Simon Gratz

During the past few seasons, Dunbar and Simon Gratz have developed one of the country's top rivalries.But the past two mythical national champions found themselves in an unfamiliar situation yesterday -- playing in a consolation game at the Charm City Classic.Unfortunately for Dunbar, the outcome was no consolation.For the second straight game, the No. 2 Poets lost at the buzzer, 45-43, in the Southeast bracket at Loyola College's Reitz Arena.Brian Samuels of Simon Gratz (16-3) made a 15-foot jumper as time ran out, and Dunbar lost its fourth consecutive game at the Charm City Classic.

Baseball Expos: Recalled IF Andy Tracy from Triple-A Ottawa. Optioned P Jeremy Powell to Ottawa. Phillies: Claimed OF-1B Brian Hunter off waivers from Braves. Designated IF Tomas Perez for assignment. Colleges Morgan: Announced the signing of 6-1 G Shaun McKie (Philadelphia, Simon Gratz) for men's basketball. Stonehill: Named Kevin O'Brien men's basketball coach. Wyoming: Granted a two-year contract extension to men's basketball coach Steve McClain. Football Giants: Signed the following rookie free agents: OT John Kuzora, LB Levin Lewis andDT Faiva Talaea.

Dunbar wants to defend its national title. Simon Gratz of Philadelphia will try to take a step toward claiming it. St. Anthony of Jersey City, N.J., is looking for revenge. Lake Clifton is seeking national recognition.Those are the subplots for the second annual Charm City Classic, which tips off at the Towson Center today and concludes tomorrow night.Five teams ranked in USA Today's Super 25 will be playing -- No. 1 Simon Gratz, No. 4 St. Anthony, No. 6 St. John's Prospect Hall of Frederick, No. 9 Dunbar of D.C. and the No. 10 Poets.

COLLEGE PARK -- Terrell Stokes has maturity beyond his 20 years, a level of confidence that abuts on cocky, and a style of play crafted on the playgrounds of Philadelphia.For Maryland's precocious point guard, "freshman" is simply a misnomer.Yet that is precisely what he is. A first-year college player. Happily for the Terps, Stokes is one of the most promising newcomers in a season when freshmen flourish around the Atlantic Coast Conference.Several of them will be on display at Cole Field House tonight when Maryland (8-6, 1-3)

"Bill Spotts," says Lake Clifton High coach Charlie Moore jokingly, "has become the Don King of basketball."There's an element of truth in that. Spotts, a Baltimore insurance man, has become the top promoter of hoops in our town -- just as King has long been the world's pre-eminent promoter of boxing.But King has been known to stage an occasional turkey. Spotts delivers what he promises.A year ago, when Spotts put on the first Charm City Classic at the Towson Center, he said several of the best teams in the country were in the field.

The road to high school's mythical national basketball championship probably will be decided in Baltimore this season.On Jan. 15 and 16, the second annual Charm City Classic, featuring five teams ranked in the USA Today Super 25 poll, will be held at the Towson Center.The theme, "Defending Your Turf," alludes to the mixer's main attractions, locally top-ranked Dunbar and second-ranked Lake Clifton against the country's No. 1 team, Simon Gratz of Philadelphia, and No. 9 St. Anthony's of New Jersey.

For 3 1/2 quarters, Lake Clifton had Simon Gratz of Philadelphia -- the nation's No. 1 team according to USA Today -- within its sights.As the Lakers played even, basket for basket, excitement and anticipation of a possible upset came over the estimated crowd of more than 3,100.But as quickly as that excitement came, Simon Gratz quieted it, taking control and defeating Lake Clifton, The Baltimore Sun's No. 2 team, 60-46, in the second game of the Charm City Classic last night at the Towson Center.

Until this season, Southern of Baltimore has failed to gain recognition in the national rankings. One of the reasons was a 0-3 mark in the Charm City Classic.And even though the Bulldogs have the No. 4 ranking in USA Today, there was still questions about them going into last night's game with Simon Gratz of Philadelphia, the nation's No. 6 team.The Bulldogs silenced those critics with a 74-68 victory over the defending national champions in a Northwest bracket game, before a sellout crowd of more than 3,000 at Loyola College's Reitz Arena.

In its first two years, the Charm City Classic has been a who's who of the country's best high school basketball players.Maryland's Keith Booth (Dunbar High), Massachusetts' Donta Bright (Dunbar), San Jacinto College's Michael Lloyd (Dunbar), Kentucky's Rodrick Rhodes (St. Anthony's of New Jersey) and North Carolina's Rasheed Wallace (Simon Gratz of Philadelphia) head the list.At this year's Charm City Classic, today and tomorrow at Loyola College's Reitz Arena, the focus will be on Felipe Lopez (Rice of New York)

There isn't a playoff format to decide which boys high school team is the best in the country. But the Charm City Classic is shaping up to be the closest thing to that.Three of the past four mythical national champions -- Dunbar, Simon Gratz of Philadelphia and St. Anthony's of New Jersey -- will be showcased on Friday and Saturday at the Towson Center.Overall, five teams currently ranked in the USA Today's Super 25 will be playing -- Simon Gratz, ranked No. 1, No. 4 St. Anthony's, No. 6 St. John's Prospect Hall, No. 9 Dunbar of D.C. and the Poets, ranked No. 10."

SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. -- Chris Webber has been at the Washington Bullets' training camp for two days, and already he has noticed a tremendous change from last season's team."

It was one of those indelible images left from last year's Atlantic Coast Conference title game. There was Rasheed Wallace, writhing in pain on the floor, screaming at the top of his lungs after injuring himself in a North Carolina loss to Wake Forest.To watch him, you would have thought Wallace had broken an ankle, or suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament. The injury wound up being a "mild to moderate" sprain of the left ankle. To some, it reinforced an image Wallace had gained in two years with the Tar Heels: that of a whiner who lacked toughness.

Southern of Baltimore's Kevin Simpson, The Baltimore Sun's 1993-94 boys basketball Player of the Year, has decided to attend Dixie College in St. George, Utah, said his coach, Meredith Smith, last night."

So much for Southern-Baltimore's claim to the nation's No. 1 high school boys basketball ranking.The area's No. 1 team, ranked No. 2 in this week's USA Today Super 25, was stunned by host and metro area No. 3 Southwestern, 71-70, yesterday before a capacity crowd of more than 500.Senior forward Aaron Jolly threw up a 23-foot jumper from left of the arc that banked in as time expired, setting off a wild celebration by Sabers players and fans, who stormed the...

1. Southern-Baltimore (record: 11-0, points: 200) -- Last week's ranking: 1. In a 75-69 victory over Lake Clifton on Tuesday, Kevin Simpson scored 25 points. At the Charm City Classic on Friday, Simpson scored 38 in a 74-68 win over Simon Gratz (Pa.) in a Southeast bracket semifinal. In the championship on Saturday, Simpson and Dante Williams each scored 21 in a 65-58 victory over previously unbeaten and the country's No. 1 team Rice (N.Y.). Next game: Tomorrow at No. 3 Southwestern.2. Dunbar (11-3, 188)

During the past few seasons, Dunbar and Simon Gratz have developed one of the country's top rivalries.But the past two mythical national champions found themselves in an unfamiliar situation yesterday -- playing in a consolation game at the Charm City Classic.Unfortunately for Dunbar, the outcome was no consolation.For the second straight game, the No. 2 Poets lost at the buzzer, 45-43, in the Southeast bracket at Loyola College's Reitz Arena.Brian Samuels of Simon Gratz (16-3) made a 15-foot jumper as time ran out, and Dunbar lost its fourth consecutive game at the Charm City Classic.

Southern of Baltimore's Kevin Simpson, The Baltimore Sun's 1993-94 boys basketball Player of the Year, has decided to attend Dixie College in St. George, Utah, said his coach, Meredith Smith, last night."

For more than a month, No. 5 Walbrook had been waiting for another shot at Simon Gratz of Philadelphia.In the rematch last night in the consolation game of final day of the inaugural Charm City Classic at the Towson Center, the Warriors again fell short to the nation's 11th-ranked team, 54-46."

Until this season, Southern of Baltimore has failed to gain recognition in the national rankings. One of the reasons was a 0-3 mark in the Charm City Classic.And even though the Bulldogs have the No. 4 ranking in USA Today, there was still questions about them going into last night's game with Simon Gratz of Philadelphia, the nation's No. 6 team.The Bulldogs silenced those critics with a 74-68 victory over the defending national champions in a Northwest bracket game, before a sellout crowd of more than 3,000 at Loyola College's Reitz Arena.

In its first two years, the Charm City Classic has been a who's who of the country's best high school basketball players.Maryland's Keith Booth (Dunbar High), Massachusetts' Donta Bright (Dunbar), San Jacinto College's Michael Lloyd (Dunbar), Kentucky's Rodrick Rhodes (St. Anthony's of New Jersey) and North Carolina's Rasheed Wallace (Simon Gratz of Philadelphia) head the list.At this year's Charm City Classic, today and tomorrow at Loyola College's Reitz Arena, the focus will be on Felipe Lopez (Rice of New York)