Anderson Leads Oxon Hill To MD Finals

COLLEGE PARK, MARYLAND -- It may have been a Lakers - Clippers game Thursday night, but in this final game of the day's Maryland State Semifinals at the Comcast Center, it was the Clippers (Oxon Hill High School from the DC-area) who downed Baltimore's Lake Clifton 71-58 to earn a berth in Saturday's Class 4A finals.

Coach Billy Lanier's squad did it with a very active defense and balanced scoring. In a pregame article in the Washington Post, Lanier told reporter Joe Gallo, "We spread the ball around offensively... ." A psychic-hotline couldn't have predicted it any better as five Clippers hit the double digit mark, led by Central Connecticut State-signee Demario Anderson's 16 points. This strong team play was also reflected in the final stats as Oxon Hill hit 55.3 percent of their shots from the floor (26-47) and got to the charity stripe for 32 free throws. Carlton Williams, a 6-1 sophomore guard who was 4-for-4 from the field, added 14 points followed by 6-4 junior Frank Gerard's 13, UMBC commit Chris Pugh's 11 and unsigned 6-4 senior Rashard Nixon's 10 points and a team high seven rebounds.

Junior 6-6 swingman Parris Carter led Lake Clifton with 15 points, though the Baltimore Select AAU member had an off night, hitting just six of 22 attempts from the floor. Fellow junior Donda Ridley, who accounted for 10 of the Lakers first 12 points, contributed 14 points and 10 rebounds. Tavon Nelson, a 6-7 senior, grabbed a game-high 15 boards, all but one on the defensive end. Though as a team, the Lakers snatched 12 offensive rebounds giving them a 41-28 rebounding edge in the game.

While Oxon Hill shot just 59.4 percent from the charity stripe, Lake Clifton was a perfect 100%. Unfortunately for the Lakers, they only had four attempts.

Lake Clifton grabbed a quick 8-2 lead before Oxon Hill fought back to get within two at 12-10 on Gerard's putback at 1:42 of the opening period. Chris Pugh's jumper tied it at 12-12. Then the Clippers' pressure defense on the next four LCHS plays resulted in a 19-12 lead before the Lakers finally got the ball past half court. In that minute-and-a half stretch, Lake Clifton picked up four fouls.

It was the 3:25 mark before either team hit their second shot of the second quarter. That was a three by Nelson followed by Carter's breakaway layup to tie the game at 21-21. Nixon's drive to the hole got the lead back at 23-21. A replay of the same move extended the spread to 25-21 spread. Carter's three tightened the score to 25-24, which was the halftime score.

Nelson hit the first basket of the second half to give the Lakers the lead at 26-25. But then four straight baskets, three by Anderson, returned the Clippers to the top of the scoreboard at 33-26 with 5:15 on the third quarter clock. Five quick points on a three from Nelson and a breakway dunk by Carter made it 39-33.

Up 41-35 to start the fourth quarter, Oxon Hill ran off 12 straight points before Carter's drive at 4:10 got the Lakers on the board down 16, 53-37. Lake Clifton added five more points to tighten the margin to 57-45 but could get no closer.

Oxon Hill is now set to meet another DC-area team, Magruder HS, who stole a 67-63 overtime win over Maryland's Cindrella team, Glen Burnie High, in the other semifinal.