A 3-Team Race for the BCL Crown is Underway

We're officially in the final week of regular season play in the Baltimore Catholic League and the standings are shaping out to be a three-team race between St. Maria Goretti, Mount St. Joe and St. Frances. For this article, we'll look each team's remaining league schedule, how they've found success thus far and players that have stood out along the way.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-medium"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/02/Caleb-Embeya.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/02/Caleb-Embeya.jpg?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-1790746" /></a></figure>   St. Maria Goretti 24-4 (12-1)   Goretti sits at the top of the standings right now with just one game remaining in league play. There's a game this weekend that could hold weight in how important their last game will be, which happens to come against Mount St. Joe on Wednesday Feb. 15. Goretti defeated MSJ in Hagerstown earlier this season and have leaned on their trio of 2023 [player_tooltip player_id='1219865' first='Dionte' last='Alexander'], 2023 [player_tooltip player_id='1573248' first='Najeh' last='Allen'] and 2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1400499' first='Caleb' last='Embeya'] to find themselves in control of their own destiny. Their one league loss occurred at St. Frances earlier this season, but the Gaels redeemed themselves with a home victory a few weeks back. Goretti has three games remaining on their regular season schedule, but their focus on making the trip down to Irvington and defeat Mount St. Joe for a second time this season should be their main focus. Earning the No. 1 seed in postseason play would hold many advantages for them. One being the drive that their opponent would have to make for the quarterfinal game that always seems to play a factor. Secondly, senior-laden rotations always shine the brightest in postseason play. Lastly, it would mean they avoid playing Mount St. Joe or St. Frances until the championship game.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-medium"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/IMG_5079.jpeg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/06/IMG_5079.jpeg?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-1496898" /></a></figure>   Mount St. Joseph 29-3 (10-1)   Mount St. Joe has four league games remaining on the docket. They'll face off against St. Vincent Pallotti tomorrow evening, a massive matchup at home against St. Frances on Sunday afternoon, the meeting versus Goretti next Wednesday and finishing things off against Archbishop Spalding next Friday. Winning out should mean being rewarded with the No. 1 seed in bracket play, but the journey will not be easy especially in the meetings with Goretti and St. Frances. The benefit for MSJ is that they are hosting both games. Head coach Pat Clatchey, who recently won his 782nd game moving him up to No. 3 on Maryland's all-time win list, has Illinois commit [player_tooltip player_id='957018' first='Amani' last='Hansberry'], future UMBC point guard [player_tooltip player_id='1049863' first='Ace' last='Valentine'], Stonehill commit [player_tooltip player_id='957059' first='Austin' last='Abrams'] and 2024 forward [player_tooltip player_id='1280947' first='Tyonne' last='Farrell'] to lead the attack. All four played major roles on last year's team who swept the MIAA and BCL crowns. Best believe that it will be their expectation to do both again this season. This team has a unique blend of experience and toughness that mean everything in postseason play. It'll come down to which role player steps up and remains consistent for them. 2024 [player_tooltip player_id='1369642' first='DJ' last='Wingfield'] is coming off a productive night in their win over Glenelg Country. If he can keep it up, we may see him emerge as an important piece for a title run.   <figure class="wp-block-image size-medium is-resized"><a href="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/11/IMG-0734-scaled.jpg"><img src="https://prephoops.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/11/IMG-0734-scaled.jpg?w=300" alt="" class="wp-image-1662711" width="300" height="225" /></a></figure>   St. Frances 22-9 (9-2)   The Panthers are in a position as a team who has nothing to lose, which often times leads to being the most dangerous for opponents. Their final three league games come against Boys' Latin tomorrow night, Sunday at Mount St. Joe and rounding out the season with a trip to Loyola on Wednesday. Pittsburgh commit [player_tooltip player_id='1114066' first='Carlton' last='Carrington'] has made himself into one of the most electric scorers on a national level. He's a legitimate three-level scorer who demoralizes his defender by hitting heavily contested jumpers in the mid-range or in pull-up scenarios from three. When you have a scorer who is capable of scoring 30 or more on any given night, you'll always have a chance to win. Maryland commit [player_tooltip player_id='957025' first='Jahnathan' last='Lamothe'] has prided himself this season on being a triple-double threat and makes up for the lack of size throughout the roster by hitting the boards with consistency. Lamothe can also make his impact with deep range shooting and his vision off the bounce. 2025 [player_tooltip player_id='1370503' first='Tyler' last='Jackson'] is another electric scoring guard that head coach Nick Myles lets cook. There's plenty of craft that goes into Jackson's approach and like Carrington, he's capable of putting up big numbers in the scoring column. If St. Frances can win at Mount St. Joe this Sunday, it'll make the argument for No. 1 very interesting, but it can all be shaken up once again if Mount St. Joe can defeat Goretti on Wednesday.

We're officially in the final week of regular season play in the Baltimore Catholic League and the standings are shaping out to be a three-team race between St. Maria Goretti, Mount St. Joe and St. Frances. For this article, we'll look each team's remaining league schedule, how they've found success thus far and players that have stood out along the way.