• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Effie Caldarola
          • John Garvey
          • Father Ed Dougherty, M.M.
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
  • CR Radio
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
St. Frances Academy won its opening game 96-78 at Archbishop Spalding High School Feb. 17. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)

St. Frances Academy rolls at Spalding as BCL basketball returns

February 18, 2021
By Kevin J. Parks
Catholic Review
Filed Under: Coronavirus, Feature, Local News, News, Sports

St. Frances Academy freshman Derik Queen charges past Archbishop Spalding senior Jalen Bouknight Feb. 17 during the opening game the coronavirus-delayed Baltimore Catholic League basketball season in Severn. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)

SEVERN – A historic Baltimore Catholic League season belatedly began Feb. 17 with St. Frances Academy opening its quest for a fourth straight championship with a 96-78 victory at Archbishop Spalding High School.

Last March, the coronavirus pandemic shut down interscholastic athletics shortly after the SFA Panthers of coach Nick Myles won their third straight BCL tournament. 

The fall sports teams at some Catholic high schools were able to cram an abbreviated season into the month of November. Winter sports will do the same, as boys basketball teams scheduled games in conjunction with the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference.

Instead of the usual home-and-away games, the eight teams in the BCL will play each other once. The 50th annual BCL tournament, typically culminating in a local college arena, will be played at the higher seeds, with the quarterfinals March 22, the semifinals March 24 and the championship game March 26.

Archbishop Spalding High School junior Cameron Whitmore slams an authoritative dunk despite his team’s 96-78 loss to St. Frances Academy Feb. 17 at home to open the 2021 Baltimore Catholic League basketball season in Severn.(Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)

Subject to change, games are being played without spectators. 

St. Frances Academy, which graduated three-time tournament MVP Adrian “Ace” Baldwin to Virginia Commonwealth University, got 29 points from senior guard Khyrie Staten. He poured in 15 straight for the Panthers in the fourth quarter, when what had been a 20-point lead shrunk to nine.

“I trust my team,” Staten said. “We can get rebounds, we can get steals, we can get fast breaks, we can have fun. We just have to execute.”

Myles, who leads a program that has won a record 10 BCL titles, anticipates another competitive season in a league that had two alumni, Mount St. Joseph’s Jalen Smith and John Carroll’s Immanuel Quickley, taken in the first round of the NBA draft last year. 

“It’s going to be tough,” Myles said. “We’ve got a target on our back and we have to be focused every game, every possession. 

St. Frances Academy senior Khyrie Staten score two of 29 points against Archbishop Spalding in Severn Feb. 17 to open the coronavirus-delayed Baltimore Catholic League basketball season. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)

“Anytime you can win in your league on the road is always a good feeling. … It’s  good to be playing basketball.”

Cam Whitmore, a junior forward, led Spalding with 24 points. 

“We’ll get there,” coach Josh Pratt said. “We’re thankful to be out here.”

In the other BCL opener, Mount St. Joseph won at John Carroll, 53-50, in what was a record 381st regular season game in the BCL for coach Pat Clatchey. He concluded last season tied in that category with the late Jerry Savage, who directed Loyola Blakefield from the league’s inception in 1971 through the 2002-03 season.

Clatchey is in his 29th season with the Gaels. 

Savage led Loyola Blakefield to tournament titles in 1975-78, the only school to win four straight. Five times since then a program has won three in a row, and St. Frances Academy could join the Dons at that historic plateau. 

Paul McMullen contributed to this article. 

Email Kevin Parks at kparks@CatholicReview.org

Use the navigation arrows below to watch a photo slideshow from Kevin Parks.

St. Frances Academy was on the road in Severn against Archishop Spalding Feb. 17 to open the coronavirus-delayed 2021 Baltimore Catholic League basketball season. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)
St. Frances Academy was on the road in Severn against Archishop Spalding Feb. 17 to open the coronavirus-delayed 2021 Baltimore Catholic League basketball season. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)
St. Frances Academy was on the road in Severn against Archishop Spalding Feb. 17 to open the coronavirus-delayed 2021 Baltimore Catholic League basketball season. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)
St. Frances Academy was on the road in Severn against Archishop Spalding Feb. 17 to open the coronavirus-delayed 2021 Baltimore Catholic League basketball season. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)

Also see

Vin Scully, legendary Dodgers announcer and lifelong Catholic, dies at 94

Online exhibit shows links between Knights of Columbus and baseball

Bleacher Brothers stand out in crowd at Camden Yards, evangelizing through baseball

Bishop Lewandowski blesses Preakness festivities, offering invocation at Alibi Breakfest

Racing to Mass? Catholics at Churchill Downs’ chapel know that feeling

Mount St. Mary’s University joining Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference July 1

Copyright © 2021 Catholic Review Media

Print Print

Primary Sidebar

Kevin J. Parks

Kevin J. Parks joined the Catholic Review in 2016 as its visual journalist following a lengthy career at Mercy Medical Center, where he shot photography and video for internal communications, marketing and media relations for local and national media.

Kevin has been honored by the Maryland Delaware D.C. (MDDC) Press Association, The Catholic Press Association and the Associated Church Press for his work. One of his career highlights is documenting a medical mission in Peru, which received two national awards.

A Baltimore native, Kevin is graduate of Archbishop Curley High School and the University of Baltimore. He is a parishioner of St. Francis de Sales, Abingdon.

View all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

Latest Local News

Young adults from Archdiocese of Baltimore invited to experience local and international World Youth Day events

Archdiocese of Baltimore welcomes new school leaders

RADIO INTERVIEW: Camp St. Vincent

Archbishop Lori decries Biden executive order, ‘continued promotion of abortion’

Archbishop Lori urges Congress to ‘seize hopeful moment,’ vote to protect life, common good

Latest World News

Overturning of Roe provides ‘chance to win fight for life,’ says top Knight

Desire for eternal youth is ‘delusional,’ pope says

Father Carl Kabat, a former Baltimore resident, spent 17 years in prison for anti-nuclear protests

Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, pope tells young people

5th Circuit urged to keep injunction in place on HHS transgender mandate

Catholic Review Radio

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Young adults from Archdiocese of Baltimore invited to experience local and international World Youth Day events
  • Overturning of Roe provides ‘chance to win fight for life,’ says top Knight
  • Desire for eternal youth is ‘delusional,’ pope says
  • Archdiocese of Baltimore welcomes new school leaders
  • Father Carl Kabat, a former Baltimore resident, spent 17 years in prison for anti-nuclear protests
  • Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, pope tells young people
  • 5th Circuit urged to keep injunction in place on HHS transgender mandate
  • MOVIE REVIEW: ‘Predator’ prequel hunts for ‘Prey’
  • Cardinal Tomko, oldest member of College of Cardinals, dies at 98

Search

Membership

Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2022 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED