With 2:10 to play in the 49th Baltimore Catholic League championship game Sunday against Mount Saint Joseph, St. Frances point guard Adrian “Ace” Baldwin showed perfect form releasing a 3-pointer from the left side that was all net.
By then, the No. 2 Panthers had already taken hold of the game. But, for good measure, the senior star hit another 3 from the same spot 30 seconds later.
After the make, he took a second or two to hold his position on the follow-through, savoring another special BCL title game moment and flashing a quick smile toward the bench.
With Baldwin (23 points, 10 rebounds and five assists) the driving force of an impressive 32-minute display, St. Frances claimed its third straight BCL tournament championship and league-best tenth overall with a 81-65 win over the No. 1 Gaels at a packed Reitz Arena at Loyola Maryland.
Baldwin, who hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer to beat St. Maria Goretti in last year’s BCL championship game, was recognized as the tournament’s Most Valuable Player for a third straight year.
This most recent win for the Panthers (36-4) completed the team’s week-long mission of returning the favor to the Gaels, who defeated them for the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference championship last Sunday.
“This meant a lot to us,” said Baldwin, who had 16 assists in the Panthers’ semifinal win over Loyola Blakefield on Friday. “We took it very personal from last week, we didn’t take the loss very well. So we just stayed locked into the gym all week, focused and we came out and fought hard to the end.”
Joining Baldwin on the All-BCL tournament team were teammate Jamal West, Mount Saint Joseph’s Jason Edokpayi and D’Angelo Stines, Loyola Blakefield’s Mitch Fischer and Mount Carmel’s Deon Perry.
On Sunday, the Panthers did something they hadn’t in their first three meetings against Mount Saint Joseph — start strong.
Their first three baskets were a product of hard work, each coming on put-backs, before Baldwin’s first 3-pointer at the top of the key provided a 9-0 advantage with 5:40 left in the first quarter.
This time, it was the Gaels who were playing catch-up, and every time they got close, the Panthers responded.
After Edokpayi (team-high 19 points) scored in transition to cut the lead to 45-41 with 4:17 to play in the third quarter, the Panthers went on an 8-0 run. Guard Byron Ireland (11 points) started the stretch with a strong drive and two free throws to push the lead to 13, and St. Frances kept a safe distance the rest of the way.
The Panthers featured a balance offense with fellow starters Khyrie Staten (14 points), West (10) and Julian Reese (10) joining Baldwin and Ireland in double figures and reserve forward Andre Roy adding 10 points of his own. They also had a 36-23 advantage on the boards and made 18 of 21 free-throw attempts.
“We’ve been waiting for it all week. Just the moment we lost that game [last Sunday], we felt we left some stuff on the table and we were able to get it today,” St. Frances coach Nick Myles said. “It started last week at practice when we got back in the gym on Tuesday. We wanted St. Joe, we wanted to play this game, and the guys were prepared and locked in.”
The Gaels completed their season with a 29-6 mark, handing St. Frances its only two area losses. The Panthers were ESPN’s No. 6 ranked team in the country when they lost last Sunday’s MIAA A championship game, 76-63.
On Sunday, Antonio Hamlin scored 15 points and Stines had 13 to join Edokpayi in double figures.
“It was a good season,” Edokpayi said. “We really wanted this win, but just from the start [St. Frances] kind of had the momentum … We tried getting back into the game, but they were just hitting their shots and getting the fouls called. They were just having their way in most aspects of the game.”
A third straight MVP award puts Baldwin, a Virginia Commonwealth commit, in elite company. St. Frances’ Mark Karcher (1995-97) and St. Maria Goretti’s Rodney Monroe (1985-87) are the only other players to receive the award three straight years.
Asked about the legacy he leaves behind, Baldwin talked about his team.
“Championships and winning,” he said. “And it’s not just about basketball, it’s like family, a brotherhood.”
St. Frances continues its season at the 60th Alhambra Catholic invitational Tournament at Frostburg State, set to run from March 12-14. The Panthers open against Virginia-based St. Stephens-St. Agnes on March 12 at 4 p.m.
MSJ – Brelsford 9, Edokpayi 19, Crawley 9, Stines 13, Hamlin 15. Totals: 24 9-13 65
SF – Baldwin 23, West 10, Ireland 11, Staten 14, Reese 10, Roy 10, Curtis 3. Totals: 27 18-21 81
Half: SF, 41-18