Prophet Pat closed out the 1991-1992 winter season with a half-courtswish. His final 5-1 slate prognosticating high school hoops was theequivalent of a three-point bomb from NBA range.
Only a pick madefrom his heart and not his uncanny wisdom cost him a perfect card the last week of the season.
The 5-1 finish leaves the Prophet at a more-than-respectable .655percentage (135-71) going into the spring sports season.
Reviewing the Prophet's final card of the winter season, the rage of a sage missed only on the Old Mill boys first-ever appearance in the state final four for Class 4A schools at Cole Field House.
Hoping to inspire the Patriots against the tough odds of upsetting Paint Branch of Montgomery County, the sage put it on the line and picked Old Mill by a point.
Paint Branch defeated the Patriots, 64-50, but as the Prophet predicted, High Point from Prince George's won it all.
The Prophet picked High Point to handle neighbor Crossland by at least three points (it won, 79-59), and he had High Point winning the state final by eight points or more over Old Mill or Paint Branch. High Point clipped Paint Branch by 12 points, 65-53.
The Prophet was perfect (3-for-3) on his girls picks, but that was a piece of cake because Old Mill was a lock to repeat. Favored by three points to eliminate Gaithersburg of Montgomery in the 4A semis, the Pats delivered, 40-27.
Bowie took the other semi as the Prophet predicted (by four points), 57-39, over its Prince George's neighbor Laurel and also dropped the final to Old Mill. Prophet Pat said it would be Old Mill by at least two, and the girls covered, 50-39.
Your only local full-time Prophet is taking this week off (furlough days) and getting an oil change for his high-octane crystal ball.
The humble sage intends to have a super spring calling his first love, baseball, and just for fairness' sake, he might even handicap some softball and that other springsport they play with a crab net . . . ahh, lacrosse, that's it.
The Prophet to date
Right.. .. .. Wrong.. .. .. Pct.
135.. .. .... 71.. .. .. . .655