So I was supposed to write a column about SMAC basketball. You know, looking at the year for SMAC with two teams reaching the state semifinals and maybe going on to make history on Saturday.
There were five regional champions between the girls and boys teams, just basically a solid year for a conference that has consistently raised its basketball profile through the years.
And yeah, it’s been an interesting basketball season. Five regional titles, and in the case of the St. Charles boys squad, especially, a team that was widely regarded as a state title contender all season.
With a win against Atholton in the state semifinals on Thursday, the outcome of which wasn’t known at the time this story went to press, the Spartans will play for the Class 3A championship at 3 p.m. Saturday at the University of Maryland’s Xfinity Center in College Park.
But, as with all of this year’s state semifinals and finals, the games will be played in a closed gym with no media present, according to a Wednesday news release from the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association. This is also the case for today’s 2A state semifinal at Towson University’s SECU Arena where Westlake will play Pikesville at 3 p.m. and, with a win, compete in the state final at 1 p.m. Saturday in Towson.
That last part made me quite angry when it was first announced. As I write, a few hours later, I’m still not happy with it.
For those of us who cover these games for a living this makes it very difficult to do our jobs, and even more difficult to do it to the standard we would like. Truthfully, the worst part is the complete inability to get that state championship celebration photo.
Reporters can watch the stream of the game, but I don’t think anybody would enjoy seeing a photo of us watching the game at our desks. In my case, my desk is in my basement facing a wall, so it’s even less interesting.
But a lot has also happened since the state basketball contingency plan was made public. Notably, in the sports world, the suspension of the NBA season. And, as I write, Nebraska’s men’s basketball team is in quarantine just hours after the NCAA Tournament would go on without fans.
A person would have to believe this is only the start. A couple of days ago we were all talking about the possibility of games being played in front of empty stadiums and arenas. Now it seems inevitable that we’ll all be living without any games for a while.
Just two days ago, I stopped by a Patuxent High School baseball scrimmage to do some work towards baseball preview stories that would typically run in conjunction with the start of the spring season. Just a normal day in what is typically a cycle of routine. But now, barely 48 hours later, I find myself wondering if there even will be a spring season.
Personally, I’ve always enjoyed this time of year. The baseball season should be starting up soon, and we’re winding towards what should be the basketball and hockey playoffs.
The only time of the year that compares for me is October. And now that normalcy is gone. Hopefully not for terribly long, but it isn’t coming back tomorrow and at the moment that’s more than a little depressing, especially, for me, without the promise of sports to provide a distraction.
So, given that I was assigned to cover St. Charles in its quest to win the school’s first state title, I guess I should be thankful that I still have a game to watch on Thursday and, hopefully, a game to watch on Saturday. I’ll just be sitting in my basement instead of behind the basket at the arena. And we won’t have any great photos to adorn the front page.
But the Spartans still have a tremendous opportunity over the next couple of days. No doubt, it stinks that the arena they worked so hard to play in will be empty. It stinks, but ultimately it doesn’t change the objective on the floor.
After the team’s victory against Potomac in the 3A South Region I final, St. Charles head coach Brett Campbell told me the team has a saying that I saw one of their players tweet about tonight to ‘win anyway.’ Whatever adversity stands in their way, rise above it and win regardless.
I’ve been in that building many times to see state champions crowned through the years, and no doubt the celebration in an empty gym would take on a completely different tone than the typical one. In the end it would be no less special, though. Just different.
That said, here’s to hoping we’re all back in the stands soon.
