by Tem Chisanga, Charlotte Velarde, Boots Giblin, and Eric Brilliant (cover photo from Hunter Barberis)
Day 1 of Capitol Hoops Summer League was nothing short of exciting basketball. With dominating performances, lion-hearted comebacks, and an overtime thriller, the first day of Capitol Hoops Summer League previewed what should be another great and highly competitive year of Summer League hoops.
Landon vs Bruins (Broadneck)
This year’s summer league campaign kicked off with Landon dominating the Bruins with a final score of 98-42. Running a solid full-court trap throughout the game, Landon found most of their point coming off forced Bruins turnovers. When Landon wasn’t running the fast break, they were living at the line. Despite only shooting 56% from the free-throw line and 41% from the field, Landon’s 26 offensive rebounds allowed constant second-chance points that contributed to the large victory. ~TC
Mustangs (Meade) vs Alexandria City
Game two of the Capitol Hoops Summer league was a back and forth contest where the Mustangs (Meade) edged out Alexandria City in the final moments of the game 53 – 52. With Meade missing three key contributors today, Alexandria jumped out to an early 16 – 4 lead. What looked to be an easy route for Alexandria City early, the Mustangs responded with a 16 – 6 scoring run to cut the deficit. The second half provided many of the nine lead changes and seven times the score was tied throughout the contest, as the two teams traded baskets frequently. A missed free throw by Alexandria City, gave the Mustangs’ leading scorer Isaiah Matthews the opportunity to finish at the rim with under ten seconds, giving the Mustangs the lead, and the win.
Riverdale Baptist vs Flint Hill
The third game of the day saw Riverdale Baptist complete an impressive comeback in overtime against Flint Hill. Heading into halftime, Flint Hill held a firm 43-26 lead thanks to three double digit scorers. The second half however, saw Flint Hill cool down from their scorching hot first half, only scoring 17 points on 21% team shooting from the field. Riverdale Baptist capitalized on the cold Flint Hill second half and forced overtime. Led by ‘24 G Xavier Pickett with 20 points and 6 assist, Riverdale Baptist ultimately rallied in overtime and completed the comeback. ~TC
Good Fellas (Oxon Hill) vs Tech Prep
Good Fellas and Tech Prep faced off in an evenly matched contest throughout. Good Fellas jumped out to an early lead with Christopher Henderson scoring 16 points in the first half. However, Tech Prep managed to overcome multiple double-digit deficits with a strong defensive effort. Good Fellas managed to withstand a late Tech Prep run with a pair of free throws and a transition dunk from Henderson, as Good Fellas won 73-68.
Photo by Chris Souvenir
Spalding vs Good Counsel
Good Counsel and Spalding kicked off their first game with a hard fought, close matchup. Good Counsel led the majority of the game, but both teams were hitting their shots making the score close the entire half. At the half, Good Counsel continued to dominate, leading 37-29. As the second half elapsed, Spalding gained momentum after increasing the physicality and intensity to make it a tie game with less than two minutes to go. Good Counsel’s aggressiveness and composure lead them to a 59-56 victory, with lead scorer for the falcons Parker Robinson collecting 22 points.
Patriot vs Cavaliers (W.T. Woodson)
The Cavaliers dominated in their opening game of the season as they beat Patriot 72-52. Sean Donovan impressed on the glass and on the offensive end. Donovan finished with 24 points for the Cavaliers. The Cavaliers shot well from three as they rained in 8 shots from behind the arc. But the biggest discrepancy came on the glass as the Cavaliers outrebounded Patriot 51-30. This led to a multitude of second chance points for the Cavaliers, who capitalized on their chances.
Tenley Tigers (Jackson Reed) vs Severn
The Tenley Tigers (Jackson Reed) and Severn faced off for their first day of summer league in a hard fought, resilient matchup. The Tenley Tigers controlled and dominated the game, capitalizing off of their height to collect offensive and defensive rebounds, Micah Charles collecting 10 rebounds and four more of Jackson Reed’s players having 8 or more total rebounds. The Tigers continued using their speed to counterattack and transition quickly for multiple fast break points. This helped them gain a significant lead early on in the game that continued to grow throughout the entire matchup. Severn fought hard to stay in the game, switching from a man to man defense to a zone defense, and implementing a full court press. Severn struggled to find their shot despite strength and perseverance, ending in tough loss for them and a 87-41 victory for Jackson Reed.
