DIGITAL HARBOR UPSET BY PARKVILLE

by Derek Toney

Parkville High boys’ basketball coach Rod
Norris said his team came into Thursday’s matchup with Digital Harbor
at Morgan State University limping. The Knights left with a strut in
their walk.

The Baltimore County school surprised the
fourth-ranked Rams, 51-49, at the 12th annual Basketball Academy.
Junior guard Tom Cummings scored 17 points to lead Parkville (6-4).
Junior forward Jermaine Edwards led all scorers with 18 points for
Digital Harbor (7-3), and junior guard George Jackson added 11.

Cummings.a
transfer from Poly, hit one of two free throws with 3.2 seconds
remaining for a 51-49 lead, missing the second. Digital Harbor got the
rebound, but Gabe Bell intercepted the outlet pass as the Knights
snapped a four-game losing streak.

“We’ve been struggling
lately,” said Norris, whose team previous win was Dec. . “We kept the
game tight, got a little lead and we were able to finish.”

After
Digital Harbor got within 44-43 on a follow up by Edwards with 1:23
remaining in regulation, Cummings hit a free throw, then came up with a
steal and a layup to extend Parkville’s advantage to 47-43 with 45
seconds left. A free throw by Edwards brought the Rams to within 47-44,
before Bell converted two with 19 seconds remaining.

Justin
Jackson hit a three-pointer, bringing Digital Harbor back to within two
with 13.5 seconds left, then Durand Johnson hit one of two free throws
for a 50-47 lead. Norris said the Knights were to able to adjust to
playing on the huge and open hardwood of Morgan’s Hill Field House.

“We
wanted to make sure we contained the dribble penetration,” said Norris,
whose team lost to No. 5 Randallstown Wednesday evening. “Make the
extra pass and work together.”

Parkville went 20-4 last season,
losing to Blake from Montgomery County in the Class 4A North Region
semifinals. The Knights graduated their entire starting lineup with
only Gabe Dell and Jordan Jackson returning letterwinners.

“Chemistry
isn’t all there yet, but we’re working on it,” said Dell, a 5-foot-9
point guard. “We’re bouncing back. This is a good win against a good
team, a top 10 team.”

George Jackson had 11 points for Digital
Harbor, eight coming into the final quarter. The Rams won’t have time
to dwell on the loss, opening Friday’s slate with a matchup against
defending Class 1A state champ New Town.

The Knights return to Morgan State for a date with No. 11 Mervo Saturday. They’ll be in a much different frame of mind.

“We
needed this win to build our confidence back up because we shouldn’t
had loss the games we lost,” said Dell. “We were motivated.”

Parkville 51, Digital Harbor 49
Parkville: Cummings 17, Wiggins 2, Johnson 9, Jackson 9, Bell 8, Corbett 2, Perry 4. Totals 19 10-14 51.
Digital Harbor:
Davis 4, Brannon 2, G. Jackson 11, J. Jackson 10, J. Edwards 18, D.
Edwards 2. Totals 15 18-24 49. Halftime; Parkville 22, Digital Harbor
17.

Parkville 12 11 6 22-51
Digital Harbor 11 6 10 22-49