North County Knights
Coach: Brad Wilson. 1993-94 record: 9-13.
Top players: Reno Owens, 6-1, Sr., F; Lou Brown, 6-0, Sr., G; Tweety Barton, 6-3, Sr., F; Cornelius Burley, 6-0, Jr., G; Maurice Bowie, 6-2, Jr., G; Marvin Mobley, 6-2, Jr., F.
Outlook: After a 6-60 start in their first three seasons, the Knights began to turn the corner last season, and Wilson (15-73) is optimistic. A nucleus from the state championship football team, Brown (8.0 points per last season), Owens, Burley, Bowie and Mobley, the last three members of a 20-0 county champion JV team last season, to go with the Knights' returning leading scorer, Barton (11.7, school-record 40 three-pointers), give them depth they have not had in the past. "There will be a lot of competition on this team," said Wilson, the defensive genius of the football champs. "And we have seven guys from our state championship football team who know how to win." Brown, who averaged 8.0 points and 6.6 assists as a junior, and Owens, who averaged 7.6 points and had 95 rebounds (third on team), are two of the seven football players. Mobley, whom Wilson calls "a great defensive player and rebounder," is another expected to make big contributions. "We've got more depth, quickness and athleticism than we've ever had before, and will get after people by pressing more this year," Wilson said.
Old Mill Patriots
Coach: Paul Bunting. 1993-94 record: 12-9.
Top players: Joe Barnes, 5-9, Jr., G; Adrian Johnson, 5-10, Sr., G; Jeff Lefevre, 6-2, Sr., F; Dymar Thompson, 5-10, Jr., F; Sr., F; Chris Brown, 5-9, Jr., F; Brian Bogle, 5-8, Jr., G.
Outlook: Anthony Graves (14.0 points) transferred to Archbishop Carroll High in Washington. Graves is a 6-foot-4 and 245-pound junior whom Bunting called "the most talented offensive player I've ever coached." Bunting (112-88) hopes that Barnes and Johnson, who were part-time starters last season, can fuel what will have to be a quick offensive and defensive team because of a lack of height. Despite what might be his smallest overall team, the coach is encouraged after scrimmages with Loyola, Mount St. Joseph and McDonough of Charles County. "We held our own, showed quickness on defense and if we can be patient offensively, we could be OK," Bunting said. Bunting plans to play mainly seven to eight from his 12-man roster, including Bogle, who is the son of the Glen Burnie coach, Terry Bogle.
St. Mary's Saints
Coach: Dave Lombardi. 1993-94 record: 5-13.
Top players: Chris Lombardi, 6-3, Sr., F; Teron Jones, 6-4, Sr., C; Braxton McNeill, 6-1, Jr., C-F; Phillip Springer, 6-5, Jr., C-F; Dan Marohl, 6-1, Jr., G.
Outlook: Jones, who averaged 10.0 points, McNeill and C. Lombardi (coach's son) are key returnees expected to complement six JV grads. Marohl has won the starting point guard position, and Lombardi hopes for rebounding strength from Springer, the son of Broadneck girls and former Anne Arundel CC men's coach Bruce Springer. "We're still pretty young, but if our seniors have a good season, we can improve and do well in the B Conference," said Lombardi. "We've changed our offense from a box to three-perimeter, high-low with more motion and hope to pressure more on defense." The Saints dropped their first two games.
Severn Admirals
Coach: Wayne Fowler. 1993-94 record: 23-3.
Top players: Alhamisi Simms, 6-2, Sr., G; John Vereen, 6-1, Sr., F; Jay Lonnie Booth, 5-9, Sr., G; Javual Mack, 5-10, Sr., F; Andrew Watts, 6-8, Jr., C; Kevin Schelenski, 6-5, Jr., C; Dennard Melton, 6-1, Fr., G.
Outlook: Off to a 2-0 start on their 35-game schedule, the Admirals are excited about moving up to the MIAA A Conference. "We were ready for the step up and will find out how far our program has come," said Fowler. Second- and third-team All-County performers Simms (16.3 points) and Vereen (13.0) lead the returnees. Simms is very quick with a great touch and, according to the coach, "is 25 percent better than a year ago." Vereen is on target to become the school's all-time leading scorer as he was in football. Fowler says he can't imagine a point guard in the metro area better than Booth and is equally ecstatic over the progress being made by Watts. "And we can't keep Dennard [Melton, freshman] off the court," said Fowler. "He's got to play and will get as many minutes as Misi [Simms], Vereen and Booth." Severn will compete in the A Conference with Loyola, Cardinal Gibbons, Towson Catholic, McDonogh and Gilman.
Severna Park Falcons
Coach: Paul Pellicani. 1993-94 record: 2-20.
Top players: Todd Batty, 6-3, Sr., G; Jeff Hatch, 6-6, So., C; Devon Phillips, 6-1, Jr., G; Dave McClure, 6-1, Sr., G; Reggie Jones, 6-4, Sr., F; Greg Korwek, 6-2, Fr., F.
Outlook: Batty, who averaged 9.0 points as a junior, is being counted on for senior leadership. "Todd should be one of the top players in the county," said Pellicani. "As for the rest of our team, it's good news [promising underclassmen], bad news [not much experience]." Hatch has honed his skills over the summer after an up-and-down varsity season as a freshman. Another sophomore who started as a freshman is 6-2 Todd Poorman, who injured his back the end of last season, and his status is unknown. Freshman Korwek is slated to start, and despite the overall youth, Pellicani said he "will be disappointed if we don't win more games because most of our kids played in three leagues each this summer and we so far ahead of last year at this time."
Southern Bulldogs
Coach: Tom Albright. 1993-94 record: 17-5.
Top players: Ryan Petska, 6-4, Sr., C; Rico Gross, 6-1, Sr., F; J. J. Alcott, 6-2, Sr., F; Scott Crandell, 5-11, Jr., G; Derek Hawkins, 6-0, Jr., G; Brian Chambers, 5-9, Sr., G.
Outlook: Anne Arundel County's winningest basketball coach (430-235, .646 pct.) will start his 30th season by rebuilding. Lost to graduation are two-time Player of the Year and All-Metro performer Chatney Howard, the Baltimore area's leading scorer with 26.4 points in 21 games, Ed Paddy (15.5 points) and Corey Contee (11.2 points). Petska, the team's leading rebounder with 9.9, returns, but he suffered a knee injury and may be out for a while. "We only have four returning seniors" . . . and . . . "it looks pretty decent. We're small but pretty fast and there is a lot of competition on this team," said Albright, who has more state boys titles (four) than any other county coach. Running buzzer to buzzer is always the plan in Harwood.
South River Seahawks
Coach: Ken Dunn. 1993-94 record: 12-11.
Top players: Russell Tongue, 6-2, Sr., F; Corey Davis, 5-9, Sr., G; Doug Cook, 6-1, Sr., F; Andy Meyers, 6-0, Sr., G; Jason Dine, 6-2, Sr., F; Tom Terry, 5-9, Sr., G; John Henry, 6-3, Sr., F; Howie Edelstein, 5-8, So., G.
Outlook: Leading scorers and three-year starters Tongue and Davis were second-team All-County on a team that lost to 2A state champion Dunbar in the East Region semis. Tongue averaged 17.1 points, second to Davis' 17.4, and led the Hawks in rebounds, averaging 10.6. Tongue is one of the county's top athletes (All-County DB in football) and Davis (who needs about 100 points to reach 1,000) is a flashy scorer who can take over a game. Dunn (163-192) has other seasoned senior role players, three-year starter Meyers, Dine, Terry, Cook and Henry, and Edelstein has impressed him. That group will be counted on to set up Tongue and Davis but also to be prepared to score when opposing defenses deny Tongue and Davis the ball. "We're looking for good things with what is an experienced team," said Dunn. "We lack height, but we've got speed and will play a lot of people. We expect to improve on last season."