Five-Game Win Streak Has Falcons Feeling Confident

After Severna Park’s 42-41 win over Crofton on February 4, a game that was far more old-school rock fight than poetry in motion, head boys basketball coach Pete Young took the philosophical approach.

“We have to get used to having wins torn apart the same way losses are, and there’s a lot from this one,” he said. “But the boys don’t have any quit in them, and they want to win. They’re used to winning.”

But they don’t hand out style points in the win-loss column, and however the method, the Falcons are stringing wins together at the right time.

They weren’t all as ugly as the Crofton game, but Severna Park reeled off five straight to move to 12-5 on the season and carry a genuine sense of optimism as the stretch run hits.

After a one-point loss to Old Mill on January 24, they beat Severn Run 54-48 on January 28 and Broadneck 45-41 on January 31. Then came the slugfest with Crofton, followed by successive wins over Chesapeake Science Point (53-40 on February 5) and Chesapeake (55-39 on February 7).

Each win takes on its own character. Broadneck was an emotional rivalry game. Severn Run was a means to flush the disappointment of a close loss. Chesapeake Science Point and Chesapeake were fairly straightforward matters.

Crofton was just plain strange.

Both teams struggled for any measure of consistency and flow over the course of the game. They were disjointed by clock issues, low gym energy, inexperience, impatience, and lack of execution, to name but a few factors.

Despite controlling the majority of the game, the Falcons almost let a modest lead slip late. They held the ball, clinging to a one-point lead with 14 seconds left and Crofton needing to foul three times to put Severna Park on the line.

What ensued was a near backcourt violation saved only by a foul a split-second prior, two more fouls, one made free throw, a desperation Crofton 3-pointer that missed, a putback attempt that also missed but drew a foul as time expired, one made free throw, and then the missed second attempt that finally brought a truly strange game to its conclusion.

“Tuesday night games are tough in general,” Young said. “They’re not usually well attended. You have to create your own energy. It’s just tough. We had some really good moments where we did some great stuff, and then sometimes we just gave the basketball away. But they didn’t quit.”

Beyond the steady leadership of seniors Charlie Hartman and Keaghan Gorski, as well as the offensive facilitation of point guard Garrett Moden, the Falcons are starting to get contributions from other sources.

Dash Havens cracked double figures against Crofton and provided energy on an otherwise tepid evening. Bench players like John Batty, Ozzy Jones and Blake Coard are giving key minutes and lengthening the Falcons’ rotation.

All of that has the team rounding into form ahead of the final five games of the regular season, plus what figures to be a tough region tournament.

“Coach always says we aren’t playing against the other team; we’re playing against ourselves,” Havens said. “We’ve got a lot of guys that are experienced now, and we’re young, but we have guys that help us in those moments. I think we’re peaking going into some big games at the end of the season, which is nice.”

Severna Park closes the regular season by hosting Laurel on February 10, then going to Glen Burnie on February 12 and Arundel on February 14. They will host North County on February 18 and round out the regular season at Northeast on February 20.