Boys Basketball Preview

It’s a thing long dreaded by those who follow and support the Severna Park boys basketball team.

Year one P.P. After head coach Pete Pellicani.

For 29 years, Pellicani ran the Falcons’ program.

In his place, Pete Young took over Severna Park, and he might be the closest thing to the perfect replacement. Young served as Pellicani’s assistant coach for the past 24 years.

“During the last 15 years, he’s probably given me a lot more leeway than other head coaches would give an assistant,” Young said.

Young inherits a team with only one returning starter in junior guard/forward Brendan Abell.

Seven seniors departed from a team that went 15-7 last year.

“They were great players for us,” Young explained of the departures. “The new guys are working hard, looking forward to stepping into the role where those seniors left off.”

Abell is a candidate to lead the Falcons in scoring. He can finish at the basket and has excellent shooting range.

The other starters include junior guard/forward Liam Cleary, senior guard Michael Carparelli, and two players brought up from last year’s junior varsity, junior forward Tucker Moran and sophomore guard Charlie Hartman.

Junior guard Upton Young, senior guard Owen Muldoon, senior forwards Rian Sherwin, sophomore forward Luke DeBaugh and senior center Jack Miller are competing for minutes.

“This year, there is a lot more teaching going on because there were a lot fewer game minutes left in the gym after all the seniors graduated,” Young said.

Broadneck

With a roster full of guards, coach John Williams favors an up-tempo game and a substitution pattern that might be described as feverish.

To play that style requires a deep bench and the senior-laden Bruins have it.

“Our goal is to just go out and run,” Williams said.

Junior guard Jordan Brown is the lone returning starter. He’s a candidate to lead Broadneck in scoring.

“Jordan had a lot of game experience through the summer,” Williams said. “He played on a high-level [Amateur Athletic Union] AAU team. I think he’s ready to take that next step.”

The starting lineup also features senior shooting guards Jalen Carter, Amare Jefferies and Khesean Porter, and senior forward Kyle Miles.

Brown, Carter and Jefferies produced in Broadneck’s season-opening 72-52 victory over Boys’ Latin. Each finished with 19 points.

“All these guys have really put in the work over the past four years,” said Williams, who is in his 17th season. “Now, it’s their time to shine.”

Williams won’t hesitate to go to his bench, and he won’t see much of a drop-off in production.

Severn

Coach Mike Glasby welcomes back five starters.

That could mean a serious run at a Maryland Interscholastic Athletic B Conference championship. The Admirals lost in a second-round tournament semifinal last year.

“I think the guys have the confidence to make a push to win the league,” Glasby said. “They know what it takes to be successful.”

Junior combo guard Kingston Price will likely be Severn’s go-to guy.

He averaged 14 points per game last year.

“He can score in a lot of different ways, and he has become a better passer,” Glasby said.

Price will feed teammates like sophomore guard Jacob Randall, senior guard Nas Sturdivan, senior guard/forward Elijah Bryan, senior forward Ryan Stewart and junior forward Bo Fowler.

Archbishop Spalding

Programs should sell well at games – early on, anyway.

Cavaliers fans might not be able to spot their own players without one.

Spalding graduated eight players from a 25-11 team, including four who went on to play in college.

Sophomore forward Malik Washington returns as the only starter.

He’ll be joined in the starting lineup by three junior returnees: forward RJ Newton and combo guards Tre’ Yawn and Jaylin Sykes.

“I do have some returning players, but they were role players last year,” Spalding coach Josh Pratt said. “Now, they are the guys.”

Junior forward Holden Williamson, promoted from last year’s junior varsity, completes the starting lineup.

Senior guard Johnny Farley will work as the sixth man.

Senior forwards Anthony Hawkins and Michael Schwob and senior guards Machi Evans and Aureon Johnson, a transfer from Southern, give the coach plenty of options.