Archbishop Spalding shocks St. Joe in BCL Tournament semifinals
TOWSON, MARYLAND – Fourth-seeded Archbishop Spalding upset top-seeded Mount St. Joseph, 60-48, and second-seeded seed St. Frances defeated No. 3 Mount Carmel, 58-52, in the semifinal round of the 53rd Baltimore Catholic League Tournament, Saturday evening at Goucher College's Decker SRC Arena. With the victories, the Cavaliers and Panthers advance to Sunday's championship at Goucher.
In the opening semifinal, Spalding broke open a 23-18 game at halftime with a 23-14 third quarter run of top-ranked St. Joe (36-5). Three Cavaliers were in double figures as Jaylin Sykes led the way with 14 points, while Malik Washington added 13 and Kam Carter chipped in 12. MSJ was led by Tyonne Farrell with 19 points.
Archbishop Spalding guard Jaylin Sykes (left) is guarded by Mount St. Joseph’s Ryan Truitt during Saturday’s Baltimore Catholic League Tournament semifinals. Sykes (14 points) and the fourth-seeded Cavaliers upset the top-seeded and defending tourney champ Gaels, 60-48, at Goucher College.
Photo by Derek Toney
Spalding (24-9) reaches the BCLT championship game for the seventh time (3-3) in school history and for the first time since 2013. The Cavs beat the Gaels for the first time in four tries after MSJ swept the season series and won the MIAA A Conference title last Saturday at UMBC. The Gaels’ loss snapped a 10-game win streak.
It was the first 4-1 upset in the tournament, by seed, since fourth-seeded Loyola defeated then-St. Frances-Charles Hall in the 1991 semifinals, and it was the fourth time a No. 4 seed has taken down the top seed in the tourney overall.
In the late game, No. 2 seed St. Frances battled with No. 2 Mount Carmel, and the Panthers came away a victory that was not decided until the final two minutes. There were four ties and eight lead changes in the contest, but 12 3-pointers by St. Frances were the difference. Jasiah Cannady and Josiah Legree led the Panthers with 18 points each. Mount Carmel was paced by Tristen Wilson with 12 points.
St. Frances (25-12) goes to the BCLT title game for the 16th time (10-5) in school history and the first time since 2022. St. Frances beat the Cougars (25-12) for the first time in three tries this season.
This will be the second time that Archbishop Spalding and St. Frances will play for the BCLT championship. Spalding beat the Panthers in the 1999 title game. This will also be the fifth No. 4 vs. No. 2 matchup in the title game all-time, and the first since 2013 when No. 2 Mount St. Joseph defeated No. 4 Archbishop Spalding. A No. 4 seed has never won the BCL Tournament to date. The teams split the season series with both teams winning on the road.
The championship game for the BCLT title is set for 3 pm.
-- Report courtesy of Chris Pike of BCLBasketball.com
Friday, March 1
53rd Baltimore Catholic League Tournament
presented by Brooks Financial Group
(Decker Sports and Recreation Center Arena; Goucher College)
First Round
2 St. Frances 76. 7 John Carroll 62
3 Mount Carmel 63, 6 Loyola 46
1 Mount St. Joseph 81, 8 Calvert Hall 56
5 Archbishop Spalding 82, 4 St. Maria Goretti 79
Saturday, March 2
Semifinals
4 Archbishop Spalding 60, 1 Mount St. Joseph 48
2 St. Frances 58, 3 Mount Carmel 52
Sunday, March 3
Championship
4 Archbishop Spalding vs. 2 St. Frances 3 pm
(JV Championship - 2 Mount St. Joseph vs. 1 St. Frances - 1 pm)
