Basketball junkies can watch a clinic at 1 p.m. tomorrow at UMBC in the Fuel Fund's Lake Clifton and Broadneck meeting.
The No. 1 Lakers (3-0) from Baltimore are led by the area's top player in point guard Shawnta Rogers and love to run. No. 13 Broadneck (2-0) is led by Jason Smith and the Bruins are more methodical and deliberate.
When it comes to contrasting styles, few matchups could be better.
Lake Clifton, ranked No. 14 nationally by USA Today, is considered nearly invincible around these parts and is favored to win the state Class 4A title.
Broadneck, an eight-point loser to the Lakers in last year's Wes Unseld Tournament, might have its best team in recent years and is a bona fide 3A state contender.
Smith, a four-year starter, All-County the last two years and All-Metro as a junior, is surrounded by more overall talent than ever.
"It's a classic matchup, two teams with different philosophies," said Broadneck coach Ken Kazmarek. "It's important that we control the pace of the game and keep at our tempo because they will try to apply a lot of pressure."
The 6-foot-2 Smith, who has 40 points in his first two games, is the school's all-time leading scorer with 1,202 points. His ability to handle the ball and orchestrate a pace that literally annoys and frustrates opponents who love to run will be vital.
Kazmarek views playing Lake Clifton like going against county rival Annapolis with the idea to reduce the speed of the Amtrak train from Metroliner to commuter train.
"Playing teams like Lake Clifton and Annapolis, you have to do two main things," said Kazmarek.
"First, you can't turn the ball over against the pressure and No. 2, we can't allow them a lot of offensive rebounds. Can't let them get a lot of putbacks."
Much of that responsibility falls to the Bruins' 6-10 senior Josh Grover who is starting for the first time and draws 6-7 senior Guy Butler as his assignment. Butler was All-Metro at Woodlawn last year.
"Josh has played two solid games for us without getting into foul trouble and will have to play well for us to play with them," said Kazmarek.
Grover has scored 25 points, grabbed 22 rebounds and blocked 12 shots in the Bruins' first two games, a 72-46 romp over Glen Burnie and a 64-49 triumph over Patterson. Nine of his blocks came in the Glen Burnie game, but tomorrow is another story with Butler, a legitimate Division I prospect.
"Butler's upper-body strength is more imposing than his size, but I feel comfortable with Josh going against him," said Kazmarek.
Butler is not the only Laker used to controlling the boards. There is also 6-5 Reggie Frazier, and either 6-3 Renardo Walker or 6-1 forwards Jamaine Young or Mike Tasker will draw Frazier.
As for who covers the versatile Rogers, who can score inside or out despite his 5-4 frame, Kazmarek said with a chuckle, "a lot of people."
Rogers has had 33 career games with 20 points or more and is a Street & Smith's honorable-mention All-American.
"He's the guy who makes them go," said Kazmarek. "I don't think he has a weakness. He can attack and penetrate and we have to try and limit the number of points he gets.
"Johnny Williams will start off playing Rogers straight up, and hopefully with Johnny being 6-4, it will help."
Williams is a defensive whiz. He's only a sophomore, but has started for two years.
"The kids are pumped about playing the No. 1 team and over the venue, the chance to play on a college court," said Kazmarek. "The game is attainable for us. If we can control the tempo, we can play with them."
Basketball divisions realigned
County athletic directors voted for new divisions for basketball Wednesday to start in 1995-96.
The North Division will be Chesapeake, Glen Burnie, Meade, North County, Northeast and Old Mill, and the South will include Annapolis, Arundel, Broadneck, Severna Park, Southern and South River.
Teams will play home and away in their division (10 games) and each team in the other division once for a total of 16 games, which will leave four open dates for outside competition when the open-tournament format comes to pass for all sports except football.