Third-ranked Meade faces not only a tall and talented Oxon Hill team in tonight's Class 4A state semifinal at the University of Maryland, College Park but a team with added incentive.

Oxon Hill (23-2) rides a 21-game winning streak out of Prince George's County into the 7 p.m. game with Meade (24-2). Expectations of Oxon Hill and Meade were sharply different when the season began, but their accomplishments are equally noteworthy.

Oxon Hill, ranked No. 4 in the Associated Press overall Maryland top 20 and No. 1 among Class 4A schools, comes in determined after losing last year's state final to Gaithersburg in five overtimes.

Getting back to Cole Field House and winning was the Clippers' goal from Day 1.

Their only losses have been to private-school powers Newport School (28-4, No. 3 in the AP poll) and Washington's top-ranked Gonzaga (28-4), the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference champion.

By contrast, Meade's veteran coach Butch Young didn't know what to expect after losing two All-County first-teamers and a second-teamer to graduation. That team suffered a heartbreaking loss in the Class 4A East region semis to Annapolis, which it had beaten twice in regular season.

The Mustangs were in a rebuilding mode when the season tipped off, but they emerged as one of the Baltimore area's best teams and turned the tables on No. 5 Annapolis (23-2). After losing twice to the Panthers in the regular season, Meade eliminated them in overtime in a region quarterfinal, 59-56.

Meade became the first team to win three straight overtime decisions in the regional in earning its trip to Cole, but tonight, the Mustangs face perhaps their toughest opponent.

"They're [the Clippers] big with quick guards, run really well, and they're very deep," said Young, a county coach for 32 years (10 at Severna Park) who is making his fourth trip to Cole as Meade's only coach in its 22-year existence.

The Clippers' big man is 6-foot-8, 240-pound junior Michael Sweetney, who averages 25.2 points and 13.5 rebounds. Sweetney, who has committed to Georgetown, is surrounded by teammates who are 6-5, 6-6 and 6-7, along with a quick backcourt.

Sweetney had 26 points and 14 rebounds in the Clippers' 64-58 victory over Greenbelt's Eleanor Roosevelt (14-11) in the South region final. Roosevelt lost to Meade, 65-59, in the Mustangs' Christmas Tournament.

"They use three or four different presses and several defensive looks, including man," said Young. "It's important that we react to what they are doing and attack properly."

It's also important that the Mustangs contain Sweetney somewhat. Young will rely on 6-4 seniors Jeff Charles and Terrell Ross, along with 6-2 Marcus Armstrong, to cover Sweetney.

"We'll have to mix it up among those three and hope we shoot well," said Young.

Charles, who was second-team All-County last season, and Ross are the Mustangs' key players, averaging 15.7 and 13.8 points, respectively. Each pulls in eight rebounds a game.

Despite giving up four inches to Sweetney, Charles is a shot blocker who led Anne Arundel County with 85 snuffs this season. He has a county- and school-record 164 career blocks in two seasons.

Ross, who is coming off a regional in which he scored 49 points and pulled in 28 rebounds, will need offensive help from Charles, Doug Underwood, Melvin Montgomery and point guard Eric Brown.

Charles scored 34 points and had 30 rebounds in the regional. Underwood, Montgomery and Brown were off their shooting games in the regional, but Young is hoping they can match their season averages of 11.3, 8.5 and 7.3 points a game, respectively.

Boys basketball playoffs

At Cole Field House

State semifinals

Today's games

Class 3A

City vs. Gwynn Park, 3 p.m.

Aberdeen vs. Thomas Johnson, 5 p.m.

Class 4A

Meade vs. Oxon Hill, 7 p.m.

Lake Clifton vs. Sherwood, 9 p.m.

Tomorrow's games

Class 1A

Oakland Mills vs. North Dorchester, 3 p.m.

Pikesville vs. South Hagerstown, 5 p.m.

Class 2A

Dunbar vs. Central, 7 p.m.

Einstein vs. Edgewood, 9 p.m.

State finals

Saturday's games

Class 1A, 1 p.m.

Class 3A, 3 p.m.

Class 2A, 6 p.m.

Class 4A, 8 p.m.

Pub Date: 3/11/99