COLLEGE PARK, MD – The 2018 Maryland Boys State Final Four opened Thursday with four Class 4A and 3A contests at the University of Maryland’s Xfinity Center.

Defending 4A champion Perry Hall and defending 3A champion Poly each advanced to Saturday’s  respective title games in dominant fashion.

4A – BLADENSBURG 69, OLD MILL 53
2018 forward Daniel Oladapo scored a game-high 27 points to lead the Mustangs to their first state championship appearance since 1978,

Joshua Williamson had 15 points for Bladensburg, while Tyson Marbury and Tyshaun Walker added 9 apiece.

The Mustangs led from the beginning and by 10 points at halftime before Old Mill made a run in the third quarter to cut the deficit to two (35-33) with 4:06 remaining in the frame.

The Patriots would get no closer, though. The Mustangs regained control and closed out with a decisive 25-14 fourth quarter run. Oladapo keyed that run, scoring 14 of his 27 in the final frame.

2019 guard Avion Robinson led Old Mill with 21 points, while Daevone Johnson added 10.

4A – PERRY HALL 85, GAITHERSBURG 62
2018 guard Xavier Gravette  had 19 points to lead four Perry players in double figures as the defending Class 4A state champs used their considerable size advantage to pull away for the win.

Perry Hall held just a three-point lead after one quarter (22-19), but blew the game open in the second quarter, outscoring Gaithersburg 22-11.

The Gators outrebounded the Trojans 50-32 and had more offensive boards (22) than GHS has defensive rebounds (18).

PHS 2018 guard Tyler Holley had 19 points, while 2018 forward Anthony Higgs (Ole Miss) and 2019 forward Anthony Walker had 15 apiece. 2018 forward LaQuill Hardnett (Cincinnati) had 9 points and 12 rebounds.

2021 guard Jao Ituka had 18 points to lead the Trojans, who also got 14 from fellow freshman guard Jordan Hawkins and 10 from 2018 guard Kevin Neal.

3A – POLY 63, STEPHEN DECATUR 46
2018 guard Demetrius Mims scored a game-high 30 points as the defending state champion Engineers picked up another dominating semifinal win over the Seahawks.

The Long Beach State-bound Mims finished 11-of-19 from the field and 2-of-3 from 3-point range. A fourth quarter dunk made him Poly’s all-time leading scorer, surpassing the mark of 1,492 previously set by 1996 graduate John McClean.

2020 forward Justin Lewis had 9 points and 12 rebounds for the Engineers, while 2019 forward Amani Walker grabbed 11 boards.

2018 guard and Maryland-Eastern Shore commit Kevon Voyles led the Seahawks with 19 points.

3A - MILFORD MILL 68, THOMAS JOHNSON 59
2018 guard Eric Turner and 2018 forward Ugo Obasi had 20 points apiece to lead Millford Mill over Thomas Johnson in Thursday’s opener.

Turner finished an efficient 7-of-10 from the field, while Obasi – who is committed to Virginia for football – went 8-of-14.  2018 guard Jordan Goodwin added 14 points for Milford Mill. The win moved the Millers into the state championship game for the first time since they won it all in 2013.

2018 forward Braxton Foreman had 17 points to lead the Patriots, who got 15 from 2019 guard Richard Rivas and 12 from 2019 forward J.R. Powe.

STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Saturday, March 10

3A: Poly vs. Milford Mill, 3 PM
4A: Perry Hall vs. Bladensburg, 8 PM