Best of Maryland Tournament
Damascus High School
July 29-31, 2004
©2004 by Ron Harrison
The Best of Maryland Basketball Tournament began in 1998 and was the brainchild of Damascus High School coach Steve Pisarski. The tournament began with the best teams in the state of Maryland but has evolved to include some of the best teams throughout the country.
This elite field of twenty teams will be divided into four pools of five teams each. Each team will play four pool games and a crossover pool game. The four pool winners will advance to the semifinals and those winners will advance to the championship game.
Pool A consisted of Sacred Heart Academy (KY), Centennial (NV), The Peddie School (NJ), Holy Cross Academy (MD), and River Hill (MD). Pool B consisted of Chaminade-Julienne (OH), Theodore Roosevelt (Washington DC), Arundel (MD) Downingtown (PA), and Pascack Valley (NJ). Pool C consisted of ThunderRidge (CO), Bishop McNamara (MD), Mount de Chantal (WV), Western (MD), and Damascus (MD). Pool D consisted of St. Marys (AZ), Paint Branch (MD), Victory Christian High School (NC), Notre Dame Academy (VA), and Suitland (MD).
Thursday July 29th, 2004
Results
|
ThunderRidge |
67 |
Western |
64 |
|
|
Theodore Roosevelt |
65 |
Pascack Valley |
35 |
|
|
Sacred Heart |
63 |
Centennial |
53 |
|
|
St. Marys |
55 |
Notre Dame Academy |
45 |
|
|
Victory Christian |
55 |
Suitland |
36 |
|
|
Bishop McNamara |
38 |
Western |
34 |
|
|
Theodore Roosevelt |
61 |
Chaminade-Julienne |
32 |
|
|
Downingtown |
56 |
Arundel |
54 |
|
|
Sacred Heart |
61 |
Holy Cross |
55 |
|
|
ThunderRidge |
52 |
Mount de Chantal |
44 |
|
|
Bishop McNamara |
42 |
Damascus |
20 |
|
|
St. Marys |
63 |
Suitland |
38 |
|
|
Centennial |
49 |
River Hill |
43 |
|
|
Victory Christian |
50 |
Paint Branch |
29 |
|
|
The Peddie School |
37 |
Holy Cross |
36 |
|
|
Downingtown |
49 |
Pascack Valley |
34 |
|
|
Arundel |
36 |
Chaminade-Julienne |
34 |
|
|
Notre Dame Academy |
40 |
Paint Branch |
36 |
|
|
Mount de Chantal |
43 |
Damascus |
35 |
|
|
The Peddie School |
42 |
River Hill |
40 |
|
Friday July 30th, 2004
Results
|
St. Marys |
57 |
Paint Branch |
54 |
|
|
Chaminade-Julienne |
48 |
Downingtown |
38 |
|
|
Sacred Heart |
59 |
Theodore Roosevelt |
57 |
|
|
Holy Cross |
45 |
River Hill |
31 |
|
|
Bishop McNamara |
56 |
Mount de Chantal |
43 |
|
|
ThunderRidge |
51 |
Damascus |
41 |
|
|
Arundel |
47 |
Centennial |
46 |
|
|
Chaminade-Julienne |
49 |
Pascack Valley |
27 |
|
|
St. Marys |
44 |
Victory Christian |
40 |
|
|
Suitland |
42 |
Paint Branch |
41 |
|
|
ThunderRidge |
61 |
Bishop McNamara |
52 |
|
|
Western |
42 |
Damascus |
21 |
|
|
Downingtown |
43 |
Theodore Roosevelt |
40 |
|
|
Centennial |
57 |
Holy Cross |
54 |
|
|
Notre Dame Academy |
41 |
River Hill |
40 |
|
|
Sacred Heart |
60 |
The Peddie School |
53 |
|
|
Arundel |
40 |
Pascack Valley |
29 |
|
|
Western |
62 |
Mount de Chantal |
51 |
|
|
Victory Christian |
57 |
The Peddie School |
46 |
|
|
Suitland |
56 |
Notre Dame Academy |
54 |
|
Saturday July 31st, 2004
Results
|
Downingtown |
65 |
Western |
61 |
|
|
Theodore Roosevelt |
53 |
Arundel |
35 |
|
|
Holy Cross |
40 |
Pascack Valley |
29 |
|
|
Centennial |
39 |
The Peddie School |
32 |
|
|
Chaminade-Julienne |
36 |
ThunderRidge |
35 |
|
|
River Hill |
62 |
Sacred Heart |
54 |
|
|
St. Marys |
55 |
Bishop McNamara |
48 |
|
|
Damascus |
46 |
Suitland |
41 |
|
|
Paint Branch |
49 |
Mount de Chantal |
47 |
|
|
Victory Christian |
62 |
Notre Dame Academy |
46 |
|
|
ThunderRidge |
62 |
Downingtown |
57 |
Semifinal |
|
Sacred Heart |
82 |
St. Marys |
71 |
Semifinal |
|
Sacred Heart |
79 |
ThunderRidge |
60 |
Championship |
The final records for the teams participating in this event are as follows: Sacred Heart Academy (6-1), ThunderRidge (5-2), St. Marys (5-1), Downingtown (4-2), Victory Christian High School (4-1), Theodore Roosevelt (3-2), Bishop McNamara (3-2), Centennial (3-2), Arundel (3-2), Western (2-3), Notre Dame Academy (2-3), Suitland (2-3), Holy Cross Academy (2-3), The Peddie School (2-3), Mount de Chantal (1-4), Damascus (1-4), River Hill (1-4), Paint Branch (1-4), and Pascack Valley (0-5).
The following Sacred Heart Academy box scores were provided by Mr. Bob
Tonini of Sacred Heart Academy.
Centennial (NV) vs. Sacred Heart Academy
(KY)
July 29, 2004 at Damascus High School - Centennial finished 31-2 last season and has won
three consecutive 4A Nevada State Championships. Sacred Heart finished 37-1 and has captured three
consecutive Kentucky state titles.
Centennial led 34-32 at the end of the first half but Sacred Heart
rallied in the second half to capture a 63-53 victory. Sacred Heart shot 43.1% from the field,
was 17 of 29 from the free throw line, and pulled down 40 rebounds. Centennial was 40.4% from the field,
connected on seven of 16 free throws, and grabbed 34 rebounds.
The victors were led by Carly Ormerod with 26 points and 10 rebounds. Elizabeth Campbell added 15 points and Taylor Kopple chipped in with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Jordyn Bowen led Centennial with 12 points and nine rebounds. Italee Lucas, Whitley Cox, and Whitney Price added 10, nine, and nine points respectively.
|
Centennial |
34 |
19 |
- |
53 |
|
Sacred Heart Academy |
32 |
31 |
- |
63 |
Centennial |
(53) |
- |
Bowen 12, Cox 9, Blake 5, Price 9, Lucas 10, Chambers 4, Kline 4. |
Sacred Heart Academy |
(63) |
- |
Ormerod 26, Distler 8, Kopple 10, Hess 4, Campbell 15. |
Holy Cross Academy (MD) vs. Sacred
Heart Academy (KY)
July 29, 2004 at Damascus High School - Sacred Heart Academy led by as many as 17 points and ended
up defeating Academy of Holy Cross 61-55.
The victors shot 41.3% from the field including seven of 12 from the
three point line. The Valkyries
were 16 of 21 from the free throw line and pulled down 31 rebounds. Academy of Holy Cross shot 34.9% from
the field, connected on 10 of 14 free throws, and pulled down 42 rebounds.
Sacred Heart was led by Carly Ormerod with 22 points and seven assists. Jackie Distler added 17 points including four three point baskets. Robin Colbert and Brittany Poindexter led Academy of Holy Cross with 17 and 14 points respectively. Thea Littlepage added six points and pulled down a game high 14 rebounds.
|
Academy of Holy Cross |
21 |
34 |
- |
55 |
|
Sacred Heart Academy |
34 |
27 |
- |
61 |
Academy of Holy Cross |
(55) |
- |
Poindexter 14, Colbert 17, Grant 4, Littlepage 6, Bennett 4, Sims 2, McNutt 4, Cottey 2, L. Ottey 2. |
Sacred Heart Academy |
(61) |
- |
Ormerod 22, Distler 17, Kopple 6, Hess 6, Campbell 8, Denbow 2. |
Theodore Roosevelt (Washington DC) vs. Sacred Heart Academy
(KY)
July 30, 2004 at Damascus High School - Theodore Roosevelt finished 26-1 last season. Sacred Heart trailed 34-25 at halftime
but rallied to win 59-57 on a last-second putback by Jordan Hess. Sacred Heart shot 46.6% from the field,
was two of six from the free throw line, and pulled down 40 rebounds. Theodore Roosevelt shot 43.9% from the
field, including six of 12 from the three point line. The Cougars were one of three from the free throw line, and
grabbed 27 rebounds, and scored 20 points off 15 sacred heart turnovers..
The victors were led by Carly Ormerod with 19 points. Elizabeth Campbell added 14 points and pulled down 13 rebounds, while Jordan Hess chipped in with 10 points. Brittany Hillard, Shanae Baker-brice, Katrina Wheeler, and Diamond Price led Theodore Roosevelt with 16, 14, 13, and 11 points respectively. Wheeler also pulled down 11 rebounds.
|
Theodore Roosevelt |
34 |
23 |
- |
57 |
|
Sacred Heart Academy |
25 |
34 |
- |
59 |
Theodore Roosevelt |
(57) |
- |
Baker-Brice 14, Friend 3, Mitchell 11, Hillard 16, Wheeler 13. |
Sacred Heart Academy |
(59) |
- |
Ormerod 19, Distler 6, Kopple 8, Hess 10, Campbell 14, Denbow 2. |
The Peddie School (NJ) vs. Sacred Heart Academy
(KY)
July 30, 2004 at Damascus High School - The Peddie School was 16-8 last season and have captured
eight consecutive New Jersey Independent School Championships. The Peddie School led 33-28 at halftime
but Sacred Heart outscored their opponents 32-20 in the second half to earn a
60-53 victory. Sacred Heart shot
41.5% from the field, connected on 16 of 22 free throws, and pulled down 30
rebounds. Sacred Heart scored 28
points off 21 Peddie turnovers.
The Peddie School shot 51.1% from the field, was four of five from the
free throw line, and grabbed 28 rebounds.
Carly Ormerod and Taylor Kopple led Sacred Heart with 20 points each. Ormerod also recorded seven steals. 6-3 Crystal Goring led The Peddie School with 21 points and 13 rebounds. Devon Carey and Bridgette Mitchell added 11 points each.
|
The Peddie School |
33 |
20 |
- |
53 |
|
Sacred Heart Academy |
28 |
32 |
- |
60 |
The Peddie School |
(53) |
- |
Carey 11, Salstein 6, Woods 0, Mitchell 11, Goring 21, Lebak 2, Grace 2. |
Sacred Heart Academy |
(60) |
- |
Ormerod 20, Distler 2, Kopple 20, Hess 9, Campbell 6, Denbow 3. |
River Hill (NJ) vs. Sacred Heart Academy
(KY)
July 31, 2004 at Damascus High School - River Hill outshot Sacred Heart 53.2%-33.3% from the field
and scored 26 points off 23 Sacred Heart turnovers to earn a 62-54 victory over
the Valkyries. Sacred Heart was 17
of 22 from the free throw line, while River Hill connected on 12 of 19 from the
free throw line.
Brittany Gordon led the victors with 19 points. Kandice Green and Krista Tate added 12 and 10 points respectively. Carly Ormerod paced Sacred Heart with 21 points and nine rebounds. Taylor Kopple and Elizabeth Campbell added eight points each.
|
River Hill |
26 |
36 |
- |
62 |
|
Sacred Heart Academy |
21 |
33 |
- |
54 |
River Hill |
(62) |
- |
Eaddy 3, Tate 10, Gordon 19, Jackson 2, Green 12, Parker 4, Geoghan 2, Herlihy 6, Wallace 4. |
Sacred Heart Academy |
(54) |
- |
Ormerod 21, Distler 6, Kopple 8, Hess 6, Campbell 8, Denbow 3, Barrow 2. |
St. Marys (AZ) vs. Sacred Heart Academy
(KY) (Semifinal)
July 31, 2004 at Damascus High School - St. Marys finished 35-0 last season and captured the Arizona
5A State Championship. Sacred
Heart led 43-42 at the half but pulled away in the second half to gain an 82-71
victory. Sacred Heart shot 56.9%
from the field, connected on 12 of 23 free throws, and held a commanding 42-21
edge in rebounds. St. Marys shot
43.9% from the field and was 13 of 16 from the free throw line.
Carly Ormerod led the victors with 22 points, six rebounds, and seven assists. Jackie Distler, Jordan Hess, and Elizabeth Campbell added 15, 14, and 14 points respectively. Taylor Kopple and Elizabeth Campbell pulled down 11 and nine rebounds respectively. Kayli Murphy led St. Marys with 25 points and eight rebounds. Nicole Neals, Dymond Symon, and Lonnie Sanchez added 15, 14, and 12 points respectively. .
|
St. Marys |
42 |
29 |
- |
71 |
|
Sacred Heart Academy |
43 |
39 |
- |
82 |
St. Marys |
(71) |
- |
Symon 14, Neals 15, Oshima 0, K. Murphy 25, Sanchez 12, May 3, Nunez 2. |
Sacred Heart Academy |
(82) |
- |
Ormerod 22, Distler 15, Kopple 5, Hess 14, Campbell 14, Denbow 9, Miles 2, Wade 1. |
ThunderRidge (CO) vs. Sacred Heart Academy
(KY) (Championship)
July 31, 2004 at Damascus High School - ThunderRidge was 22-2 last season and has captured two
consecutive Colorado 5A Championships.
Sacred Heart outshot ThunderRidge 54%-41.4% from the field and held a
38-27 rebound margin in a 79-60 victory. Sacred Heart was nine of 13 from the
free throw line while ThunderRidge visited the free throw stripe six times,
connecting on four shots. ThunderRidge
was eight of 13 from the three point line.
The victors were led in scoring today by Carly Ormerod with 22 points. Taylor Kopple had an excellent game with 19 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and four steals. Elizabeth Campbell added 14 points and nine rebounds. Emily Fox led ThunderRidge with 21 points including three of four from the three point line and dished out seven assists. Megan McCahill added 18 points including four of seven from beyond the arc. Jayna Hartig added 14 points and pulled down eight rebounds. Abby Waner was unable to play tonight due to prior commitments.
|
ThunderRidge |
25 |
35 |
- |
60 |
|
Sacred Heart Academy |
36 |
43 |
- |
79 |
ThunderRidge |
(60) |
- |
Fox 21, Breidel 4, McCahill 18, J. Hartig 14, Wilson 0, Burk 3. |
Sacred Heart Academy |
(79) |
- |
Ormerod 22, Distler 5, Kopple 19, Hess 8, Campbell 14, McCarty 2, Denbow 2, Muller 5, Wade 2. |
Conclusion
This star-laden, highly competitive tournament has rapidly turned into one of the best summer events in the country. Damascus coach Steve Pisarski, the tournament director, does an excellent job of tracking and attracting some of the best teams in the country to this premier event. This event concluded an excellent summer for Sacred Heart Academy, who has captured three consecutive Kentucky High School State Championships. The Valkyries graduated two key players in 6-3 Crystal Kelly (who signed with Western Kentucky) and starting senior guard Connie Ferch, who missed the last part of the season with an ACL injury. However, based on their play in this event, they still appear to have plenty of weapons at their disposal.
Acknowledgements
A special thanks to Bob Tonini of Sacred Heart Academy for providing the box scores and insights into this tourney. He described the event and teams as the “cream of the crop”. Also, a special thanks to tournament director Steve Pisarski, who does a wonderful job with this tournament. Check out the website http://www.bestofmd.net for more information about the Best of Maryland event. Also, last but not least, congratulations to the sponsors, The Sports Authority and Pepsi.
Please feel free to send your comments and questions concerning the tournament, teams, or players to me at prephoops@yahoo.com .
Ron Harrison’s reports on this and other basketball events appear on https://www.angelfire.com/ky/prephoops.