Waldorf, MD – In the inaugural SMAC Championship game, the Potomac division champion North Point Eagles played host to the champs of the Chesapeake division, the Huntingtown Hurricanes. Before tipoff of the championship, the athletic directors of the opposite school presented each team with the division championship plaques. But, right next to the scorer’s table was the prize of the night, the conference championship trophy. Throughout the gym, several players and coaches from other SMAC basketball teams were spotted in the crowd.
Once tipoff happened, the gym erupted in noise, and didn’t die down until well after the final buzzer went off. In the first quarter, both teams tried to enforce the tempo of the game, and played each other to a stalemate in that phase of that game. North Point took every missed shot and run fast transition offense. Meanwhile, Huntingtown would pass the ball around and attempt to draw an Eagle defender too far in one direction and slash with their guards to the basket. At the end of the first quarter, Huntingtown held a small 3 point lead, 11-8.
In the second, North Point guard Jalen Gibbs made the first three-pointer of the game for both teams to tie the score 11-11. From that shot on, Huntingtown never led by more than 2 again, eventually losing the lead for good when North Point went up 17-15. North Point ended the half with the lead at 25-18, and departed for the halftime locker rooms.
Whatever was said to both teams at half really set in as they came out firing on all cylinders. Huntingtown guard Davaughn Reid hit his team’s first three point basket on a contested baseline jumper to pull the Hurricanes within 10. North Point formed a 15 point lead before Huntingtown pulled within 9 by the end of the quarter with a score of 43-34.
After the first possession of the fourth quarter, the Canes were within 7, and had the momentum in the gym. But, they couldn’t hit shots, or get a stop when they got within a possession of the Eagles. Three times, they were within three points. The first time was early in the quarter when they got the score to 48-45. North Point took the ball to the opposite end of the court, and hit a mid-range jumper to pull them back to 5. The lead jockeyed back and forth between 3 and 5 points. But, with under a minute, after several North Point turnovers, Brandon Easton made 2 of 2 free throws to put the game back to 3 points. North Point attempted to inbound the ball, but an errant pass found its way to Tony Tavares of the Hurricanes. He took his dribble, and rose up wide open to attempt to tie the game. His shot banked off the backboard, and high off the side rim into the hands of Quinton Gilliam of the Eagles. That was the closest the Hurricanes came to tying it. Gilliam made both his free throws, and iced the game for the Eagles. Huntingtown tried a desperation three at the buzzer, but it was off. North Point won the game by a score of 56-51. They won the first SMAC Championship game, and rose the trophy above their heads.
The Eagles were led by scoring by Gilliam, who finished with 12. Lamont McManus and Jalen Gibbs also scored 10 for the Eagles. Huntingtown was led in scoring by Brandon Easton with 13 points. Tavares also scored 12 for Huntingtown. Both teams clinched first round byes in the playoffs, and are off until Monday, Feb. 29. Huntingtown plays in the 3A South, and North Point will compete in the 4A East.