Governor's Challenge: Wednesday Notebook

Today was the first that I made my way down to Salisbury, MD for the Governor's Challenge and it didn't take long for me to realize this will be a great place to take in action the next couple of days. For this article, I'll break down in notebook form the games from the afternoon.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-medium"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/IMG-1357.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/IMG-1357.jpg?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-1719338" /></a></figure>   Parkville vs Largo   I started my day with a battle between two of the more entertaining public schools you'll find in the state. Parkville has become a routine contender in the 4A class while Largo competes in the 2A class, but boasts one of the top 2025 prospects in the region in [player_tooltip player_id='1371867' first='Cameron' last='Ward']. Parkville would go on to win this contest by a final score of 60-51. 2023 [player_tooltip player_id='1573230' first='Favor' last='Okigweh'] put together a great overall performance leading the way with 12 points, nine rebounds and multiple blocks. Despite a full stat line, it didn't depict just how impactful he was. The 6'5 senior set effective ball screens to help free himself on rolls to the rim, made timely weakside rotations for swats to protect the basket and closed down possessions with strong rebounds.   2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1127304' first='Sincere' last='Barfield'] followed Okigweh with 12 points of his own while hauling in five rebounds. When the 5'11 guard gets started hitting a shot from outside like he did today to demand his defender's respect, it opens up driving opportunities where his quick first step and athleticism come to light. He was exciting in transition where he finished in a variety of ways and continued to put pressure on the opposition by anticipating in the passing lanes to cause deflections. Barfield's backcourt mate, [player_tooltip player_id='1579098' first='Josiah' last='Legree'], came up clutch in the final 3-to-4 minutes with a handful of plays. He started by pinning a layup off the glass that caught the gym's attention. On the ensuing possession he buried a three to give the Knights some breathing room. He followed that make up with a strong and crafty finish at the rim and halted any momentum that Largo thought they had gained.   <figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-medium"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/IMG-1355.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/IMG-1355.jpg?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-1719341" /></a></figure>   2025 Cam Ward led the attack for Largo finishing with a double-double of 19 points and 11 rebounds. He was the one making everything happen for the Lions whether he was getting into the paint and finishing or showing his vision by locating open shooters around the perimeter. Ward fouled out of his game with three minutes left, but left his fingerprints all over this one. 2026 point guard Christian Ware followed Ward with 10 points and made sure to push the tempo any chance he could. Though it played more into Parkville's game plan, Ware made a handful of nice finds while in transition. He also had a couple of good reads in the half court due to his awareness and willingness to keep his eyes up at all times.   New Town vs Linden   It was my first time getting eyes on New Town this season and from the opening tip, it looked as if this Linden team was going to give them a run. However, once 2023 [player_tooltip player_id='1219876' first='Cameron' last='Sparrow'] settled in, that narrative changed completely and he went onto lead his team to a 72-54 win. The 6'4 senior scored 28 points, grabbed six rebounds and dished out four assists in the effort. Sparrow brought great energy to both ends and really showcased his scoring ability from multiple levels. He took pride in his defense was pursued rebounds out of his area from start to finish.   2025 Justus Stanton is a point guard who brings a calming presence to the floor. Not only can he orchestrate in a half court setting, but he's also a threat from well beyond the arc. He scored 18 points in the win, nine of which came from three. Stanton also showed awareness of valuing every possession with his decision-making.   2023 Jaylan Hodge had the hot hand for Linden from the beginning and it continued throughout. He knocked down five triples despite coming up short and finished with 17 points. The 6'2 guard got into his shot cleanly with good footwork and a fluid rhythm. His senior backcourt teammate, Naz Robinson started finding a groove later in the game, but at that point New Town already had a strong grasp on the outcome. 2026 forward Jekhi Burnam was the most intriguing prospect on the roster in my opinion. The 6'5 freshman had good size, length and played with a confidence that you'd like to see in a young forward. He knocked down two three's off the catch to show some indication of future versatility and brought a sense of pride to his defensive outing.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-medium"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/IMG-1375.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/IMG-1375.jpg?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-1719342" /></a></figure>   Mount Carmel vs St. Stephen's St. Agnes   In a battle between MD and VA privates schools, Mount Carmel represented the BCL and MIAA well with a 64-51 win. Mount Carmel has a deep roster of guards and 2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1127307' first='Andrew' last='Dixon'] and 2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1370512' first='Mario' last='Tatum'] were the leaders in this contest. Both finished with 17 points each. Dixon did his damage as he usually does by getting into the paint at will and finishing with floaters, tough fall aways and a variety of layups that often times leave his defender wondering how they didn't block it. Tatum is a threat from three with any clean look and SSSA was aware of that. The sophomore used his gravity to his advantage by attacking closeouts where he drew contact by the rim to earn visits to the charity stripe. Tatum was a perfect 8-of-8 from the line.   2023 Omarion Red held it down as usual in the painted area for the Cougars as the senior big scored 13 points and collected seven boards in the win. None of his buckets were bigger than the two-handed slam over a contesting defender that Reid finished after catching a drop-off pass.   SSSA has a mix of seniors and underclassmen and to this point, it looks as if there is a struggle with established roles. 2025 Riley Jacobs is still very much a developing prospect, but the 6'8 sophomore had a performance that could help boost his confidence leading the way with nine points and seven rebounds. 2023 Jack Murphy followed with eight points and 2025 Aidan Argabright scored seven and pulled in eight rebounds from the guard slot. Overall, turnovers hindered SSSA's hopes of putting together any sort of comeback effort in this one.

Today was the first that I made my way down to Salisbury, MD for the Governor's Challenge and it didn't take long for me to realize this will be a great place to take in action the next couple of days. For this article, I'll break down in notebook form the games from the afternoon.