It’s win or go home time on the Maryland hardwood.
The boys programs at North Hagerstown and Tuscarora both believe they have the goods to make a postseason run, but only one of those squads will be moving on when they meet on Friday in the Class 3A West I Region Quarterfinals. We’ve selected this contest as our Game of the Week.
The fourth-seeded Hubs have had their ups and downs this season, but enter the playoffs on a winning streak and under the leadership of two top-shelf scorers in Brayden Cespedes and Joey Dorsey, two players who are each scoring more than 20 points a night. The No. 5 Titans, however, already own a win over North Hagerstown this season and won’t go down without a fight.
Expect an evenly-matched battle when these two high-powered squads lock horns to open the postseason.
In the weeks and months to come throughout the high school sports season, we plan on spotlighting multiple teams and sports with our Game of the Week. Any big upcoming contests we should know about? Send suggestions to Andy Sandrik via email at [email protected].
Class 3A West I Region Quarterfinals
Tuscarora at North Hagerstown
Tip-off: Friday, 6 p.m., at North Hagerstown
Records: The Titans are 12-11, while the Hubs check in at 12-8.
Last game: Tuscarora wrapped up its regular season with a 72-57 win over Westminster, while North Hagerstown is coming off a 74-69 victory over Urbana.
Last meeting: The teams have already met twice this season, with the Hubs winning the first game, 65-58, and the Titans claiming victory in the second meeting by a 75-50 score.
What’s at stake: The winner advances to the Class 3A West I Region Semifinals, while the season ends for the loser.
Meet the Titans: Coach Lasan Scott’s No. 5-seeded Tuscarora squad will be aiming to deliver a knockout blow to North Hagerstown for the second time this season … The Titans will be attempting to do so with an offense that is averaging 59.3 points per game, and a defense that is allowing 57.6 per night … Mitchell Curtis, a 5-foot-9 point guard, runs the show for the Titans alongside fellow senior shooting guard Zack Byrd. Standing at 6-foot-1, Byrd is a hustle player and a sharp shooter … Byrd is one of many capable shooters on the Tuscarora roster. Kazeem Alabi (PG/SG), Enoch Adeyemi (6-0, 139, PG/SG), Stuart White (6-0, SF), and Kaiden Bunn (5-11, PG/SG) are all threats from 3-point land … The Titans will be crashing the boards with a tall group that includes Sam Cooper (6-3, PF), Cooper Henderson (6-0, 145, SG), Myles Frailey (6-4, PF), and Jayden Bowens (6-2, 170, PF) … Tuscarora limps into the postseason with three losses over its last five games.
Meet the Hubs: It’s been a rollercoaster kind of season for coach Kevin Naylor’s squad, which navigated this winter with a new-look lineup following the graduation of eight seniors … The Hubs got off to an 8-1 start this season, but were soon reeling with seven losses over their next eight games. North Hagerstown has regrouped from the rugged patch, and enters the postseason on a three-game winning streak … Matching the success of last year’s squad, which marched all the way to the state quarterfinals, will not be easy, but the Hubs will try to get the job done with an offense that’s averaging 68.8 points per game … North Hagerstown is led by two players averaging 20-plus points per night: Brayden Cespedes and Joey Dorsey … Cespedes, a 5-foot-10 junior guard, leads the Local.News1 coverage area in scoring (22.4), while also notching solid averages in rebounds (5.9 rpg), assists (3.7 apg), and steals (2.9 spg) … Dorsey is no slouch, either, as the 6-foot-3 senior guard is averaging 22.0 points per game, to go along with 7.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists per night … North Hagerstown’s third option, Ja’Ron Nicholson, would be a No. 1 on other rosters. A 6-foot-2 sophomore guard, Nicholson is solid contributor in both scoring (11.9 ppg) and rebounding (4.8 rpg) … A 5-foot-10 guard, Tristan Redick, is a sharp shooter averaging 7.5 points per game, and he leads a supporting cast that includes Michael Bell (5.4 ppg), Brock Lapole (3.6 ppg), Ty’Qwell Fauntleroy (2.6 ppg), and Trenten Ciucci (2.3 ppg).
Sandrik’s pick: Hubs by 4.
