Jermaine Thomas Leads Champs

ST. JAMES, MARYLAND - It's not often that the fourth game in a day's card at a tournament actually goes off on schedule. The finals of the St. James Invitational started almost exactly at 7:30, the time in the program. And it's been a long time since a local team won the event. But that's what happened tonight in the finals of the three-day tournament in the Hagerstown, MD, area as the Thomas Johnson Patriots (19-1) grabbed a 75-59 victory over the Notre Dame Dragons (22-3).

Of course, it's also not the norm that a team from central Maryland has a quality player like Jermaine Thomas. There may have been some who thought this was a 'one-player' team. Those who attended tonight's game were disabused of that thought.

Thomas, headed to La Salle next season, scored 25 points on the way to the championship and the tournament's Most Valuable Player award. And this time, his teammates' contributions showed up in the box score as senior Nate Naylor and junior Thomas Richard each poured in 19 points. Both Naylor and Richard were named to the All-Tournament Team.

TJ, as the event announcer called the team from nearby Frederick, MD, set a serious tone even before the game started. Instead of each player greeting the opposing coach after the introduction, the Patriots stayed at the foul line in front of their own bench.

The crowd of approximately 11,000 was solidly behind the local team; Notre Dame, though, was not without vocal fans in the crowd.

The intense tone set at the intros must have had an impact with TJ scoring the first nine points before NDA, from Middlesburg, VA, hit the scoreboard. Richard, who scored 16 in last night's overtime win over National Christian Academy, paced the Patriots with 12 points in the opening period.

TJ extended the lead to 37-25 with 3:49 left in the half before NDA got some wind and, with a 10-4 run, cut the lead in half at 41-35. The Patriots didn't want that to be the closing theme -- the boost they needed came from Naylor. The strongly built guard, who transferred from N. Hagerstown this season, hit a three-point jump shot with 3.5 seconds left in the half. The Patriots took that momentum and a 44-35 lead into the locker room.

Notre Dame came out from the break with a 12-5 run to get within two points (49-47) with 4:01 left in the third. Thomas Johnson, which last year ended up with just one win in this event, responded with a 14-5 stretch of its own taking a 63-52 edge into the fourth quarter.

It wasn't too far into the fourth before it was clear the Patriots were going to win.

They controlled the final quarter, outscoring the Dragons 12-7 to secure the victory and the trophy.

Thomas Johnson continued the theme of team play through to the very end when, instead of sending a couple players to pick up the trophy, the whole team walked to the table to be a part of the celebration.

TJ has been ranked at the number two slot in the Washington Post's poll for some time now; that spot is definitely not in jeopardy.

Notre Dame, currently 6th in that same poll, placed four players in double figures led by Daevon Haskins (Rutgers) with 16 and sophomore Joe Posey with 14 points. Todd Galloway (Florida State), who played the last two games with a sore ankle, poured in 12 points along with a number of excellent assists on the break and junior Marcus Sikes added 10. Haskins was named the tournament's Most Oustanding Player.

Thomas and Haskins, who took top honors this week, were teammates on the Baltimore Blue AAU team this summer. One of their championships was the War in the Woods in New Jersey. This was another war of sorts. And in this time of national pride, I guess it's fitting that the Patriots won this title.