Mount Carmel's Historic Basketball Victory Highlights Championship Saturday in the MIAA

Severn and Saints Peter & Paul each win their second straight title, in the B and C Conferences, respectively

Mount Carmel junior Ralph Rudusans (21) had arguably his best game of the season Saturday. The 6-foot-6 forward had a team-high 17 points as the Cougars won their first MIAA A Conference basketball crown with a 55-50 decision over St. Frances Academy. / Derek Toney

It was arguably the best week in the history of Our Lady of Mount Carmel boys basketball. The Cougars won the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference title with a 55-50 victory over St. Frances Academy at Chesapeake Employees Insurance Arena on the campus of the University of Maryland-Baltimore County (UMBC) Saturday.

The Cougars (31-4 overall), ranked No. 2 in High School On SI's Maryland Top 25, held off a late St. Frances rally to win their first A Conference title. The Essex (Md.) school, in its 14th season as an A Conference member (previously was in B), lost in the 2022 and 2015 final.

Ralph Rudusans, a 6-foot-6 forward, scored 17 points and was the championship game’s Most Valuable Player. Junior Mancho, a 6-9 sophomore center, added 11 points, seven rebounds and three steals.

The Cougars built a 11-point in the fourth quarter against No. 4 St. Frances (28-7), which pulled within 52-50 with 64 seconds left in regulation. The Cougars defeated No. 5 Archbishop Spalding (64-62 in semifinals) and No. 13 John Carroll School (60-53 in quarterfinals) earlier in the week.

Monday, Mount Carmel coach Tony Martin was named the Baltimore Catholic League Coach of the Year for the first time. With Saturday’s victory, he became the first coach to win a MIAA title at three schools (Spalding and John Carroll).

The Cougars, who will be the No. 1 seed for the Baltimore Catholic League Tournament which starts Thursday, are in position to claim the No. 1 spot in the state poll after No. 1 DeMatha Catholic’s home loss to No. 14 Bishop McNamara in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference tourney quarterfinals.

Severn School and Saints Peter & Paul continued their reigns Saturday. Severn (20-5) defeated St. Paul’s School (20-10), 51-42, in the B final. Saints Peter & Paul (19-4) claimed their second C title with a 60-50 win over Key School (11-9). 

Here are the all-tournament teams as selected by Derek Toney

A CONFERENCE

Most Outstanding Player - Mario Tatum, Our Lady of Mount, Sr., guard

Tatum was clutch as the Cougars won their first MIAA A Conference, the 6-2 senior guard hit two free throws with 35.8 seconds left in regulation in the title game win over St. Frances and scored 11 of his 15 points in the fourth in a 64-62 semifinal decision over Archbishop Spalding. He had 14 points in the quarterfinals. 

All-tournament team

Braxton Bogard, Archbishop Spalding, Fr., center/forward

Jasiah Cannady, St. Frances Academy, Jr., guard

Patrick Curtin, Glenelg Country School, Sr., guard

Trent Egbiremolen, St. Frances Academy, Jr., guard

Ralph Rudusans, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Jr., forward

B CONFERENCE

Most Outstanding Player - Jacob Randall, Severn School

Randall was efficient on both ends as Severn won its second straight championship following.a 30-year drought. The 6-foot-3 senior guard/forward overcame two early fouls to post 15 points, five rebounds and a block. Randall, who had 11 points in the Admirals’ semifinal win over St. Mary’s, is committed to the University of Chicago.

Severn School’s Jacob Randall (2) after Saturday’s MIAA B Conference basketball title game. The University of Chicago commit had 15 points as Severn repeated as champions. / Derek Toney

All-tournament team

Elijah Croskey, Annapolis Area Christian School, Sr., guard 

Daniel Growney, Severn School, Sr., guard

Sean Harvey, Severn School, Jr., guard 

Tyler Tillman, St. Mary’s, Sr., guard

Cahron Wheeler, St. Paul’s School, So., forward

C CONFERENCE

Most Outstanding Player - Garett Hemingway, Saints Peter & Paul

Hemingway capped his four-year varsity career in the style as the Sabers repeated as C champions. The 6-foot-3 guard/forward had 29 points, five rebounds and five steals in the title game victory over Key School. He had 37 in the semifinals against Beth Tfiloh, becoming the first player in program history to reach 2,000 career points.

Garett Hemingway put an exclamation point on his varsity career at Saints Peter & Paul Saturday. The senior who became the program’s first 2,000-point scorer earlier in the week, had a game-high 29 points as the Sabers won a second straight MIAA C Conference basketball crown. / Derek Toney

All-tournament team

J’Cobi Woodson Cristo Rey Jesuit, Jr., guard/forward

Angus Lunt-Woodward, Key School, Sr., forward

J.J. Rankin, Saints Peter & Paul, Jr., guard

Rafi Samuel, Beth Tfiloh, Jr., guard

Anja Yette, Key School, So., guard