Make it three in a row for the Annapolis girls basketball team in the Cap City Classic and two for Dave Griffith as head coach.
Emily Nugent (18 points) and Jamie Pleyo (13 points) combined for seven three-pointers as the Panthers (3-4) coasted to their third consecutive Cap City championship, 62-35 over Glen Burnie (2-5).
Griffith has been a part of all three championships, the last two as head coach and the first as an assistant to Teresa Ross. The Annapolis girls' triumph came right after the No. 9 Annapolis boys (6-1) won the Cap City consolation, 64-60, over South River (4-2).
Pallotti (8-5) of Laurel took a 64-60 victory over Northern (5-1) of Calvert County to win the Cap City boys final. Keith Lambkin had a game-high 21 points for Pallotti. Mike Buczynski chipped in with 16 and Maurice Mongtomery had 11.
The boys final was close most of the way (Pallotti led 32-29 at half and 43-39 after third period) before the winners pulled away in the final three minutes.
In the girls final, an Annapolis team with only three seniors exploited the Glen Burnie zone with quickness and the long-distance shooting of seniors Pleyo and Nugent. Pleyo, the Northeast transfer, hit four threes while Nugent chipped in with three.
"That's the best the two of them have shot together this season and when they get hot, forget it," said Griffith. "Glen Burnie didn't come out of their zone and we took advantage. We were too quick up and down the court."
Annapolis overcame a 15-point effort by the Gophers' Tammy Carson, who played hard until the final buzzer despite the score.
The Panthers' 38-20 halftime lead ballooned to 59-30 after three periods and Griffith cleared his bench. Annapolis had four freshmen and a sophomore on the floor most of the final period.
Kamalcris Cottrell, one of the freshman and the sister of former Annapolis star Teddy Cottrell, took advantage of her minutes to score 12 points. Freshman Jackie Edwards had seven points.
"This is a very young team and they have done just what last year's team did in winning our tournament," said Griffith.
Last year the Panthers started 1-4, won the Cap City and got on a roll that took them to the 4A East Region title and the Final Four at Catonsville Community College.
This year's team was 1-4 before the Cap City and Griffith sees them maturing fast because of their tough schedule. All four losses have been to ranked teams -- No. 5 St. Mary's (by one point), No. 7 Old Mill (by 13), No. 8 Severna Park (by seven) and No. 13 Westminster (by 15).
"They're doing a lot better than I expected," said Griffith. "I thought we could be a .500 team, but now I believe they can be competitive with the better teams because of the tough schedule we've played.
"We're looking forward to Tuesday [against unbeaten Arundel at Annapolis]. It should be a good game," said Griffith.
The host Annapolis boys got a strong performance inside from 6-foot-8 senior center Len Barber, who had 19 points and 14 rebounds, including several key rebounds in the second half, in outlasting South River in the consolation.
It was the first time in Annapolis coach John Brady's 18 years that his Panthers played in the consolation and it proved to be a bittersweet win.
Brady was ejected with 4:39 left in the game after receiving two technicals with his team leading 56-51.
South River's Corey Davis, who had 21 points, hit all four %J technical shots to pull the Seahawks within a point. Barber, Teshawn Cooper and Ronnie Johnson led the Panthers to the four-point victory after the ejection.
"It's only the second time in 18 years that I've been ejected," said Brady.