MPSSAA State Tournament: Montgomery County Contenders

The MPSSAA State Tournament tips off in first-round fashion tomorrow as public school programs from around the state begin their journey to a potential state title. For those who are unaware, the classifications are broken up into 1A, 2A, 3A and 4A.   For this series, we'll rank the contenders in each county as the sprint to UMBC begins!   Be sure to check out the <a href="http://the%20mpssaa%20state%20tournament%20tips%20off%20in%20first-round%20fashion%20tomorrow%20as%20public%20school%20programs%20from%20around%20the%20state%20begin%20their%20journey%20to%20a%20potential%20state%20title.%20for%20those%20who%20are%20unaware,%20the%20classifications%20are%20broken%20up%20into%201a,%202a,%203a%20and%204a.%20%20for%20this%20series,%20we'll%20rank%20the%20contenders%20in%20each%20county%20as%20the%20sprint%20to%20umbc%20begins!/">Howard County contenders here.</a>   For <a href="https://prephoops.com/2026/02/mpssaa-state-tournament-baltimore-county-contenders/">Baltimore County, click here.</a>   For <a href="https://prephoops.com/2026/02/mpssaa-state-tournament-baltimore-city-contenders/">Baltimore City, click here.</a>   For <a href="https://prephoops.com/2026/02/mpssaa-state-tournament-anne-arundel-county-contenders/">Anne Arundel County, click here.</a>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">1. Blake</h2>   Class 4A   This year's Montgomery County champs enter state tournament play as one of true favorites in Class 4A to hoist the trophy at UMBC. What's made this season even more impressive is the fact that head coach Brandon Howell's group has put together a 20-3 overall record without the services of Maryland commit Baba Oladotun. The committee of 2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2148722' first='Tahj' last='Martin'], 2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2252282' first='Eli' last='Konkler'], 2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2746662' first='Christian' last='Kennard'], 2026 [player_tooltip player_id='2252255' first='Armani' last='Fowlkes'] and 2026 Abder Ouattara have passed nearly any test put in front of them thus far and will look to put a bow on their high school careers by achieving their ultimate goal of a state title. The Bengals received a first-round bye, but will get things tipped off tonight in a matchup against Springbrook.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">2. Whitman</h2>   Class 4A   Head coach Chris Lun looks to lead his group back to the state title game and avenge last year's loss as the Vikings boast a balanced, experience roster. The attack begins with 2027 Max Williams, who controls the tempo and offense as a dynamic lead guard that can score or distribute in a variety of ways. 2026 Will Shaprio does all of the little things that impacts winning at a state championship level while fellow senior [player_tooltip player_id='2886343' first='Bobby' last='Zedak'] provides valuable floor-spacing with a lethal outside shot. 2026 [player_tooltip player_id='3526647' first='Rowan' last='Conroy'] and 2028 Max Walton provide the paint presence and toughness inside as 2029 [player_tooltip player_id='3072057' first='Rowan' last='O'Brien'] can be a sparkplug with range whether he's starting or coming off the bench. Whitman received a first-round bye and will host Winston Churchill in a contest this evening with a trip to the Sweet 16 on the line.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">3. Magruder</h2>   Class 3A   The Colonels came up short in the county title game against Blake, but have put together one of the strongest resumes entering into their 3A West II region semifinal matchup against Rockville this evening. 2026 Jonah Wertlieb is the bell cow as the senior guard is averaging over 14 points per game and converting 46 percent of his three's on a high volume of attempts. 2027 guard [player_tooltip player_id='2889335' first='Zeke' last='Dabbondanza'] has emerged as one of the better juniors in MoCo and is putting together an impressive junior campaign on both ends of the floor averaging over 12 points and more than three steals per contest. The support of 2028 trio that includes Nate Wilson, [player_tooltip player_id='3101750' first='Alan' last='Burt'] and Steven Magnon will be critical if they are able to advance past the Sweet 16 round. Magruder is a team that executes at a high level and as long as they can control games to be played at their pace, they'll be a great spot to contend for a 3A state title.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">4. Poolesville</h2>   Class 2A   The MoCo field of teams runs deep and Poolesville is among the upper echelon while putting together a rather quiet, but successful 18-4 season while head coach BJ DeBuchananne took home Coach of the Year honors for the county. They're led by senior guard Emmanuel Chukwurah, who was named county Defensive Player of the Year while boasting 12 points, five rebounds and 4.5 stocks (steals + blocks) per game. The frontcourt senior duo of Jordan Smith and Armaan Jain also are critical pieces to their potential championship puzzle as they open their tournament play after a first-round bye against Century tonight.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">5. John F. Kennedy</h2>   Class 4A   The Cavaliers head into a tough route to a potential state championship run with one of the second-round matchups against Richard Montgomery. Fortunately for JFK, they have the reigning MoCo Player of the Year in 2027 [player_tooltip player_id='2639997' first='Gabe' last='Colston'] to fuel their offense behind his 25-point per game average. 2026 point guard [player_tooltip player_id='2540467' first='Bryce' last='Freeman'] will be at the controls and has shown his worth averaging over six assists per game while 2026 forward [player_tooltip player_id='3453608' first='Mike' last='Wright'] provides the size, versatility and athleticism needed in order to make a run in the frontcourt. Add in the production they've received from 2028 Max Joshua and you have a team that, while facing a tough path, could realistically make a run in a loaded Class 4A field.

The MPSSAA State Tournament tips off in first-round fashion tomorrow as public school programs from around the state begin their journey to a potential state title. For those who are unaware, the classifications are broken up into 1A, 2A, 3A and 4A.