the game was played in a playoff-like environment.

In front of a packed gym, the two teams battled physically, trading hard foul for hard foul, and competitively often going basket for basket and trading leads throughout.

As Laurel went on to victory, 69-61, it was pretty certain that the hard-fought victory was a feat the Spartans had no intentions of trading.

"We'll take them any way we can get them," Laurel head coach Antione Gaither said as he walked off of the floor.

Momentum played the deciding factor in the battle of 2-0 teams as it see-sawed between the two teams constantly during the game.

Bowie jumped out to an early first-quarter lead only to witness Laurel take the lead 13-12 to end the quarter.

"We struggled at the beginning, we got off to a slow start," Laurel's Romel Blackson said. "We just worked our way through it, we got everybody involved, we got [everyone's] head into the game, and we just pulled one out at the end."

Blackson and Laurel then fell behind 23-14 halfway through the second period only for momentum to swing back to Laurel thanks to a big-time play.

As Laurel (3-0) continued to chip away at the lead during the second quarter, Blackson -- who finished with 23 points to lead Laurel -- was able to throw down a dunk off of a Bowie turnover that excited the Laurel players, bench, and well-traveled crowd, so much so, that Laurel proceeded to cut the nine-point deficit to a one-point, 29-28, deficit heading into the half.

"We were down, we needed some momentum," Blackson said of the dunk. "They came, I think, on a fastbreak and we just got it out real quick ... and I just took off. I didn't think about it."

However, true to form, Bowie came out and continued to pressure Laurel and increased the lead to five, 48-43, entering the fourth quarter seemingly gaining the momentum it needed to end the game.

Laurel in turn inched close and closer to the lead until two Fuad Hassan free throws tied the game at 50-50 with 4 minutes 55 seconds remaining in the game. Jerrium Beale then gave Laurel the lead for good converting two free throws making the score 53-51.

"It had a play-off feel to it," Gaither said of the contest. "That was good for our kids. I wanted them to get adjusted to a different style of game then what we have already played this year. [Bowie] pressured up front, and that was good for us to see."

Bowie (2-1) was led by Mike Ewii who had a game-high 24 points, unfortunately in a losing effort.

Laurel had two 20-point scores as Blackson's scored 23 points and Marcus Hebron scored 20 for Laurel, respectively, in the victory.

As far as what the win does for the confidence factor, Hebron added: "It makes us come out and play harder every time we play."

tmccray@digitalsports.com


Laurel 69, Bowie 61
Laurel   -- 12   16   15   26
Bowie   -- 11   18   19   13