Public vs Private Challenge: Wrap Up From Courts 2 and 3

The 2020 Public vs. Private Challenge, sponsored by 695 Hoops, featured a number of noteworthy matchups that spotlighted some of Maryland’s most prominent high school girls basketball programs and prospects. The Baltimore-Washington sports community showed up in abundance to witness several hours of highly competitive basketball at McDonough High School on Jan. 11. Here are recaps from some of the biggest matchups from Courts 2 and 3. Catonsville 40, Gerstell Academy 33: This matchup opened the day and was a big win for the Comets. Catonsville led 32-25 at the start of the fourth, but Gerstell was able to cut its deficit to two points on a 3-pointer by Rachel Manning. However, Catonsville was able to maintain its lead late and hold on for the win, being led by sophomore guard <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/ashley-dickey/"><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/ashley-dickey/">Ashley Dickey</a></a> with a game-high 16 points and 6-foot-2 senior Maddie McLean with 12 points. Kylie Redman scored 10 to lead the Falcons. Eleanor Roosevelt 59, Garrison Forest 22: By halftime, Roosevelt had built a 24-16 lead, and the game was still relatively close. But when the third quarter came around, the Raiders unleashed an offensive onslaught and outscored the Grizzlies 24-0 in the quarter on their way to a 59-22 win. Guards Brooklynne Smith and Monica Brown netted 11 points each while Daja Claiborne used her consistent midrange game to lead with 12 points. Junior forward London Hicks recorded 10 points and several boards for Garrison Forest. Glenelg Country School 66, Reservoir 45: Glenelg was able to establish a fluent offense behind strong performances from sharpshooters <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/ashlyn-bender/"><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/ashlyn-bender/">Ashlyn Bender</a></a> and Caroline Haynes to sail to a 66-45 win over Reservoir. Bender scored a game high 23 while Haynes added 14 to lead the way for the Gladiators. Reservoir’s <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/tiffany-hooker/"><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/tiffany-hooker/">Tiffany Hooker</a></a>, a Smith College commit averaging about 30 points per game, recorded a team-high 18 points. Chesapeake (AA) 44, Institute of Notre Dame 41: From start to finish, this matchup was back and forth. The Cougars were up 22-20 at the break, but the Penguins kept it close in the second half. With the game tied 41-41 with a minute left in the game, Chesapeake’s Juliana Brady dumped the ball in to Morgan Gray for the go-ahead layup. Penguins guard Cydney Curtis misfired at the buzzer to seal the win for the Cougars. Gray had 20 points and grabbed five second-half rebounds for Chesapeake, and Ashley Chew added 10 points. For IND, senior forward Sydney Paschall poured in 16 points and Curtis had 10. New Town 49, Mercy 33: Newtown established a double-digit lead late in the game, and Alexandria Mann tallied 16 points and five late-game rebounds to left the Titans to a 49-33 win over Mercy. Mykiah Ross chipped in with 13 points for Newtown. For Mercy, forward Carroll McKenna scored nine. St. Andrew’s Episcopal 48, Frederick 30: Sophomore shooting guard <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/sasha-james/"><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/sasha-james/">Sasha James</a></a> scored 14 points on three makes from long distance and forward <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/brooke-anya/"><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/brooke-anya/">Brooke Anya</a></a> contributed with 12 points to help the Lions sail to an 18-point win over Frederick. The Cadets were led by 5-foot-10 junior forward Rose Bubakar, who finished with a game-high 17 points. St. John’s Catholic Prep 49, South River 29: St. John’s Catholic quickly turned a 26-18 halftime lead to a comfortable double-digit lead as senior Kayla Cooper led the Vikings with with 18 points. Jalyn McNeill knocked down two threes and chipped in with 10 points for St. John’s Catholic. Most of South River’s offensive production came from Julia Fitzwater and <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/ashlynn-burrows/"><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/ashlynn-burrows/">Ashlynn Burrows</a></a>, who combined for 17 points in the loss. St. Timothy’s School 47, Dr. Henry A. Wise 20: St. Timothy’s used a strong start to build a 21-9 lead at the half and a 36-16 lead after the third as Wise struggled to find offensive rhythm down the stretch. The Pumas were outscored 12-3 in the second quarter and 11-4 in the fourth as St. Timothy’s won by nearly 30. Junior <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/jasmine-johnson/"><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/jasmine-johnson/">Jasmine Johnson</a></a> scored 19 and Brianna Rider had 12 to help St. Timothy’s to the sizable win. Senior guard Lauren Price led Wise with 10 points before going down with a knee injury in the second half. John Carroll 57, Aberdeen 28: Senior guard Miranda Dillon connected on five 3-pointers on her way to scoring a game-high 17 points and <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/julia-williams/"><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/julia-williams/">Julia Williams</a></a> totaled 11 points to lead the Patriots to the huge win over Aberdeen. John Carroll forced turnovers and converted on the offensive end to put together a 20-point lead early in the second half. The Eagles’ leading scorer had 16. Friends School of Baltimore 43, Edmondson-Westside 35: Genique Gaither recorded 18 points, Lauren Adams put in 14 points to go with seven crucial second-half rebounds and Maya Carnes added 11 points to lift Friends School to a close win over Edmondson. Friends School was able to contain the Red Storm’s leading scorer late in the game to escape with the win. St. James School 60, Oxon Hill 52: With just over five minutes left in regulation, the Saints led the Clippers 50-42. Oxon Hill guard Aniya Wilson hit a few jumpers to close the deficit, but St. James was able to make the appropriate plays, such as timely free-throw shooting a rebounding, in the final two minutes to eke out the win. Freshman Gabby Grantham-Medley and senior <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/skylar-treadwell/"><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/skylar-treadwell/">Skylar Treadwell</a></a> scored 20 apiece for St. James. For Oxon Hill, Wilson netted a game-high 22 points and Crystal Monteiro poured in 11. Meade 52, Mount De Sales 36: A 21-point performance from Briel Owens and an additional 16 points from Ayanni Brown propelled Meade to a smooth win against Mt. De Sales. Senior Megan Matsko was the only double-digit scorer for Mt. De Sales, finishing with 11. Meade posted a solid enough defensive effort to quell their opponent’s comeback effort in the fourth quarter. Maryvale Prep 51, Forest Park 43: This matchup featured one of the top prospects of the day in <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/claire-neff/"><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/player/claire-neff/">Claire Neff</a></a> of Maryvale. The versatile 6-foot-3 senior did it all -- grabbed boards, led fastbreaks, blocked shots, scored with ease and created shots for her teammates. Neff, a Clemson commit, led the way with 28 points and 15 assists, and the Lions’ superb ball movement and unselfishness powered them to a 51-43 win over a tough Forest Park squad. Taryan Giles recorded nine points and three boards for Maryvale. Though the Foresters were able to cut a 21-16 halftime deficit to one in the third, their comeback rally fell short. Junior Neah Henry was key down the stretch, fueling Forest Park’s offense with 21 points and five rebounds.