Mount Carmel Secures Historic Baltimore Catholic League Title, Cements Status as a Maryland Powerhouse

The Cougars dominate Mount St. Joseph to win their first-ever BCL Tournament championship, completing a historic season with a sweep of the league’s top honors

Our Lady of Mount Carmel boys basketball completed its finest season Monday evening. The Cougars, ranked No. 1 in High School On SI's Maryland state Top 25, won their first Baltimore Catholic League Tournament title with a 53-38 victory over Mount St. Joseph at Loyola University’s Reitz Arena. / Derek Toney

Baltimore, Md. - Twelve years ago, Our Lady of Mount Carmel pulled off the biggest upset in Baltimore Catholic League Tournament history. 

Monday evening, the Cougars made history again. Mount Carmel defeated Mount St. Joseph, , to win the 54th Baltimore Catholic League Tournament title at Loyola University’s Reitz Arena.

The Cougars (34-4 overall), ranked No. 1 in the latest High Schools on SI Maryland Top 25, led wire-to-wire, to claim their first BCL Tournament championship.

Here are some takeaways from Monday’s title game

Gabe Howard set the tone for Mount Carmel

Steady in the Cougars’ first two tournament matches, Howard had his best overall effort Monday. The 6-foot-8 junior forward had a team-high 14 points and seven rebounds.

Howard scored the first two baskets for Mount Carmel, finishing the opening quarter with eight points and two rebounds. In the third quarter, he blocked Aaron Early’s shot and finished on the other end, giving the Cougars a 13-point advantage.

Howard said Mount Carmel coach Tony Martin wanted him to have an impact Monday.

“He (Martin) said come out with energy and start strong…they just kept giving me the ball,” said Howard. “Coach really wanted to us to attack the basket, really get downhill and get them in foul trouble.”

Howard started his high school career at St. Frances Academy, then played his sophomore year at City College. He transferred to Mount Carmel during the offseason.

Howard said he’s found his comfort zone at Mount Carmel.

“The coaching staff and the players, it’s really a community,” said Howard, who shot seven-of-12 in a team-best 27 minutes. “Coach Tony started to really trust me and let me make plays.”

The Cougars were locked in Monday

After building a double-digit lead early in the semifinals against John Carroll School Sunday, Mount Carmel was sproadic the rest of the match. It wasn’t the case Monday. 

The Cougars, in their biggest game in program’s history, were relentless from the opening tip Monday, especially on the defensive end. Mount Carmel held Mount St. Joseph to 33-percent shooting (16-of-48) and out-rebounded the Gaels, 48-33.

“We wanted to make sure they felt us all times,” said Mount Carmel coach Tony Martin.

Mario Tatum claims tournament Most Valuable Player honors for Mount Carmel

Tatum, a four-year varsity player, became the first Mount Carmel player to receive the John M. Plevyak as the BCL Tournament’s MVP. The 6-foot-2 guard totaled 33 points, six rebounds, four steals and two assists in three games.

Tatum, who had nine points and four rebounds Monday, said the Cougars put winning above individual accolades.

“This is the best team I’ve ever been a part of, for sure,” Tatum said. “Everybody wants to see each other win and that’s really what matters most and we got it done. We just play together and that’s what it’s been all about all year.”

Joining Tatum on the all-tournament was teammate Rodney Scott, John Carroll’s Andrew Clark and Joseph Green and BJ Ranson (Mount St. Joseph). St. Mary’s James DiBitetto won the Sportsmanship Award. 

The proverbial clock struck midnight on Mount St. Joseph’s surprising run

Looking to become the first team since 2021 (John Carroll School) to beat the tournament’s top three seeds to win the BCL Tournament, Mount St. Joseph (22-17) hit a wall Monday. The 38 points scored was a season-low.

The Gaels shot just one-of-13 from 3-point range. BJ Ranson, the hero in Sunday’s last second semifinal victory over then-defending tourney champ St. Frances, had 10 points Monday (0-for-6 on 3-pointers).

“Tonight was tough, you’re not to going to win the championship game not scoring over 40 points,” said Mount St. Joseph coach Pat Clatchey, whose No. 6-seeded team was looking to win a 10th BCL Tournament championship. “Mount Carmel games are usually low-to-mid 50s, they controlled the tempo.”

Monday’s win was the definitive announcement of Mount Carmel as a Baltimore basketball power

In 2013, Mount Carmel, the No. 8 seed, stunned top-seed St. Frances Academy. Mount Carmel, a small private school located in the Baltimore suburb of Essex, has made strides on the basketball court. 

The Cougars are now a Baltimore hoops blue blood. Mount Carmel swept the BCL regular season and tournament titles and won its first Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) A Conference championship. Their 34 wins are a school-record.

With 10 letter winners scheduled back including starters Howard, Tristen Wilson, Junior Mancho along with key reserves Samartine Hill, Antwan Williams, Tristan Heflin and Ralph Rudusans, the Cougars could be among the nation’s best entering the 2025-26 season.

“Rare air,” said Martin, who became the first coach to win a BCL Tournament championship at three schools (Archbishop Spalding and John Carroll) and won his first Coach of the Year honor this season. ““For these guys to overcome some ghosts and some history — it’s not easy. They’re a very together group. It’s a lot of good hearts with our kids, good people.”