Bobcats

Chris Duhon made the tiebreaking 3-pointer with 2 minutes, 3 seconds left, Danilo Gallinari followed with two more and the Knicks pulled out a 97-93 victory Thursday that snapped the three-game win streak of the visiting Bobcats. Wilson Chandler scored a season-high 27 points to lead the Knicks, who hit six 3-pointers in the final quarter and 12 overall. David Lee had 22 points and Gallinari finished with 17 for the Knicks, who have won three straight and 11 of 16. • Rafer Alston got his wish, signing with the Heat for the remainder of the season and getting the chance to play alongside Dwyane Wade again.

Wednesday night's first-round meeting between No. 4 seed Frostburg State and No. 5 seed Mary Washington in the Capital Athletic Conference tournament is a re-match of a contest that the Bobcats won, 13-11, a week ago. That might be an advantage for Frostburg State, but coach Tommy Pearce said the advantage is more mutual than one-sided. “We get to see them on film against us, but they also get to watch film of us,” he said Tuesday. “So we're both learning from this film, and they're seeing some of the same stuff that we're seeing.

The Bel Air High School After Prom Party committee would like to thank the following area businesses and/or individuals for their generous donations, which helped to make our after prom party, held at the Bel Air Athletic Club April 28 -  29 a success. Three hundred and seventy seniors and guests were entertained in a safe, chemical-free environment, thanks to: Applebee's, The Arena Club, Aruba Tanning, Bel Air Athletic Club and Spa, The Baltimore Ravens, Bella Amici Salon, Bellissimo Seafood Bar & Grill, Bertucci's, Best Buy, Blue Ridge Mountain Cookery, Inc., Dianne Bowen, Boyle Buick, Doris Brown, Brian Bunce Barbers, Burger King, Chick-Fil-A, Chili's, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Churchville Golf, Color Lounge Salon & Spa, Commercial Ware Washing Services, LLC, Costco Warehouse, Curves, Melanie Desilets, Dick's Sporting Goods, Edible Arrangements, Einstein Bros.

Frostburg State took all the guesswork out of its placement in the Capital Athletic Conference tournament, thrashing Wesley, 17-9, last Saturday to capture the No. 4 seed. Not only did the Bobcats improve to 11-5 overall and 3-3 in the league, but they earned the right to play host to Mary Washington (8-6, 2-4) in a first-round game in the conference tournament for the first time in school history. Had the team lost to the Wolverines Saturday, Frostburg State still would have earned the No. 4 seed thanks to its head-to-head tiebreaker over the Eagles.

The Nets won for the first time this season, ending the worst start in NBA history at 18 losses by beating the Bobcats 97-91 on Friday night in East Rutherford, N.J. Brook Lopez had 31 points and 14 rebounds, and Courtney Lee scored a career-high 27 points in his return to the starting lineup in the Nets' first game under Kiki Vandeweghe , their general manager who will coach the rest of the season. Fans stood and cheered as the Nets won for the first time since April 13, when they also beat the Bobcats.

Bel Air tried to spoil Havre de Grace's homecoming last night.And for one half, the Bobcats got away with it.Unfortunately for the visitors, every game has two halves, and Havre de Grace showed just how much damage it could do in 24 minutes as it rallied from a 12-point deficit to claim a 28-18 victory in a key Harford County League matchup."

Hardly anyone except for perhaps the Charlotte Bobcats' Jason Richardson could have seen this coming. The Boston Celtics were rolling at home, and the Bobcats were miserable on the road. Richardson had 34 points and nine rebounds, Gerald Wallace had 15 points and 10 rebounds, and the Bobcats stunned the Celtics, 95-83, last night for Boston's fourth loss of the season. "I'm not surprised, because we're a pretty good team," Richardson said. "It just doesn't show in our record." And it really didn't when they played on the road.

Joppatowne girls lacrosse players Lisa Aquino and Chrissy Maly were treated to their share of defensive pressure in the Mariners' county matchup against the Bel Air Bobcats Wednesday. But that didn't stymiethe seniors.They combined for 10 goals to lead the Mariners to adecisive 21-15 victory over the Bobcats.Aquino and Maly were tightly marked by Bobcat defenders Carly Bivens, Jill Schultz and Laura Casey.But Aquino and Maly had too much speed, stick control, and powerful shooting for the Bobcats.

Frostburg State's football team is no longer just a decent group of players who perform out west, hidden among the Allegheny Mountains.Not after the Bobcats enjoyed their best season last year. Not after they finished the regular season at 9-1, made the NCAA Division III playoffs for the first time, and won their first-round game before falling in the national quarterfinals.With 17 starters back, the Bobcats won't be surprising people anymore. In one year, they have gone from a blip on the Division III screen to a team that has been ranked among the top five in preseason polls.

Head coach: Gene Blizzard (second season).Assistant coaches: Don Vail, Joe Alex.1991 record: 0-10.Returnees: Seniors Keir Thompson (OB-DB), Dan Durst (FB-LB), Brenton Clark (E-DE), Andy Glenn (OT-DT), Andy Clark (OT-DT), Don Krtanjek (QB-DB), Roy Sampson (OB-DB), Brandon Barrett (G-LB), Matt Dupree (OT-DT), Chris Abel (Line) and Doug Morin (Kicker).Newcomers: Juniors Terry Vail (OB) and Dick Barwick (OB).Coach's outlook: "We don't have a whole lot of experience on this team, so we're just trying to improve.

Frostburg State has already accomplished a school first by cementing a spot in the Capital Athletic Conference tournament, but the program has its eyes on a bigger prize. If the Bobcats can defeat Wesley this Saturday, they will clinch the No. 4 seed in the six-team tournament and host a first-round contest. It's a goal that the team and coach Tommy Pearce have aspired to all season. “That's where we want to be,” Pearce said Friday morning. “We think we should be right in that discussion with the teams that are getting the No. 4 seed in the playoffs.

Frostburg State's first victory in the Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) was a meaningful step for the program. But the team - which is playing in its third season in the league - is in position to qualify for its first conference tournament. At 9-5 overall and 1-3 in the CAC, the Bobcats are currently jockeying with Mary Washington for the No. 4 seed in the six-team tournament. And they can further pad their cushion when the Eagles (7-5 overall and 1-3 in league) visit Frostburg on Wednesday evening.

The sixth-seeded Mount St. Mary's women's basketball team saw its Northeast Conference tournament run come to an end with a 63-56 defeat at the hands of top-seeded Quinnipiac in the semifinals Wednesday night at the TD Bank Sports Center. Jacqueline Brewer hit a career-best six 3-pointers and finished with a team-high 20 points for the Mount.  The Mount (15-16), playing in the NEC semifinals for the first time since 2001, led 34-29 at halftime. Quinnipiac (29-2) increased its lead to six points with six minutes to go in the game before a layup by Rachel Mathews and Brewer's sixth 3-pointer cut the Mount's deficit to 53-52.

Frostburg State's season opener against Catholic is 16 days away, and that delayed start may actually benefit the team. That's because the competition to designate a starting goalkeeper is too close to call. Junior Tyler Haines and freshmen Taylor Schmitz, Mack Schwarz and Tom Kraemer have yet to create any room from the others, making it more interesting - and potentially more difficult - for coach Tommy Pearce and his staff. “We've got three freshman goalies that are good,” he said.

Thursday's entry is the third installment of a series taking a look at each of the eight Division III programs in this state according to their order of finish from last season. The Sun's lacrosse preview is slated to be published on Friday, Feb. 8. This is Frostburg State's turn. Overview: After establishing a foundation with six wins in the program's first year at the Division III level, the Bobcats took a punch to the gut last season, ending with a 2-15 record. A spate of injuries - especially those of the season-ending variety - took a toll on the roster, but coach Tommy Pearce blamed himself for not strengthening the team's depth.

Sophie Pruden scored a career-high 23 points to lead the visiting St.Mary's women's basketball team to an 87-82 triple-overtime win over Division II Washington Adventist on Tuesday night. Pruden shot 10-for-19 from the field, grabbed 10 rebounds and blocked a career-best three shots.  The Seahawks (5-3) outscored the Shock 10-5 in the third five-minute overtime period to seal the win and end their three-game skid. Aura Payne (Severn) made the first of two free throws to keep it at a two-possession game with 24 seconds left in the third overtime.  Washington Adventist took two shot attempts in the final 15 seconds but both were off the mark.

Dennis Riccio knows why Frostburg State is playing in the ECAC Southeast Championship game and not the NCAA Division III playoffs. It's really quite simple."

Matt Sedgely has seen the boys volleyball banner on the C. Milton Wright gym wall too many times. More than half a dozen dates from the last 10 years mark C. Milton Wright county championships.Sedgely and his Bel Air High School teammates want the number "91" on a bannerin their own gym. Tuesday, they took a giant step toward the title with a 15-11, 15-14 victory over the Mustangs, who won the county title last year and shared it in 1988 and 89."We just came in hoping to win it quickly," said Sedgely, a 6-8 senior.

Tim Markland Bel Air When Tim Markland took over the Bel Air varsity volleyball team in 2008, he knew he had a challenge. Still, he saw the talent and potential at the school, and he vowed to work to build the program. Markland's hard work paid off this year for the Bobcats, who compiled a 19-1 record and reached the Class 3A state semifinals before losing to eventual state champion North Hagerstown in three sets. The program won its first regional title in volleyball since 1998.

Considering what Keenan Reynolds had accomplished since taking over at quarterback for Navy more than a month ago, it was only a matter of time before an opposing defense was mostly designed to stop the talented freshman. Despite his least productive performance to date, Reynolds took advantage of the extra attention Saturday against Texas State, pitching to a slew of slotbacks and handing off to sophomore fullback Noah Copeland en route to a 21-10 victory on senior day at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.