BCL News

March 3, 2025

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MOUNT CARMEL CAPTURES 54TH BALTIMORE CATHOLIC LEAGUE TOURNAMENT, PRESENTED BY BROOKS FINANCIAL GROUP

Cougars defeat Mount St. Joseph 58-33

 

 

 

 

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BALTIMORE –  Mount Carmel and Cougars head coach Tony Martin made history in the championship of the 54th annual Baltimore Catholic League Tournament, presented by Brooks Financial Group as the Essex school captured its first BCLT title.

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Top-seeded Mount Carmel (33-4) led wire to wire as the Cougars defeated No. 6 seed Mount St. Joseph (22-17) 53-38 in Loyola University Maryland’s Reitz Arena.

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The Cougars used hot shooting in the first half (13-23; 56.5 percent) to get out to a 30-20 halftime advantage, while Mount St. Joseph shot just 38.5 percent and missed on all nine 3-point attempts in the first two periods.

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The Gaels got as close as eight at 34-26 with 5:19 left in the third period, but the Cougars held a 41-32 advantage as the fourth quarter opened. MSJ scored the first point of the fourth on a free throw to pull to 41-33 with 6:47 to play, and Mount Carmel responded with a 6-0 run over the next 3:34 to put the game away.

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John M. Plevyak Most Valuable Player Mario Tatum finished with nine points and four rebounds for the Cougars. Mount Carmel was led by All-Tournament Team selection Gage Howard, who scored 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Rodney Scott scored six points, and added three rebounds with four assists on the way to All-Tournament honors. Junior Mancho added nine points and five rebounds.

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Mount Carmel’s size advantage resulted in 30 paint points on 15 of 34 shooting in the lane, and the Cougars also held a 38-23 rebounding edge, including 11 on the offensive glass.

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Joseph Green led Mount St. Joseph with 11 points and seven rebounds, while BJ Ranson scored 10 as both were selected to All-Tournament honors.

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The championship for the Cougars completed a season where they won both the BCL’s regular season and tourney titles - both for the first time - to go with the school’s first MIAA A Conference title, a school-record 34 victories and a No. 1 rank in the area and the state. Head coach Tony Martin won his fourth overall BCLT title and he is the first coach in league history to win BCLT titles at three schools (Archbishop Spalding, John Carroll and Mount Carmel).

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John Carroll’s Andrew Clark was also selected to the All-Tournament team, while St. Mary’s James DiBitetto took home the Dan Popera Sportsmanship Award.

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BCL ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM:

John M. Plevyak MVP: Mario Tatum, Mount Carmel

Andrew Clark, John Carroll

Joseph Green, Mount St. Joseph

Gage Howard, Mount Carmel

BJ Ranson, Mount St. Joseph

Rodney Scott, Mount Carmel

Dan Popera Sportsmanship Award: James DiBitetto, St. Mary's

 

POSTGAME NOTES ON MOUNT CARMEL'S VICTORY:

• The Cougars finished their season with a 34-4 record and earned their first BCL Tournament title.

• The 34 victories are most by Mount Carmel in its 14 BCL seasons (Cougars won 32 in 2014-15).

• The Cougars are the 12th BCL team to win 34 or more games in a single season (tied for ninth-most by a BCL school), and the first with 34 or more since St. Frances (34-7) in 2018-19.

• The Cougars improved the record of No. 1 seeds in the BCLT title game to 35-11 (.761).

• Mount Carmel improved their all-time BCLT record to 11-14 (.440).

• Head coach Tony Martin earned his fourth tournament title and his first since 2016 at John Carroll.

• Martin is the first coach with BCLT titles at three different schools (Archbishop Spalding 1999, John Carroll 2011 and 2016, and Mount Carmel 2025).

• Martin is the first coach to take three different schools to their FIRST BCLT title (AS 1999, JC 2011, MC 2025).

• Martin ties BCL Hall of Famers Mike Daniel and Cokey Robertson and St. Frances’ Nick Myles for the fifth-most BCLT titles all-time (four).

• Martin improves his BCLT championship record to 4-2, 2-1 vs. Mount St. Joseph.

• Martin improves his BCL Tournament record to 19-7 (.731) – the highest win percentage among BCL coaches with 20 or more tournament games.

• Mount Carmel improves their BCLT series record against Mount St. Joseph to 2-4 all-time (broke a three-game BCLT losing streak to the Gaels).

• Mount Carmel improves to 1-1 against the Gaels in BCL Tournament championship games.

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February 25, 2025

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54TH BALTIMORE CATHOLIC LEAGUE TOURNAMENT, PRESENTED BY
BROOKS FINANCIAL GROUP SET FOR FEBRUARY 27-28 AND MARCH 2-3

2024-25 BCL regular season champ Mount Carmel leads the eight-team field at Loyola University Maryland

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BALTIMORE – After an eventful 42-game regular season with tremendous individual and team performances that ended with Mount Carmel capturing its first BCL regular-season title, the Baltimore Catholic League schools will gather to play the 54th-annual Baltimore Catholic League Tournament, presented by Brooks Financial Group over four days, starting Thursday, February 27 at Reitz Arena on the campus of Loyola University Maryland. At 54 consecutive years, the BCL Tournament is the current longest-running boys’ postseason tourney in the state.

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Game times for the first round (two games each) on Thursday, February 27 and Friday, February 28 are 6:00 pm and 8:00 pm. The semifinals on Sunday, March 2 are set for 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm. Monday, March 3, the BCL will hold the junior varsity championship game at 6:00 pm, and the 54th BCL Tournament varsity championship game at 8:00 pm.

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Tickets ($20 for adults and $15 for children ages 6-18/high school students) for each day of the tournament are available by clicking the link on the front page of the BCL’s website at BCLBasketball.com or by going directly to BCLBasketball.com/bclt-tickets. Children under six years old receive free admission. Tickets are being sold online ONLY (no cash tickets available at Reitz Arena).

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A tradition in Baltimore since the first tournament at the then-Essex Community College in 1972, the Baltimore Catholic League Tournament features the current seven-team lineup of Archbishop Spalding, Calvert Hall, John Carroll, Loyola, Mount Carmel, Mount St. Joseph, and St. Frances. Associate member St. Mary’s is an invited participant and the No. 8 seed in this year’s tournament. This is the 21st BCL Tournament to be played in whole or in part at Reitz Arena – the most at one location in the event’s history. The 83 games played in Reitz to date are also the most all-time for the tournament.

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Calvert Hall, Loyola and Mount St. Joseph have participated in all 54 seasons and tournaments in the league’s history. St. Frances became a BCL member school in 1988-89. Archbishop Spalding, a 1977 and 1978 invited participant when the school was known as Martin Spalding and a 1997 invitee, became a league member in 1997-98. John Carroll, a 1974 invited participant, became a BCL member in 2010-11. Mount Carmel, a 2011 invited participant, brought the BCL membership back to eight teams when it was added for the 2011-12 season. With the closure of St. Maria Goretti last June, the league was reduced to seven schools, and St. Mary’s was added as associate member and invited tournament participant in 2024-25.

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The winner of the Baltimore Catholic League Tournament receives possession of the Brother D. John Smith, FSC Memorial Trophy, named for the second president of the BCL from 1973-76 who served as the athletic director at Calvert Hall. The BCL Tournament MVP receives the John M. Plevyak Most Valuable Player Award, named for the longtime Mount St. Joseph athletic director who was instrumental in the founding of the current league. The BCL also honors the late Archbishop Curley head coach and BCL Hall of Famer with the Dan Popera Sportsmanship Award.

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The 2025 tournament opens at 6 pm on February 27 when No. 1 seed and BCL regular season champion Mount Carmel (10-2 BCL; 31-4 overall) takes on St. Mary’s (16-14). Mount Carmel looks to win the school’s first tournament title after capturing the Cougars’ first MIAA A Conference title last Saturday over St. Frances. Mount Carmel second-year head coach and 2025 BCL O. Ray Mullis Coach of the Year winner Tony Martin is no stranger to the BCL as he previously coached at Archbishop Spalding and John Carroll, winning three BCLT titles (one with Spalding and two with John Carroll and he would be the first BCL coach with tourney titles at three different schools if the Cougars win the 2025 championship), and he has the second-highest BCLT winning percentage (minimum 20 games – 16-7; .696) in league history. Martin also earned his 500th career coaching victory in 23 seasons over two states (Maryland and North Carolina) earlier this season. St. Mary’s advanced to the MIAA B Conference semifinals last week under eighth-year head coach Trey Quinn. The Saints are five-time B Conference champions, and the school’s BCLT debut marks the ninth time a school is playing as an invited participant in the field, and the first since Mount Carmel in 2011.

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The opening game features Mount Carmel senior guard Rodney Scott, a 2024-25 All-BCL first-team choice, senior guard and second-teamer Mario Tatum and a pair of honorable mention players in junior Gage Howard and junior guard Tristen Wilson. In addition, junior forward Ralph Rudusans was the player of the game in the Cougars’ A Conference title victory last Saturday at UMBC. St. Mary’s is paced by sophomore center James DiBitetto and sophomore guard/forward Noah Cerny.

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The late game Thursday has No. 4 seed John Carroll (5-7 BCL; 17-13 overall) facing No. 5 seed Loyola (5-7 BCL; 18-16 overall). John Carroll looks to win the program’s third tourney title and the first since 2021. John Carroll’s seventh-year head coach Seth Goldberg led the Patriots to a historic three-upset run over the No. 3, No. 2 and No. 1 seeds in the 2021 tournament. Goldberg also picked up his 300th career victory this season. Loyola, under second-year head coach Josh Czerski, looks to win the BCLT for the sixth time and the Dons’ first since 1978. Czerski is one of eight BCL coaches to also have played in the current league (Towson Catholic, 2007). This is the third meeting between the schools in the BCLT and the first since 2020’s first round when the Dons advanced to the semifinals, and the tournament series is tied 1-1. During the regular season, the teams split a pair of meetings as John Carroll won in Bel Air 70-67 on December 6, and Loyola won at home 86-69 on January 15.

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The John Carroll-Loyola game features the 2024-25 BCL Jerry Savage Player of the Year and first-team All-BCL player, Loyola senior guard Mason Ellison. Ellison is joined by a pair of honorable mention Dons – freshman guard Terry Brooks III and junior guard Jesse Legree. John Carroll is led by junior guard and All-BCL first teamer Aidan Able and two honorable mention Patriots – senior guard Caden Chinnia-Falline and junior forward Andrew Clark.

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The first round continues Friday as No. 2 seed and defending BCLT champion St. Frances (9-3 BCL; 28-7 overall) takes to the floor against No. 7 seed Calvert Hall (0-12 BCL; 12-18 overall) at 6 pm. St. Frances 14th-year head coach Nicholas Myles looks to bring the Panthers back-to-back tourney titles since they won three straight championships from 2018-20, and a record-extending 13th overall. St. Frances also was the runner-up to Mount Carmel in last Saturday’s MIAA A final. Myles also holds the highest coaching win percentage in BCLT history (minimum 20 games – 22-9; .710). The Cardinals are coached by David Gately, a 2024 BCL Hall of Fame inductee as a player at Mount St. Joseph (1983) and the eighth former BCL player to coach in the league. This is the 14th meeting between the schools in the BCLT, and St. Frances holds a 9-4 advantage over the Cardinals in the tournament series with the last meeting in the 2022 first round – a Panthers victory. St. Frances won both games in the regular season over the Cards, a 79-49 victory in Towson on January 10 and a 78-46 victory on Chase Street on February 13.

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The St. Frances-Calvert Hall game features two All-BCL first team performers for St. Frances – junior guard Jasiah Cannady and junior forward Trent Egbiremolen and two honorable mention players – sophomore guard Terence Jones III and junior guard Kamauri Lawson. Calvert Hall is led by senior guard and All-BCL honorable mention choice Jonathan Nalty.

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The first round concludes Friday at 8 pm when No. 3 seed Archbishop Spalding (9-3 BCL; 23-8 overall) faces No. 3 seed Mount St. Joseph (4-8 BCL; 20-16 overall). The Cavaliers are led by sixth-year head coach Josh Pratt, who looks to become the second coach in BCL history to win the tourney at two different schools (Towson Catholic, 2007). Spalding also looks to take home the program’s first BCL tourney title since 2002 and the Cavaliers’ fourth overall. Pratt is also three victories shy of 300 for his career in his 16th season overall as a boys’ coach. MSJ is led by the dean of BCL coaches, Pat Clatchey, who is in his BCL-record 33rd season leading the Gaels and in third place all-time among Maryland boys’ high school coaches in victories (848). The Gaels have captured nine BCLT titles (second-most in league history), with their last coming in 2023. This is the 14th BCLT meeting between the Cavaliers and the Gaels, and MSJ leads the all-time BCLT series 10-3. Last year, the Cavs advanced to the title game with a 60-48 semifinal victory over St. Joe. Spalding swept the two regular-season meetings, 69-41 in Severn on January 3, and 59-52 in Irvington on January 31.

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The Archbishop Spalding-Mount St. Joseph game features a pair of 2024-25 BCL Superlative Award winners – Spalding junior guard Colt Busse, who was voted the league’s Cokey Robertson Most Improved Player of the Year, and Mount St. Joseph senior forward Joseph Green, who earned the BCL’s Mark Amatucci Defensive Player of the Year award. Spalding is also led by freshman forward and All-BCL first teamer Braxton Bogard, who is the first freshman to be voted to the first team since St. Frances’ Derik Queen in 2020-21. A pair of junior guards who were All-BCL second teamers also pace the Cavaliers – Kam Carter and TJ Moultrie. Junior guard Elijah Barrett was an All-BCL honorable mention honoree. Joining Green on the BCL’s second team for the Gaels is junior guard BJ Ranson.

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The first-round winners meet in the semifinal round on Sunday, March 2. The winners of the 5/4 and 8/1 games play at 1:00 pm, and the winners of the 6/3 and 7/2 games meet at 3:00 pm. Championship Monday, March 3 has two games on tap. The junior varsity title game is at 6:00 pm, and the 54th BCL varsity tournament championship between the semifinal winners is set for 8:00 pm.

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2025 BALTIMORE CATHOLIC LEAGUE TOURNAMENT,
PRESENTED BY BROOKS FINANCIAL GROUP
(Reitz Arena; Loyola University Maryland)

 

Thursday, February 27

First Round

8 St. Mary’s (16-14 overall) vs. 1 Mount Carmel (31-4 overall; 10-2 BCL) – 6 pm

5 Loyola (18-16 overall; 5-7 BCL) vs. 4 John Carroll (17-13 overall; 5-7 BCL) – 8 pm

 

Friday, February 28

First Round

7 Calvert Hall (12-18 overall; 0-12 BCL) vs. 2 St. Frances (28-7 overall; 9-3 BCL) – 6 pm

6 Mount St. Joseph (20-16 overall; 4-8 BCL) vs. 3 Archbishop Spalding (23-8 overall; 9-3 BCL) – 8 pm

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Sunday, March 2
Semifinals
5/4 winner vs. 8/1 winner – 1:00 pm
6/3 winner vs. 7/2 winner – 3:00 pm

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Monday, March 3
Championship
JV Championship – 6:00 pm
Varsity Championship – 8:00 pm

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February 17, 2024

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LOYOLA’S MASON ELLISON NAMED BALTIMORE CATHOLIC LEAGUE’S
2024-25 PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Mount Carmel’s Tony Martin (Coach of the Year); Mount St. Joseph’s Joseph Green (Defensive POY) and Archbishop Spalding’s Colt Busse (Most Improved POY) honored; All-BCL Teams selected

BALTIMORE – Loyola senior Mason Ellison, who is averaging 20.8 points and 5.0 rebounds per game while shooting 45 percent from the floor and who became the Dons’ all-time career scoring leader this season, is the Baltimore Catholic League’s Jerry Savage Player of the Year Award winner for the 2024-25 season, as voted by the league’s seven head coaches.

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Mount Carmel head coach Tony Martin, who led the Cougars to the school’s first BCL regular season title with a 10-2 league record and a 28-4 overall record (through Feb. 15), is the league’s O. Ray Mullis Coach of the Year recipient.

 

The two other BCL Superlative Awards were earned by Mount St. Joseph senior Joseph Green, who is the Mark Amatucci Defensive Player of the Year, and Archbishop Spalding junior Colt Busse, who is the Cokey Robertson Most Improved Player of the Year.

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Ellison, a first-team All-BCL choice last season and All-BCL honorable mention honoree in 2022-23, is the first Savage Player of the Year winner from Loyola since the award began for the 1988-89 season.

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Martin was named the Mullis Coach of the Year for the first time in his career that includes stops at two other schools (Archbishop Spalding and John Carroll) in his 10 seasons in the BCL. Martin mentored a team that leads the league in overall victories to date, and the 2024-25 regular season title marks the third time he has led a BCL school to either its first league regular season title (John Carroll 2010-11 and Mount Carmel this season) or tournament championship (Archbishop Spalding 1999). Martin is the second Mullis winner from Mount Carmel, joining Tom Rose in 2014-15. The Cougars are the No. 1 seed in the upcoming Baltimore Catholic League Tournament, presented by Brooks Financial Group.

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Green averages 12.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.0 blocks per game for Mount St. Joseph. He is the Gaels’ fifth Amatucci Defensive Player of the Year winner, and the first since Jalen Smith in 2016-17.

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Busse averages 11.0 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists while shooting 40 percent from the floor and 38 percent from 3-point range for Archbishop Spalding. He is the second Cavaliers player to earn the Robertson Most Improved Player of the Year Award, joining Earl Potts Jr., the first Robertson winner in 2011-12.

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The 2024-25 All-BCL first team includes Ellison, Archbishop Spalding freshman Braxton Bogard, St. Frances junior Jasiah Cannady, Mount Carmel senior Rodney Scott, John Carroll junior Aidan Able and St Frances junior Trent Egbiremolen.

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The All-BCL second team consists of Green, Mount St. Joseph junior BJ Ranson, Archbishop Spalding junior Kam Carter, Archbishop Spalding junior TJ Moultrie and Mount Carmel senior Mario Tatum.

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Honorable mention recognition was given to ten players: Elijah Barrett (Archbishop Spalding), Terry Brooks III (Loyola), Caden Chinnia-Falline (John Carroll), Andrew Clark (John Carroll), Gage Howard (Mount Carmel), Terence Jones III (St. Frances), Kamauri Lawson (St. Frances), Jesse Legree (Loyola), Jonathan Nalty (Calvert Hall) and Tristen Wilson (Mount Carmel).

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The BCL also announced the winners of the Dave Kropfelder Never, Never Quit Awards for each school, as selected by their coach. The honorees for 2024-25 are: Eli Busse (Archbishop Spalding), Khairy Garrison (Calvert Hall), Zach Smith (John Carroll), Marlon Williams (Loyola), Ralph Rudusans (Mount Carmel), Shamal Hartgrove (Mount St. Joseph) and Jahshua Lamothe (St. Frances).

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The 54th Baltimore Catholic League Tournament, presented by Brooks Financial Group is set for February 27-28 and March 2-3 at Reitz Arena on the campus of Loyola University Maryland.

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The first round begins Thursday, Feb. 27 with No. 8 seed and invited participant St. Mary’s against No. 1 seed Mount Carmel (10-2 BCL) at 6 pm, and No. 5 seed Loyola (5-7 BCL) faces No. 4 seed John Carroll (5-7 BCL) at 8 pm. Friday, Feb. 28, the first round concludes as No. 7 seed Calvert Hall (0-12 BCL) takes on No. 2 seed St. Frances (9-3 BCL) at 6 pm, and No. 6 seed Mount St. Joseph (4-8 BCL) plays No. 3 seed Archbishop Spalding (9-3 BCL). The semifinal round is Sunday, March 2 with the 5/4 winner playing the 8/1 winner at 1 pm and the 6/3 winner taking on the 7/2 winner at 3 pm. Championship Monday, March 3 has the junior varsity championship at 6 pm, and the 54th varsity championship game at 8 pm. Tickets for each day of the 2025 BCL Tournament along with a limited number of four-day passes are on sale now at bclbasketball.com.

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2024-25 BALTIMORE CATHOLIC LEAGUE ALL-LEAGUE TEAMS

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Jerry Savage Player of the Year Award
Mason Ellison – Loyola – Senior

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FIRST TEAM
Name, School (Class)
Mason Ellison, Loyola (Senior)
Braxton Bogard, Archbishop Spalding (Freshman)
Jasiah Cannady, St. Frances (Junior)
Rodney Scott, Mount Carmel (Senior)
Aidan Able, John Carroll (Junior)
Trent Egbiremolen, St. Frances (Junior)

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SECOND TEAM
Name, School (Class)
Joseph Green, Mount St. Joseph (Senior)
BJ Ranson, Mount St. Joseph (Junior)
Kam Carter, Archbishop Spalding (Junior)
TJ Moultrie, Archbishop Spalding (Junior)
Mario Tatum, Mount Carmel (Senior)

 

Honorable Mention: Elijah Barrett, Archbishop Spalding; Terry Brooks III, Loyola; Caden Chinnia-Falline, John Carroll; Andrew Clark, John Carroll; Gage Howard, Mount Carmel; Terence Jones III, St. Frances; Kamauri Lawson, St. Frances; Jesse Legree, Loyola; Jonathan Nalty, Calvert Hall; Tristen Wilson, Mount Carmel

 

Mark Amatucci Defensive Player of the Year Award
Joseph Green, Mount St. Joseph

 

Cokey Robertson Most Improved Player of the Year Award
Colt Busse, Archbishop Spalding

 

O. Ray Mulls Coach of the Year Award
Tony Martin, Mount Carmel

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Dave Kropfelder Never, Never Quit Awards:​

​Eli Busse, Archbishop Spalding

​Khairy Garrison, Calvert Hall
Zach Smith, John Carroll
Marlon Williams, Loyola
Ralph Rudusans, Mount Carmel
Shamal Hartgrove, Mount St. Joseph
Jahshua Lamothe, St. Frances

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January 29, 2025

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2025 BALTIMORE CATHOLIC LEAGUE TOURNAMENT,
PRESENTED BY BROOKS FINANCIAL GROUP,
SET FOR FEBRUARY 27-28, MARCH 2-3 AT LOYOLA UNIVERSITY MARYLAND

Brooks Financial Group returns as 2025 presenting sponsor

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BALTIMORE - The Baltimore Catholic League will play its 54th-annual BCL Tournament, presented by Brooks Financial Group at Reitz Arena on the campus of Loyola University Maryland on Thursday, February 27, Friday, February 28, Sunday, March 2 and Monday, March 3, 2025, BCL Commissioner Jack Degele announced today.

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Brooks Financial Group, a longtime supporter of the Baltimore Catholic League, returns as the presenting sponsor of the 2025 tournament in the first of a multi-year commitment to the tournament and the BCL’s mission.

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The tournament returns to a familiar setting in 2025, as Reitz Arena plays host for the first time since the 2022 semifinals and championship, and the entire tournament is being played on Loyola’s campus for the first time since 2010. The facility welcomes the tournament for a record 21st time in BCLT history (1986-94, 2005-11, 2013, 2019-20, 2022 and 2025). BCL-record totals of 83 BCLT games and 20 championship games have been played in Reitz Arena to date.

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Game times for the first round (two games each) on Thursday, February 27 and Friday, February 28 are 6:00 pm and 8:00 pm. The semifinals on Sunday, March 2 are set for 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm. Monday, March 3, the BCL will hold the junior varsity championship game at 6:00 pm, and the 54th BCL Tournament varsity championship game at 8:00 pm.

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“The BCL Tournament is a great tradition in Baltimore prep basketball, and we are very happy to make a return to Loyola and Reitz Arena, where so many of our tournament champions have been crowned in a tremendous college arena, said BCL Commissioner Jack Degele. “We strive for our student-athletes to play in the BCL Tournament on a college campus every season, and Reitz Arena provides a great atmosphere for our student-athletes, alumni, fans and sponsors during the entire weekend. We are also proud to announce that Brooks Financial Group is returning as our presenting sponsor as part of a multi-year commitment to our tournament and our mission. It speaks to the quality Catholic education and competition our schools provide to the young men who represent our eight schools. We also thank the athletic administration at Loyola for working with us to bring the tournament back to Reitz Arena in 2025.”

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The Baltimore Catholic League Tournament is the current longest-running boys’ postseason tournament in the State of Maryland going into its 54th edition in 2025. The seven full members of the league (Archbishop Spalding, Calvert Hall, John Carroll, Loyola, Mount Carmel, Mount St. Joseph and St. Frances) will join with associate member and invited tournament participant St. Mary’s (No. 8 seed) in the eight-team field.

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Tickets are on sale now with daily ticket prices ($20 for adults/$15 for children/HS students). A limited supply of four-day tournament passes are also available for $60 for adults. This is a digital ticket event ONLY, and there will be NO cash sales at the door. The ticket sales link will be available January 29 on the front of the league’s website, BCLBasketball.com.

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2025 BALTIMORE CATHOLIC LEAGUE TOURNAMENT
PRESENTED BY BROOKS FINANCIAL GROUP
Reitz Arena; Loyola University Maryland

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Thursday, February 27
First Round
6:00 and 8:00 pm

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Friday, February 28
First Round
6:00 and 8:00 pm

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Sunday, March 2
Semifinals
1:00 and 3:00 pm

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Monday, March 3
Championship
JV Championship: 6:00 pm; Varsity Championship: 8:00 pm

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June 26, 2024

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FORMER BCL STAR CARLTON CARRINGTON III SELECTED NO. 14 BY PORTLAND IN 2024 NBA DRAFT

Carrington is second St. Frances and 16th BCL player chosen all-time

BALTIMORE – Former St. Frances star Carlton Carrington III, a two-time All-BCL player in 2021-22 and 2022-23, was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers at No. 14 overall in the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft, held in Brooklyn, N.Y.

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Carrington's draft rights were then traded to the Washington Wizards in a draft-day trade that is yet to be officially completed.

 

Carrington, who played one year collegiately at Pitt and was a 2023-24 ACC All-Rookie Team selection, is the 16th BCL-affiliated player to be chosen in the NBA Draft since the league's founding for the 1971-72 season. He is also the BCL's ninth first-round pick all-time, and the fourth first rounder for the league in the past five NBA Drafts (2020-24).

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Carrington was a  second-team All-BCL player as a junior in 2021-22 and a first-team All-BCL performer as a senior in 2022-23 after transferring to St. Frances from McDonogh. He was selected to the 2023 BCL All-Tournament Team and was also selected All-Tournament at the Alhambra National Catholic Invitational Tournament in 2022.

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Carrington is the second NBA selection from St. Frances as Mark Karcher was selected by the 76ers in the second round at No. 48 overall in 2000. Carrington looks to join four other current BCL alumni who played in the NBA this past season - Damion Lee (Utah Jazz; Calvert Hall), Immanuel Quickley (New York Knicks; John Carroll) , Jalen Smith (Indiana Pacers; Mount St. Joseph) and Cam Whitmore (Houston Rockets; Archbishop Spalding).

 

The BCL has had at least one player selected in each of the last five decades (1980s-2020s).

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The full BCL in the NBA history is available by clicking here.

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May 7, 2024

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BALTIMORE CATHOLIC LEAGUE TO HONOR 2024 HALL OF FAME CLASS ON JUNE 20

Ceremony at Turf Valley Resort; Arkansas head coach John Calipari is guest speaker; Tickets/tables on sale via BCLBasketball.com

BALTIMORE – The Baltimore Catholic League will honor 10 former greats as they are inducted into the BCL Hall of Fame on June 20 during a banquet at Turf Valley Resort in Ellicott City (2700 Turf Valley Road, Ellicott City).

 

Doors at Turf Valley Resort will open at 6 pm for the event, and there will be an open bar before the banquet begins at 7 pm. Individual tickets ($125) and tables of 10 ($1100) are available by clicking the link on the front of BCLBasketball.com.

 

The 2024 BCL Hall of Fame Class includes: Will Bowers – Archbishop Spalding (2003), Chris Clunie – Loyola (2002), Tim Coles – Cardinal Gibbons (1982), Bobby Connor – Mount St. Joseph (1967), Malcolm Delaney – Towson Catholic (2007), Mark Kauffman – Calvert Hall (1982), James Martin – Administrator – St. Maria Goretti, John Miller – Mount St. Joseph (1986), Sean Mosley – St. Frances (2008) and Immanuel Quickley – John Carroll (2018).

 

Arkansas head coach John Calipari, who coached Quickley during his time at the University of Kentucky, will be the keynote speaker at the event.

 

Sponsorship opportunities are also available for the 2024 BCL Hall of Fame banquet. For more information, contact Mark Rohde via email at mrohde1@comcast.net or 410-963-0534.

 

The seventh BCL Hall of Fame class of 10 inductees joins 72 previous honorees who were enshrined in 2011, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2023.

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April 18, 2024

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ST. MARY’S HIGH SCHOOL ACCEPTS BCL

ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP INVITATION

Five-time conference champ Saints to play in the 2025 BCL Tournament
BCL to play as seven-team league during 2024-25 regular season

BALTIMORE – Annapolis’ St. Mary’s High School has accepted an invitation from the Baltimore Catholic League to become an associate member of the BCL for the 2024-25 season, beginning July 1, 2024.

 

The Saints, five-time MIAA B Conference champions (2003, 2007, 2009, 2022, 2023), will participate in the 2025 Baltimore Catholic League tournament as the No. 8 seed. This is the ninth time the BCL has invited a school outside of the league to participate in the BCL Tournament, joining John Carroll (1974), Archbishop Spalding (1977, 1978, 1997), St. Maria Goretti (1983, 1984), Archbishop Curley (1994) and Mount Carmel (2011). John Carroll, Archbishop Spalding, St. Maria Goretti and Mount Carmel eventually all became full BCL members, while Archbishop Curley was a former league member that played in the tournament the year after withdrawing from the BCL.

 

For the 2024-25 regular season, St. Mary’s will continue to compete in the MIAA B Conference. Seven schools (Archbishop Spalding, Calvert Hall, John Carroll, Loyola, Mount Carmel, Mount St. Joseph and St. Frances) will comprise the BCL for its 54th season of play in 2024-25, as the league will play its traditional double round-robin schedule. The BCL was reduced to seven full members with the upcoming closure of St. Maria Goretti in Hagerstown after 70 years of operation and 40 seasons in the BCL.

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The Saints have had a lot of success in boys’ basketball in recent years, as head coach Trey Quinn, a St. Mary’s alum, has led the Saints to a 98-82 overall record in seven seasons, including a 51-1 mark in MIAA B Conference games and a 64-18 overall record from 2020-23 with back-to-back B titles in 2022 and 2023. The Saints were ranked 10th in the final Top 15 poll in 2022 and 11th in the final Top 15 poll in 2023 by the Baltimore Sun. As a player at St. Mary’s, Quinn was a part of two MIAA B title teams in 2007 and 2009.

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Located along Spa Creek and just a few steps away from City Dock in Historic Annapolis, St. Mary’s School and St. Mary’s High School have a long tradition as a parish school founded in 1862 by the Redemptorists and the School Sisters of Notre Dame, and the school serves students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. The campus features the spectacular St. Mary’s Church as well as the historic home and gardens of Charles Carroll, the only Catholic signer of the Declaration of Independence. St. Mary’s features a strong Catholic identity and spiritual formation, outstanding athletics, superb artistic production and performing arts, and rigorous academic preparation.  Students are guided in innovative programs that prepare them for the 21st century in STEM, environmental studies, cybersecurity, dual enrollment with Notre Dame of Maryland University and robust service and outreach, in step with the charism of the Redemptorist order. St. Mary’s sponsors 15 sports for boys and girls, and over 425 student-athletes and 80 coaches participate on 36 athletic teams.

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“Accepting the invitation from the Baltimore Catholic League to become an associate member of the league is a tremendous positive step for St. Mary's, as an institution and as an athletic program,” said St. Mary’s school president Dr. Andrew Moore. “As a school that is on the rise in so many ways, being associated with the premier high school basketball conference in the nation comes at the perfect time for us here in Annapolis.”

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“St. Mary’s brings a tradition of Catholic School excellence in the classrooms and on the basketball court, and the Baltimore Catholic League is thrilled to add them as an associate member,” said BCL Commissioner Jack Degele. “We are impressed with the school’s growth and success in recent years, and behind the strong commitment of the school administration and athletic department, the basketball program under Trey Quinn has made great strides forward. We look forward to seeing the Saints compete for the 2025 BCL Tournament title.”