Some basketball players, skilled as they might be, dissolve against a wave of pressure. Keon Scott is not such a player.
Though the Meade junior plays well on a regular day, he finds a way to ascend to another level every time the spotlight burns brighter. Why would the South River game, the showdown between two titans with perfect county records, be any different?
“I love playing in big moments,” Scott said, “to show what I can do.”
Scott ensured the Mustangs maintained its spotless county and overall record by delivering 28 points in Meade’s 61-54 victory.
When Meade (13-0, 4-0 county) needed to keep pace with South River in the first quarter, the 6-foot-3 point guard snatched loose balls and drove possessions back toward his teammates.
When South River got within range of tying Meade before halftime, Scott banked a 3-pointer instead. In fact, any hopes the Seahawks had of tying or taking the lead in the second half were quashed repeatedly by Scott. It didn’t matter what the score was. It didn’t matter whether his teammates were shooting well or not at the minute, or if the Seahawks were on a tear.
Scott menaced the Seahawks with four steals and four blocks. On the other end, he sank seven of the Mustangs’ 11 free throws without missing one. South River in contrast, missed 12.
“A lot of players start as a freshman and get a big head. They think they’ve arrived. But Keon’s always trying to get better,” Meade coach Mike Glick said. “He’s got the knack and the ability to make big plays in big situations.”
More than furthering Meade’s unbeaten record, the win boosts the Mustangs’ odds at clinching a spot in this year’s county championship game. With the level of parity in Anne Arundel boys basketball, one loss puts a team on the bubble.
Now, the Seahawks must win the rest of the county slate to likely meet Meade again on the next stage. South River faces Broadneck on Tuesday and travels to Southern on Feb 13. The Bulldogs must still journey to Meade on Feb. 6 as well.
But to the Mustangs themselves, this win wasn’t just a calculation to play for a county crown.
“We feel like we’re the best team in Anne Arundel County,” senior forward Arouna Soumaoro (nine points, eight rebounds) said. “This is a glimpse of what we practice.”
Glick’s not sure Soumaoro realized just how much his team’s odds rest on him, too. After tonight, the coach hopes that’s changed.
When Soumaoro could run freely to chase down rebounds or dispatch South River shots, Meade held the advantage.
But then, foul trouble hit. Without his 6-foot-7 frame battering down South River attacks, the Seahawks pounced. Junior Korey Warren led the rally with putbacks and a triple, and a 30-17 Meade advantage shrank to 33-27.
Soumaoro managed to avoid a fourth foul for most of the third quarter, but he eventually picked it up just as the Seahawks nipped the gap under five points. Senior Jaden McDuffie closed the quarter with a three-pointer to get the Seahawks within 46-44.
But Meade had more to defend the Seahawks with than just one or two players.
“Everyone wants to focus on Keon and Arouna, but we got six or seven other guys that play key and vital roles for us,” Glick said.
With both Soumaoro and the other big, Ryden Rodney-Sandy, in danger of fouling out, senior Jayvon Thomas took some weight off their shoulders. He leapt for boards and blocks, hounded Seahawks shooters and drilled a 3-pointer at the top of the fourth quarter to give Meade some breathing room.
Other players with formerly smaller roles, like Jacob Tuazon and Ty’son Hill, answered similar calls.
“I’m very proud of how those kids have grown,” Glick said. “These are four-year players in our program that went to two JV county championships. They didn’t get major minutes last year, but they got better in practice.”
Soumaoro never did suffer his fifth foul. With two hands up to form a “wall,” his rebounding late in the game helped shield Meade from losing its grip. He and his teammates sealed the perimeter off from the Seahawks entirely and clogged the paint.
“I knew my team needed me,” Soumaoro said.
South River also had to navigate foul trouble. Two of its three leaders, seniors Jonah Hall and Jamie Finn, struggled against high foul counts for most of the game, as did big Hank Oxendine later on.
But if fouls were South River’s only issue, coach Darren Hall might not feel so frustrated.
The loss revealed a bit of the rust beneath the Seahawks’ shiny veneer. Hall fears blowing county teams out by double-digits, while pumping his players with confidence, allows them to skim over some of their smaller mistakes.
“We’re not clicking on all cylinders right now,” Hall said. “It goes back, multiple games where the effort or flow is just not where we want it to be. Our guys recognize it.
“I guess the positive is we want to be playing our best basketball in March. Adversity is good for us.”
Have a sports tip? Contact Katherine Fominykh at kfominykh@baltsun.com or DM @capgazsports on Instagram.