Coming off a second straight Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association B Conference championship in February, the Gerstell Academy boys basketball team is making the jump to the A Conference next season.
The league’s competition committee, which permits league movement for the various participating sports every two years, approved Gerstall’s switch to the A Conference last month. It’s the only boys basketball program to make a move.
The Falcons enjoyed their second straight 20-plus-win season — beating St. Paul’s in the title game to finish with a 21-12 mark.
In five seasons under coach Ben Thompson, Gerstell has gone 88-61 — starting the program in the C Conference before joining the B before the 2015-16 season.
“The goal of the program since I began five years ago has been to compete in the ‘A’ Conference. The plan called for a gradual ascent,” Thompson said. “The biggest challenge will be how we deal with adversity each night, knowing that it's going to be a growing process for all of us, but the challenge is worthwhile.”
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The Maryland boys ended a four-game skid against their Pennsylvania counterparts, claiming a 101-97 overtime win in the Maryland-Pennsylvania senior all-star game at Harrisburg Christian School on Saturday.
Meade guard Mazhi Thames scored 25 points and Thomas Johnson forward JR Powe added 16 points and 15 rebounds for the victors.