BCL News

February 17, 2024

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MOUNT ST. JOSEPH’S BJ RANSON NAMED BALTIMORE CATHOLIC LEAGUE
2025-26 PLAYER OF THE YEAR

BALTIMORE – Mount St. Joseph senior guard BJ Ranson is the Baltimore Catholic League’s Jerry Savage Player of the Year Award winner for the 2025-26 season, in balloting conducted among the league’s eight head coaches.

 

Mount St. Joseph head coach Pat Clatchey, who led the Gaels to a 10-4 league record and a 29-6 overall record (through Feb. 14), and John Carroll head coach Seth Goldberg, who led the Patriots to a 9-5 league record and a 22-8 overall mark (through Feb. 14), share the league’s O. Ray Mullis Coach of the Year award.

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Two other BCL Superlative Awards were earned by St. Frances. Senior Anthony Smith is the Mark Amatucci Defensive Player of the Year and St. Frances junior Carter Fisk is the Cokey Robertson Most Improved Player of the Year. The Dan Popera Sportsmanship Award was shared by Loyola junior Brant Hall Jr. and Mount Carmel junior Junior Mancho.

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Ranson, a first-team All-BCL choice last season, is the 13th Savage Player of the Year winner from Mount St. Joseph since the award began for the 1988-89 season, and the first Gaels player to win the honor since Amani Hansberry (2022-23). Ranson averages 22.7 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game for the Mount this season.

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Clatchey is the Mullis Coach of the Year for the eighth time in his career, and his first since 2015-16. He mentored a Gaels team that won 29 games for the 16th time in his 34 seasons on the MSJ bench. Clatchey shares the honor with Goldberg, who is the Mullis Coach of the Year for the first time in his eight seasons at John Carroll and the first head coach from the school to win the award. Goldberg coached John Carroll this season to 22 victories, the most since the Patriots won 22 in 2019-20 and the most BCL victories (nine) for the Patriots since 2021-22. The BCL first awarded the Coach of the Year for the 1988-89 season, and it was re-named in the late Cardinal Gibbons coach’s honor for the 1994-95 season.

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Smith averages 10.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 3.0 assists per game for St. Frances. He is the Panthers’ fourth Amatucci Defensive Player of the Year winner, and the first since Julian Reese in 2019-20. The Amatucci Defensive Player of the Year, honoring the former Calvert Hall coach, has been given since the 2007-08 season.

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Fisk averages 17.1 points, 2.6 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists for St. Frances. He is the third Panthers player to earn the Robertson Most Improved Player of the Year Award, and the first since Cortez Johnson in 2021-22. The Robertson Most Improved Player of the Year, honoring the former St. Maria Goretti coach, was first awarded in the 2011-12 season.

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The Popera Sportsmanship Award, the BCL’s oldest honor since it was given at the first BCL Tournament in 1972, becomes a season-long award for 2025-26. The award, re-named for the late Archbishop Curley head coach for the 2024 BCL Tournament, is given to the player who consistently demonstrates fairness, respect, civility and sportsmanship on and off the court. Hall Jr., a Loyola junior, is the 11th Dons player to receive the award and the first since Mitchell Fischer at the 2019 BCLT. Mancho, a junior at Mount Carmel, is the seventh Cougar to earn the award, and the first since Andrew Dixon at the 2024 BCLT.

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The 2025-26 All-BCL first team is made up of Mount St. Joseph senior BJ Ranson, St. Frances junior Terence Jones III, John Carroll senior Aidan Able, St. Frances junior Carter Fisk, Mount Carmel senior Tristen Wilson and Archbishop Spalding sophomore Braxton Bogard.

 

The All-BCL second team consists of Archbishop Spalding sophomore Nash Avery, Calvert Hall junior Cameron Wood, John Carroll senior Andrew Clark, Mount Carmel senior Gage Howard and Mount St. Joseph sophomore Chauncey Word.

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Ten players receive Honorable Mention recognition: Junior Mancho (Mount Carmel), Moe Lonergan (Archbishop Spalding), Parris Lee (John Carroll), Kaleb Haysbert (Loyola), Anthony Smith (St. Frances), Ellis Johnson (Calvert Hall), Noah Cerny (St. Mary’s), Gavin Johnson (St. Mary’s), Aaron Early Jr. (Mount St. Joseph) and Colin Clevenger (Loyola).

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The BCL instituted an All-Academic Team for 2025-26, honoring two players from each BCL school for academic achievement. The honorees are Anthony Buchman and TJ Moultrie (Archbishop Spalding), Colin Foster and Christian Smith (Calvert Hall), Aidan Able and Charlie Rhinehart (John Carroll), Colin Clevenger and BJ Simmons (Loyola), Kenneth Anthony and Shamal Hartgrove (Mount St. Joseph), Junior Mancho and Tristen Wilson (Mount Carmel), Carter Fisk and Jacksen Jeselkis (St. Frances), and Noah Cerny and Nicholas Argerson (St. Mary’s).

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The 2025-26 winners of the Dave Kropfelder "Never, Never Quit" Awards for each school, as selected by their coach, are: Donte Davis (Archbishop Spalding), Emmanuel Okezie (Calvert Hall), Cole Johnson (John Carroll), Jordan Crawford (Loyola), Tristan Heflin (Mount Carmel), Greg Butler (Mount St. Joseph), Mason Glover (St. Frances) and Nicholas Argerson (St. Mary’s).

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The 55th Baltimore Catholic League Tournament, presented by Brooks Financial Group is set for March 1-2-4 at Reitz Arena on the campus of Loyola University Maryland.

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The first round begins Sunday, March 1 with No. 8 seed Loyola (1-13 BCL) against No. 1 seed and regular season champion St. Frances (12-2 BCL) at 1 pm, No. 7 seed St. Mary’s (1-13 BCL) takes on No. 2 seed Mount Carmel (10-4 BCL) at 2:45 pm, No. 6 seed Calvert Hall (4-10 BCL) plays No. 3 seed Mount St. Joseph (10-4 BCL) at 4:30 pm and No. 5 seed Archbishop Spalding (9-5 BCL) faces No. 4 seed John Carroll (9-5 BCL) in the nightcap at 6:15 pm. The semifinal round is Monday, March 2 with the 5/4 winner playing the 8/1 winner at 6 pm and the 6/3 winner taking on the 7/2 winner at 8 pm. Championship Wednesday, March 4 has the junior varsity championship at 6 pm, and the 55th varsity championship game at 8 pm. Tickets for each day of the 2026 BCL Tournament ($15 for adults 19 and over, $5 for children age 6 through high school, free for children 5 and under) are on sale now through bclbasketball.com.

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2025-26 BALTIMORE CATHOLIC LEAGUE AWARDS

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Jerry Savage Player of the Year Award
BJ Ranson – Mount St. Joseph – Senior

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ALL-BCL FIRST TEAM
Name, School (Class)
BJ Ranson, Mount St. Joseph (Senior)
Terence Jones III, St. Frances (Junior)
Aidan Able, John Carroll (Senior)
Carter Fisk, St. Frances (Junior)
Tristen Wilson, Mount Carmel (Senior)
Braxton Bogard, Archbishop Spalding (Sophomore)

ALL-BCL SECOND TEAM
Name, School (Class)
Nash Avery, Archbishop Spalding (Sophomore)
Cameron Wood, Calvert Hall (Junior)
Andrew Clark, John Carroll (Senior)
Gage Howard, Mount Carmel (Senior)
Chauncey Word, Mount St. Joseph (Sophomore)

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All-BCL Honorable Mention: Junior Mancho, Mount Carmel; Moe Lonergan, Archbishop Spalding; Parris Lee, John Carroll; Kaleb Haysbert, Loyola; Anthony Smith, St. Frances; Ellis Johnson, Calvert Hall; Noah Cerny, St. Mary’s; Gavin Johnson, St. Mary’s; Aaron Early Jr., Mount St. Joseph; Colin Clevenger, Loyola

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Mark Amatucci Defensive Player of the Year Award
Anthony Smith, St. Frances

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Cokey Robertson Most Improved Player of the Year Award
Carter Fisk, St. Frances

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Dan Popera Sportsmanship Award
Brant Hall, Jr., Loyola and Junior Mancho, Mount Carmel

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O. Ray Mulls Coach of the Year Award
Pat Clatchey, Mount St. Joseph and Seth Goldberg, John Carroll

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BCL All-Academic Team
Anthony Buchman and TJ Moultrie, Archbishop Spalding; Colin Foster and Christian Smith, Calvert Hall; Aidan Able and Charlie Rhinehart, John Carroll; Colin Clevenger and BJ Simmons, Loyola; Kenneth Anthony and Shamal Hartgrove, Mount St. Joseph; Junior Mancho and Tristen Wilson, Mount Carmel; Carter Fisk and Jacksen Jeselkis, St. Frances; Noah Cerny and Nicholas Argerson, St. Mary’s

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Dave Kropfelder “Never, Never Quit” Awards
Donte Davis, Archbishop Spalding; Emmanuel Okezie, Calvert Hall; Cole Johnson, John Carroll, Jordan Crawford, Loyola; Tristan Heflin, Mount Carmel; Greg Butler, Mount St. Joseph; Mason Glover, St. Frances; Nicholas Argerson, St. Mary’s

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December 18, 2025

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2026 BALTIMORE CATHOLIC LEAGUE TOURNAMENT,
PRESENTED BY BROOKS FINANCIAL GROUP,
SET FOR MARCH 1-2-4 AT LOYOLA UNIVERSITY MARYLAND

Brooks Financial Group returns as 2026 presenting sponsor

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BALTIMORE - The Baltimore Catholic League will play its 55th-annual BCL Tournament, presented by Brooks Financial Group, Inc. at Reitz Arena on the campus of Loyola University Maryland on Sunday, March 1, Monday, March 2 and Wednesday, March 4, 2026, BCL Commissioner Mark Rohde Sr. announced today.

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Brooks Financial Group, a longtime supporter of the Baltimore Catholic League, returns as the presenting sponsor of the 2026 tournament in the second of a multi-year commitment to the tournament and the BCL’s mission.

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The tournament returns to a familiar setting in 2026, as Reitz Arena plays host to the entire tournament for the second consecutive year. The facility welcomes the tournament for a record 22nd time in BCLT history (1986-94, 2005-11, 2013, 2019-20, 2022 and 2025-26). BCL-record totals of 90 BCLT games and 21 championship games have been played in Reitz Arena to date.

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The 2026 BCL Tournament also sees the return of the four-game first round on Sunday afternoon, March 1, when fans can watch four games involving all eight BCL teams for one ticket price, starting at 1 pm.

 

Game times for the first round on Sunday, March 1 are 1:00 pm, 2:45 pm, 4:30 pm and 6:15 pm. The semifinals on Monday, March 2 are set for 6:00 pm and 8:00 pm. On Wednesday, March 4, the BCL will hold the junior varsity championship game at 6:00 pm, and the 55th BCL Tournament varsity championship game at 8:00 pm.

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“The BCL Tournament is a great tradition in Baltimore prep basketball. We are delighted to make a return to Loyola University Maryland's Reitz Arena, where so many of our tournament champions have been crowned in a tremendous college arena”, said Mark Rohde Sr., BCL Commissioner. “We strive to have our student-athletes play the BCL Tournament on a college campus every season. Reitz Arena provides a great atmosphere for our student-athletes, alumni, fans and sponsors during the tournament. We are also proud to announce that Brooks Financial Group continues as our presenting sponsor as part of a multi-year commitment to our tournament and our mission. It speaks to the quality Catholic education and competition our schools provide to the young men who represent our eight schools. We also thank the athletic administration at Loyola for working with us to bring the tournament back to Reitz Arena in 2026.”

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At 55 years (1972-2026), the Baltimore Catholic League Tournament is the longest consecutive-running postseason boys' tournament in the State of Maryland (private or public).

 

Ticket information for the 2026 Baltimore Catholic League Tournament will be announced in early January.

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2026 BALTIMORE CATHOLIC LEAGUE TOURNAMENT
PRESENTED BY BROOKS FINANCIAL GROUP
Reitz Arena; Loyola University Maryland

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Sunday, March 1
First Round
1:00, 2:45, 4:30 and 6:15 pm

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Monday, March 2
Semifinals
6:00 and 8:00 pm

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Wednesday, March 4
Championship
JV Championship: 6:00 pm; Varsity Championship: 8:00 pm

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October 23, 2025

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BCL COMMISSIONER TRANSITION TAKES PLACE AS JACK DEGELE STEPS DOWN AFTER 25 SEASONS TO BECOME COMMISSIONER EMERITUS;

MARK ROHDE SR. ELECTED LEAGUE’S FOURTH COMMISSIONER

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​BALTIMORE –  The Baltimore Catholic League announced a transition in leadership as Jack Degele, league commissioner for a record 25 seasons (2000-01 through 2024-25) stepped down from the position at a BCL Board of Directors meeting on October 17. The BCL Board unanimously elected assistant commissioner and 2014 BCL Hall of Famer Mark Rohde Sr. to succeed Degele as the league’s fourth commissioner at that same meeting.

 

Rohde, the BCL’s assistant commissioner the past three seasons and an accomplished Baltimore business leader who serves on several Catholic education-affiliated boards and ministry committees, assumes his new duties immediately, while Degele transitions to a new role as commissioner emeritus. He will continue to assist the league at its events, be a liaison to college coaches who scout the BCL’s student athletes and serve as a game observer.

 

Rohde said, “I am honored and humbled to be named the fourth commissioner of the Baltimore Catholic League. First, I want to thank Jack Degele for his incredible selflessness, ingenuity, heroism and passion in leading and stewarding the BCL over the last 25 years. What he has done, what he has accomplished on behalf of the BCL member schools, and the lives of BCL student athletes he has positively impacted is amazing and legendary! I am dedicated and committed to continuing what coach Jerry Savage (Loyola Blakefield) and coach Ray Mullis (Cardinal Gibbons) started in 1971-1972 and what my predecessors Jim "Snuffy" Smith (Loyola '60), Mark Russo (Loyola '69) and especially Jack Degele (Mount St. Joseph '65) have built. I will work diligently on behalf of our league to enhance our contribution to the mission of holistic Catholic education - fulfilling our multi-dimensional work of providing the highest level of competitive high school basketball and producing outstanding young men who are great athletes AND scholars, gentlemen and contributors to society. The BCL has touched the lives of almost 3,000 student athletes, coaches and administrators over the last 54 years. We are excited and energized about what the future holds to make the BCL even more relevant, meaningful and sustainable on the court, in the classroom, in the community and spiritually/developmentally."

 

Degele, a 1965 Mount St. Joseph graduate, has been a part of the Baltimore area high school and college basketball scene for decades as a coach, referee and observer after playing for both MSJ and the University of Baltimore. He took over as BCL commissioner for the 2000-01 season after the late legendary Loyola head coach and athletic director Jerry Savage recommended him to succeed Mark Russo. His long service to the BCL was recognized by the league during the 2025 BCL Tournament championship game.

 

“I am grateful to have been in this role for 25 years and to work with so many tremendous coaches, athletic directors, administrators and heads of schools. I’ve been honored to watch so many great players at our schools go on to success at the college and pro level and then continue to make a difference in their communities after basketball,” Degele said. “The BCL is in great hands with Mark Rohde taking over, and I look forward to continuing the long relationships I’ve had with so many in the basketball community. The BCL is one of the great high school leagues in the country, and everyone involved down through the years have played a part in building that tradition.”

 

The following occurred for the BCL during Degele’s tenure:

 

— He stabilized the BCL during a period of great change, welcoming three schools to full membership – John Carroll (2010-11), Mount Carmel (2011-12) and St. Mary's (2025-26) – extending the league's current footprint from Bel Air in Harford County to Annapolis in Anne Arundel County.

— During his 25 seasons, the league had some of its greatest team and individual success as 10 schools finished their seasons ranked as the No. 1 team by the Baltimore Sun, 16 players were Baltimore Sun All-Metro Players of the Year, five players were McDonald's All Americans, seven players were Gatorade Maryland Players of the Year, 10 BCL-affiliated players were selected in the NBA Draft (including eight in the first round) and 10 BCL teams were ranked in various final national prep polls.

— At the start of his tenure, he implemented a more structured business plan, and he added league bylaws and a board of directors.

— He worked with a league committee to establish the BCL Hall of Fame to recognize former players, coaches and administrators with the league's highest career honor. To date, 82 inductees in seven classes have had their accomplishments recognized. The eighth class will be inducted during 2026.

— With the assistance of a coalition of local sponsors and volunteers, he solidified the season-ending BCL Tournament as one of the top high school championship events in the state of Maryland – and secured a long-term presenting sponsorship commitment from Brooks Financial Group.

— Founded the BCL Day of Service, held for several years on Presidents Day, when all BCL teams partner with Catholic Charities to participate in service projects in the Baltimore metro area as an opportunity for student-athletes to give back to the communities they live in.

— During the league's golden anniversary 50th season in 2020-21, he shepherded the league through a COVID-shortened one-month season that culminated in the BCL Tournament played under safety protocols as the only boys' basketball postseason tournament contested in the state of Maryland in March 2021.

— Improved the league's operations by adding an assistant commissioner (Mark Rohde Sr.) and director of communications (Chris Pika) to the league staff. The BCL has built a robust internet site (bclbasketball.com) and social media presence (@bclbasketball on X/Instagram) as part of a larger communications effort.

 

Rohde has a long affiliation with the Baltimore Catholic League, starting as a decorated student-athlete at Loyola Blakefield. He began to lead the BCL’s sponsorship sales and alumni relations efforts for the annual BCL Tournament in 2010, before Degele made him the league’s first assistant commissioner prior to the 2022-23 season. He continues to spearhead the sponsorship programs for the BCLT and the BCL Hall of Fame induction ceremonies.

 

Rohde is committed to local Catholic education and civic causes as he currently serves as a member of several boards and ministry committees, including the Archdiocese of Baltimore Catholic Schools Board (named July 2023), the Mercy High School Board of Trustees (July 2025), the O'Dwyer Retreat Center Board of Directors (July 2025), the Nothing' Wasted Ministry Leadership Committee at the Catholic Community of St. Francis Xavier (2018) and as a mentor at Innovation Works (August 2025). He also served on the Loyola Blakefield Board of Trustees (2018-24). Since 2011, he has served as Tri-Chair of the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation’s annual College Basketball Tip-Off Luncheon.

 

An accomplished leader in the Baltimore area business community, Rohde has been a part of several companies over the last six decades. Most recently, he owned Watchpoint Enterprise LLC (2015-23), which operated three Smoothie King franchises in the Baltimore area; was CEO and board member of TransAxle (2020-22), a leading manufacturer of on- and off-highway transmissions, differentials and hydraulics products for commercial trucks; managing director for JPB Capital Partners (2006-19), a  privately-owned alternative asset manager; board member, president and CEO of Davis Calibration in Timonium (2008-10), a manufacturing, product distribution and calibration service company.

 

He was a three-season starter for legendary Loyola Dons head coach Jerry Savage and a member of the BCL's first regular-season and tournament championship team during his 1971-72 senior season, after which he was named an honorable mention All-BCL selection by the Baltimore Sun and Baltimore News American, honorable mention All-Metro by the Baltimore Evening Sun, honorable mention All-Maryland by the Sunday Sun and was the first recipient of the BCL Tournament Sportsmanship Award at the inaugural 1972 tourney. He was selected to play in both the 1972 Maryland-Virginia All-Star Game (for DeMatha's Morgan Wooten and the Allentown (Pa.) Schoolboy Classic (for St. John's (D.C.) College's Joe Gallagher). Rohde was inducted into the Loyola Blakefield Athletics Hall of Fame in 2008.

 

Rohde attended then-Loyola College, where he was a basketball standout from 1972-76. As a four-year starter, he scored 1,103 points and pulled down almost 900 rebounds during a career that included a pair of All-Mason-Dixon Conference selections. As a freshman, he was a starting forward for the 1972-73 team that became the first Loyola men’s basketball squad to participate in the NCAA College Division Tournament. The Greyhounds' team captain in 1975-76 remained active in the Loyola athletic program after his graduation as he served as the college's sports information director, head men's tennis coach and assistant basketball coach during the late 1970s. He was inducted into the Loyola University Maryland Athletics Hall of Fame in 1992.

 

He earned his B.A. in mathematics (1976) and an M.B.A. (1981) from Loyola University Maryland.

 

BCL chairmen/commissioners have guided the league over the decades. Towson Catholic athletic director Mike Farabaugh was the first BCL chairman (1971-72 through 1972-73), Calvert Hall AD Brother D. John Smith, FSC (1973-74 through 1975-76) and Loyola head coach/athletic director Jerry Savage (chairman from 1976-77 to 1987-88; acting chairman in both 1993-94 and 1999-2000). Jim “Snuffy” Smith was named the first BCL commissioner (1988-89 through 1992-93), followed by Mark Russo (1994-95 through 1998-99), Degele (2000-01 through 2024-25) and Rohde. The BCL re-established a Board of Directors governance structure in 2025, composed of the heads of schools at each institution. Calvert Hall president Brother John Kane, FSC is the chairman of the BCL Board.

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March 3, 2025

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MOUNT CARMEL CAPTURES 54TH BALTIMORE CATHOLIC LEAGUE TOURNAMENT, PRESENTED BY BROOKS FINANCIAL GROUP

Cougars defeat Mount St. Joseph 58-33

 

 

 

 

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BALTIMORE –  Mount Carmel and Cougars head coach Tony Martin made history in the championship of the 54th annual Baltimore Catholic League Tournament, presented by Brooks Financial Group as the Essex school captured its first BCLT title.

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Top-seeded Mount Carmel (33-4) led wire to wire as the Cougars defeated No. 6 seed Mount St. Joseph (22-17) 53-38 in Loyola University Maryland’s Reitz Arena.

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The Cougars used hot shooting in the first half (13-23; 56.5 percent) to get out to a 30-20 halftime advantage, while Mount St. Joseph shot just 38.5 percent and missed on all nine 3-point attempts in the first two periods.

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The Gaels got as close as eight at 34-26 with 5:19 left in the third period, but the Cougars held a 41-32 advantage as the fourth quarter opened. MSJ scored the first point of the fourth on a free throw to pull to 41-33 with 6:47 to play, and Mount Carmel responded with a 6-0 run over the next 3:34 to put the game away.

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John M. Plevyak Most Valuable Player Mario Tatum finished with nine points and four rebounds for the Cougars. Mount Carmel was led by All-Tournament Team selection Gage Howard, who scored 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Rodney Scott scored six points, and added three rebounds with four assists on the way to All-Tournament honors. Junior Mancho added nine points and five rebounds.

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Mount Carmel’s size advantage resulted in 30 paint points on 15 of 34 shooting in the lane, and the Cougars also held a 38-23 rebounding edge, including 11 on the offensive glass.

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Joseph Green led Mount St. Joseph with 11 points and seven rebounds, while BJ Ranson scored 10 as both were selected to All-Tournament honors.

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The championship for the Cougars completed a season where they won both the BCL’s regular season and tourney titles - both for the first time - to go with the school’s first MIAA A Conference title, a school-record 34 victories and a No. 1 rank in the area and the state. Head coach Tony Martin won his fourth overall BCLT title and he is the first coach in league history to win BCLT titles at three schools (Archbishop Spalding, John Carroll and Mount Carmel).

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John Carroll’s Andrew Clark was also selected to the All-Tournament team, while St. Mary’s James DiBitetto took home the Dan Popera Sportsmanship Award.

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BCL ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM:

John M. Plevyak MVP: Mario Tatum, Mount Carmel

Andrew Clark, John Carroll

Joseph Green, Mount St. Joseph

Gage Howard, Mount Carmel

BJ Ranson, Mount St. Joseph

Rodney Scott, Mount Carmel

Dan Popera Sportsmanship Award: James DiBitetto, St. Mary's

 

POSTGAME NOTES ON MOUNT CARMEL'S VICTORY:

• The Cougars finished their season with a 34-4 record and earned their first BCL Tournament title.

• The 34 victories are most by Mount Carmel in its 14 BCL seasons (Cougars won 32 in 2014-15).

• The Cougars are the 12th BCL team to win 34 or more games in a single season (tied for ninth-most by a BCL school), and the first with 34 or more since St. Frances (34-7) in 2018-19.

• The Cougars improved the record of No. 1 seeds in the BCLT title game to 35-11 (.761).

• Mount Carmel improved their all-time BCLT record to 11-14 (.440).

• Head coach Tony Martin earned his fourth tournament title and his first since 2016 at John Carroll.

• Martin is the first coach with BCLT titles at three different schools (Archbishop Spalding 1999, John Carroll 2011 and 2016, and Mount Carmel 2025).

• Martin is the first coach to take three different schools to their FIRST BCLT title (AS 1999, JC 2011, MC 2025).

• Martin ties BCL Hall of Famers Mike Daniel and Cokey Robertson and St. Frances’ Nick Myles for the fifth-most BCLT titles all-time (four).

• Martin improves his BCLT championship record to 4-2, 2-1 vs. Mount St. Joseph.

• Martin improves his BCL Tournament record to 19-7 (.731) – the highest win percentage among BCL coaches with 20 or more tournament games.

• Mount Carmel improves their BCLT series record against Mount St. Joseph to 2-4 all-time (broke a three-game BCLT losing streak to the Gaels).

• Mount Carmel improves to 1-1 against the Gaels in BCL Tournament championship games.

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February 25, 2025

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54TH BALTIMORE CATHOLIC LEAGUE TOURNAMENT, PRESENTED BY
BROOKS FINANCIAL GROUP SET FOR FEBRUARY 27-28 AND MARCH 2-3

2024-25 BCL regular season champ Mount Carmel leads the eight-team field at Loyola University Maryland

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BALTIMORE – After an eventful 42-game regular season with tremendous individual and team performances that ended with Mount Carmel capturing its first BCL regular-season title, the Baltimore Catholic League schools will gather to play the 54th-annual Baltimore Catholic League Tournament, presented by Brooks Financial Group over four days, starting Thursday, February 27 at Reitz Arena on the campus of Loyola University Maryland. At 54 consecutive years, the BCL Tournament is the current longest-running boys’ postseason tourney in the state.

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Game times for the first round (two games each) on Thursday, February 27 and Friday, February 28 are 6:00 pm and 8:00 pm. The semifinals on Sunday, March 2 are set for 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm. Monday, March 3, the BCL will hold the junior varsity championship game at 6:00 pm, and the 54th BCL Tournament varsity championship game at 8:00 pm.

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Tickets ($20 for adults and $15 for children ages 6-18/high school students) for each day of the tournament are available by clicking the link on the front page of the BCL’s website at BCLBasketball.com or by going directly to BCLBasketball.com/bclt-tickets. Children under six years old receive free admission. Tickets are being sold online ONLY (no cash tickets available at Reitz Arena).

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A tradition in Baltimore since the first tournament at the then-Essex Community College in 1972, the Baltimore Catholic League Tournament features the current seven-team lineup of Archbishop Spalding, Calvert Hall, John Carroll, Loyola, Mount Carmel, Mount St. Joseph, and St. Frances. Associate member St. Mary’s is an invited participant and the No. 8 seed in this year’s tournament. This is the 21st BCL Tournament to be played in whole or in part at Reitz Arena – the most at one location in the event’s history. The 83 games played in Reitz to date are also the most all-time for the tournament.

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Calvert Hall, Loyola and Mount St. Joseph have participated in all 54 seasons and tournaments in the league’s history. St. Frances became a BCL member school in 1988-89. Archbishop Spalding, a 1977 and 1978 invited participant when the school was known as Martin Spalding and a 1997 invitee, became a league member in 1997-98. John Carroll, a 1974 invited participant, became a BCL member in 2010-11. Mount Carmel, a 2011 invited participant, brought the BCL membership back to eight teams when it was added for the 2011-12 season. With the closure of St. Maria Goretti last June, the league was reduced to seven schools, and St. Mary’s was added as associate member and invited tournament participant in 2024-25.

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The winner of the Baltimore Catholic League Tournament receives possession of the Brother D. John Smith, FSC Memorial Trophy, named for the second president of the BCL from 1973-76 who served as the athletic director at Calvert Hall. The BCL Tournament MVP receives the John M. Plevyak Most Valuable Player Award, named for the longtime Mount St. Joseph athletic director who was instrumental in the founding of the current league. The BCL also honors the late Archbishop Curley head coach and BCL Hall of Famer with the Dan Popera Sportsmanship Award.

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The 2025 tournament opens at 6 pm on February 27 when No. 1 seed and BCL regular season champion Mount Carmel (10-2 BCL; 31-4 overall) takes on St. Mary’s (16-14). Mount Carmel looks to win the school’s first tournament title after capturing the Cougars’ first MIAA A Conference title last Saturday over St. Frances. Mount Carmel second-year head coach and 2025 BCL O. Ray Mullis Coach of the Year winner Tony Martin is no stranger to the BCL as he previously coached at Archbishop Spalding and John Carroll, winning three BCLT titles (one with Spalding and two with John Carroll and he would be the first BCL coach with tourney titles at three different schools if the Cougars win the 2025 championship), and he has the second-highest BCLT winning percentage (minimum 20 games – 16-7; .696) in league history. Martin also earned his 500th career coaching victory in 23 seasons over two states (Maryland and North Carolina) earlier this season. St. Mary’s advanced to the MIAA B Conference semifinals last week under eighth-year head coach Trey Quinn. The Saints are five-time B Conference champions, and the school’s BCLT debut marks the ninth time a school is playing as an invited participant in the field, and the first since Mount Carmel in 2011.

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The opening game features Mount Carmel senior guard Rodney Scott, a 2024-25 All-BCL first-team choice, senior guard and second-teamer Mario Tatum and a pair of honorable mention players in junior Gage Howard and junior guard Tristen Wilson. In addition, junior forward Ralph Rudusans was the player of the game in the Cougars’ A Conference title victory last Saturday at UMBC. St. Mary’s is paced by sophomore center James DiBitetto and sophomore guard/forward Noah Cerny.

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The late game Thursday has No. 4 seed John Carroll (5-7 BCL; 17-13 overall) facing No. 5 seed Loyola (5-7 BCL; 18-16 overall). John Carroll looks to win the program’s third tourney title and the first since 2021. John Carroll’s seventh-year head coach Seth Goldberg led the Patriots to a historic three-upset run over the No. 3, No. 2 and No. 1 seeds in the 2021 tournament. Goldberg also picked up his 300th career victory this season. Loyola, under second-year head coach Josh Czerski, looks to win the BCLT for the sixth time and the Dons’ first since 1978. Czerski is one of eight BCL coaches to also have played in the current league (Towson Catholic, 2007). This is the third meeting between the schools in the BCLT and the first since 2020’s first round when the Dons advanced to the semifinals, and the tournament series is tied 1-1. During the regular season, the teams split a pair of meetings as John Carroll won in Bel Air 70-67 on December 6, and Loyola won at home 86-69 on January 15.

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The John Carroll-Loyola game features the 2024-25 BCL Jerry Savage Player of the Year and first-team All-BCL player, Loyola senior guard Mason Ellison. Ellison is joined by a pair of honorable mention Dons – freshman guard Terry Brooks III and junior guard Jesse Legree. John Carroll is led by junior guard and All-BCL first teamer Aidan Able and two honorable mention Patriots – senior guard Caden Chinnia-Falline and junior forward Andrew Clark.

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The first round continues Friday as No. 2 seed and defending BCLT champion St. Frances (9-3 BCL; 28-7 overall) takes to the floor against No. 7 seed Calvert Hall (0-12 BCL; 12-18 overall) at 6 pm. St. Frances 14th-year head coach Nicholas Myles looks to bring the Panthers back-to-back tourney titles since they won three straight championships from 2018-20, and a record-extending 13th overall. St. Frances also was the runner-up to Mount Carmel in last Saturday’s MIAA A final. Myles also holds the highest coaching win percentage in BCLT history (minimum 20 games – 22-9; .710). The Cardinals are coached by David Gately, a 2024 BCL Hall of Fame inductee as a player at Mount St. Joseph (1983) and the eighth former BCL player to coach in the league. This is the 14th meeting between the schools in the BCLT, and St. Frances holds a 9-4 advantage over the Cardinals in the tournament series with the last meeting in the 2022 first round – a Panthers victory. St. Frances won both games in the regular season over the Cards, a 79-49 victory in Towson on January 10 and a 78-46 victory on Chase Street on February 13.

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The St. Frances-Calvert Hall game features two All-BCL first team performers for St. Frances – junior guard Jasiah Cannady and junior forward Trent Egbiremolen and two honorable mention players – sophomore guard Terence Jones III and junior guard Kamauri Lawson. Calvert Hall is led by senior guard and All-BCL honorable mention choice Jonathan Nalty.

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The first round concludes Friday at 8 pm when No. 3 seed Archbishop Spalding (9-3 BCL; 23-8 overall) faces No. 3 seed Mount St. Joseph (4-8 BCL; 20-16 overall). The Cavaliers are led by sixth-year head coach Josh Pratt, who looks to become the second coach in BCL history to win the tourney at two different schools (Towson Catholic, 2007). Spalding also looks to take home the program’s first BCL tourney title since 2002 and the Cavaliers’ fourth overall. Pratt is also three victories shy of 300 for his career in his 16th season overall as a boys’ coach. MSJ is led by the dean of BCL coaches, Pat Clatchey, who is in his BCL-record 33rd season leading the Gaels and in third place all-time among Maryland boys’ high school coaches in victories (848). The Gaels have captured nine BCLT titles (second-most in league history), with their last coming in 2023. This is the 14th BCLT meeting between the Cavaliers and the Gaels, and MSJ leads the all-time BCLT series 10-3. Last year, the Cavs advanced to the title game with a 60-48 semifinal victory over St. Joe. Spalding swept the two regular-season meetings, 69-41 in Severn on January 3, and 59-52 in Irvington on January 31.

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The Archbishop Spalding-Mount St. Joseph game features a pair of 2024-25 BCL Superlative Award winners – Spalding junior guard Colt Busse, who was voted the league’s Cokey Robertson Most Improved Player of the Year, and Mount St. Joseph senior forward Joseph Green, who earned the BCL’s Mark Amatucci Defensive Player of the Year award. Spalding is also led by freshman forward and All-BCL first teamer Braxton Bogard, who is the first freshman to be voted to the first team since St. Frances’ Derik Queen in 2020-21. A pair of junior guards who were All-BCL second teamers also pace the Cavaliers – Kam Carter and TJ Moultrie. Junior guard Elijah Barrett was an All-BCL honorable mention honoree. Joining Green on the BCL’s second team for the Gaels is junior guard BJ Ranson.

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The first-round winners meet in the semifinal round on Sunday, March 2. The winners of the 5/4 and 8/1 games play at 1:00 pm, and the winners of the 6/3 and 7/2 games meet at 3:00 pm. Championship Monday, March 3 has two games on tap. The junior varsity title game is at 6:00 pm, and the 54th BCL varsity tournament championship between the semifinal winners is set for 8:00 pm.

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2025 BALTIMORE CATHOLIC LEAGUE TOURNAMENT,
PRESENTED BY BROOKS FINANCIAL GROUP
(Reitz Arena; Loyola University Maryland)

 

Thursday, February 27

First Round

8 St. Mary’s (16-14 overall) vs. 1 Mount Carmel (31-4 overall; 10-2 BCL) – 6 pm

5 Loyola (18-16 overall; 5-7 BCL) vs. 4 John Carroll (17-13 overall; 5-7 BCL) – 8 pm

 

Friday, February 28

First Round

7 Calvert Hall (12-18 overall; 0-12 BCL) vs. 2 St. Frances (28-7 overall; 9-3 BCL) – 6 pm

6 Mount St. Joseph (20-16 overall; 4-8 BCL) vs. 3 Archbishop Spalding (23-8 overall; 9-3 BCL) – 8 pm

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Sunday, March 2
Semifinals
5/4 winner vs. 8/1 winner – 1:00 pm
6/3 winner vs. 7/2 winner – 3:00 pm

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Monday, March 3
Championship
JV Championship – 6:00 pm
Varsity Championship – 8:00 pm