The Baltimore Catholic League (BCL), locally known as the Catholic League is a competitive

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's h ...

association composed of private

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

high schools in the

Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

geographic area.

History

The BCL was founded in 1972, after the Baltimore high school basketball season culminated in the MSA Championship game, Mt. St. Joseph High School defeated Dunbar High School. This game went on to be known as one of the most remarkable and controversial games in Baltimore high school basketball history. The impetus for the creation of the BCL arrived in the off-season. The goal was to make a separate division from the Maryland Scholastic Association (MSA), which was the league for all high school athletics in the Baltimore area, public or private. The BCL created a division that was strictly for Baltimore area Catholic High Schools. It is alleged that the

Washington Catholic Athletic Conference The Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) is a major high school athletic league for boys, girls, and co-ed Catholic high schools of the Archdiocese of Washington & Diocese of Arlington Schools located in the Washington Metropolitan Are ...

(WCAC) was the model for the BCL. The BCL was originally composed of most of the schools in the list below, with the most recent additions being

The John Carroll School The John Carroll School Inc., established in 1964 and incorporated in 1971, is a private Catholic school for grades 9–12. It is located in Bel Air, Harford County, Maryland, United States in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore. History ...

in the 2010–11 season, and Our Lady of Mount Carmel in the 2011–12 season.

Archbishop Curley High School Archbishop Curley High School is a Roman Catholic boys' high school in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore in the United States, within the City of Baltimore. It is affiliated with the Conventual Franciscan religious order. It is the broth ...

, a founding member of the league, left the BCL in 1997. The

Cardinal Gibbons School , motto_translation = "Send forth Your Spirit" , accreditation = Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools , rival = Mount Saint Joseph High School , sister_school = Seton Keough High School , mascot = ...

(which closed in 2010) has the most BCL championships to date. The late O. Ray Mullis, former head coach at Cardinal Gibbons, has the most all-time wins of any coach in Baltimore City history (621 wins), while simultaneously claiming the most BCL championships (6). Other notable coaches in the league included Mark Amatucci, formerly of

Calvert Hall College Calvert Hall College High School (also known as "Calvert Hall" or "CHC") is a Catholic college preparatory high school for boys, located in Towson, Maryland, United States. The school's mission is to make its students "men of intellect, men of f ...

, who won a national championship in the early 80s, Cokey Robertson, formerly of St. Maria Goretti High School, Pat Clatchey of Mount Saint Joseph, William Wells formerly of St. Frances Academy, Jerry Savage formerly of

Loyola Blakefield Loyola Blakefield is a private Catholic, college preparatory school run by the USA East Province of the Society of Jesus in Towson, Maryland and within the Archdiocese of Baltimore. It was established in 1852 by the Jesuits as an all-boys school f ...

, and Dan Popera formerly of

Scheduling

The league works in cooperation with the

Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association The Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association (M.I.A.A.) is a boys' sports conference for private high schools generally located in the Baltimore metropolitan area but extending to various other regions, including the state's mostly rural Easter ...

(MIAA). Seven of the 8 teams participate in the MIAA A Conference, which results in each team playing each other twice, once home and once away. St. Maria Goretti is the only member of the BCL that does not participate in the MIAA. After the conclusion of the season, the BCL sponsors a league tournament held at Loyola College's

Reitz Arena Reitz Arena is a multi-purpose arena in Baltimore, Maryland. It is home to the Loyola University Maryland Greyhounds men's and women's basketball teams, as well as the Loyola women's volleyball team. Its seating capacity is 2,100.

. The event usually occurs after the MIAA Conference Championship with all 8 teams of the league participating. It is a

single-elimination tournament A single-elimination, knockout, or sudden death tournament is a type of elimination tournament where the loser of each match-up is immediately eliminated from the tournament. Each winner will play another in the next round, until the final matc ...

with 4 quarterfinal matchups, 2 semi-final games, and a championship game. The Junior Varsity (JV) teams also play in the tournament, but held at the home of the higher seed for each game.

BCL Game of the Week

Beginning with the 2006–2007 season, RC Sports Productions broadcasts a Baltimore Catholic League Game of the Week on Fox 1370 Sports Radio (formerly V1370) WVIE in Pikesville, Baltimore.

Participating schools

* St. Frances Academy *

Calvert Hall College High School Calvert Hall College High School (also known as "Calvert Hall" or "CHC") is a Catholic college preparatory high school for boys, located in Towson, Maryland, United States. The school's mission is to make its students "men of intellect, men of ...

* St. Maria Goretti High School * Archbishop Spalding High School * Mount Saint Joseph College *

* Our Lady of Mount Carmel High School *Former members: Towson Catholic and

both closed in 2009 and 2010, respectively;

left the league in 1997.

Notable BCL alumni

Many former BCL players later played collegiate basketball at

NCAA The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...

Division I schools, with some advancing to the NBA: Towson Catholic Owls *

Donté Greene Donté Dominic Greene (born February 21, 1988) is an American professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the Syracuse Orange for one year before being selected with the 28th overall pick by the Memphis Grizzlies in the 200 ...

, '07 - NBA

Sacramento Kings The Sacramento Kings are an American professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California. The Kings compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Western Conference Pacific Division. The Kings are the oldest ...

, NCAA

Syracuse Orange The Syracuse Orange are the athletic teams that represent Syracuse University. The school is a member of NCAA Division I and the Atlantic Coast Conference. Until 2013, Syracuse was a member of the Big East Conference. The school's mascot is Ott ...

Carmelo Anthony Carmelo Kyam Anthony (born May 29, 1984) is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He has been named an NBA All-Star ten times and an All-NBA Team ...

, '02 - NBA New York Knicks, Denver Nuggets, NCAA

via

Oak Hill Academy (Virginia) Oak Hill Academy is a co-educational, private, Baptist-affiliated secondary school in Mouth of Wilson, Virginia, United States. Oak Hill enrolls approximately 140 students in grades 8-12, and is 100% boarding. It is accredited by the Virginia Ass ...

Malcolm Delaney Malcolm Hakeem Delaney (born March 11, 1989) is an American professional basketball player who last played for Olimpia Milano of the Italian Lega Basket Serie A (LBA) and the EuroLeague. He is from Baltimore, Maryland, and attended Towson Catholi ...

, '07 - NCAA

Virginia Tech Hokies The Virginia Tech Hokies are the athletic teams representing the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) in intercollegiate athletics. The Hokies participate in the NCAA's Division I Atlantic Coast Conference in 22 v ...

Calvert Hall Cardinals *

Juan Dixon Juan Dixon (born October 9, 1978) is an American former professional basketball player and the current head coach for Coppin State University in Baltimore. Dixon led the University of Maryland Terrapins to their first NCAA championship in 2002 a ...

, '98 - NBA

Toronto Raptors The Toronto Raptors are a Canadian professional basketball team based in Toronto. The Raptors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. They play their home games a ...

Portland Trail Blazers The Portland Trail Blazers (colloquially known as the Blazers) are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. The Trail Blazers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Con ...

and

Washington Wizards The Washington Wizards are an American professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C. The Wizards compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The team plays ...

, NCAA

Maryland Terrapins The Maryland Terrapins, commonly referred to as the Terps, consist of 19 men's and women's varsity intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Maryland, College Park in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Divis ...

Duane Ferrell Duane Ferrell (born February 28, 1965) is an American retired professional basketball player. He played 11 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Atlanta Hawks, Indiana Pacers and Golden State Warriors. He played college bask ...

, '84 - NBA

Atlanta Hawks The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta. The Hawks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The team plays its home games at ...

, Indiana Pacers and Golden State Warriors, NCAA

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets is the name used for all of the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech), located in Atlanta, Georgia. The teams have also been nicknamed the Ramblin' Wrec ...

Gary Neal Gary Neal (born October 3, 1984) is an American professional basketball coach and former player. He played college basketball at La Salle University and Towson University. He began his professional career abroad with teams in Turkey, Spain and ...

, '02 - NBA

San Antonio Spurs The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio. The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division. The team plays its home ...

, NCAA

La Salle Explorers The La Salle Explorers are the varsity sports teams from La Salle University in Philadelphia. The Explorers compete in NCAA Division I as members of the Atlantic 10 Conference. The men's and women's basketball teams are also participate in the Ph ...

and

Towson Tigers The Towson Tigers, formerly the ''Towson College Knights'', are the athletics teams of Towson University. All of the major athletic teams compete in the Colonial Athletic Association with 19 Division I athletic teams (13 in women's sports, 6 in ...

* Jack McClinton, '02 - selected by the

in the

2009 NBA Draft The 2009 NBA draft was held on June 25, 2009, at the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City. In this draft, the National Basketball Association (NBA) teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players and other e ...

.,McDonald, Jeff (June 26, 2009). - "NBA DRAFT; SPURS ADD THREE; Spurs see Blair as steal". - '' San Antonio Express-News''. NCAA

Miami Hurricanes The Miami Hurricanes (known informally as The U, UM, or The 'Canes) are the intercollegiate sports teams that represent the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida. The Hurricanes compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic A ...

* Damion Lee, '10 - NCAA

Louisville Cardinals The Louisville Cardinals (also known as the Cards) are the NCAA athletic teams representing the University of Louisville. The Cardinals teams play in the Atlantic Coast Conference, beginning in the 2014 season. While playing in the Big East Co ...

Drexel Dragons The Drexel Dragons are the athletic teams of Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The school's athletic program includes eighteen NCAA Division I sports including nine men's and nine women's teams, with most sports teams competing in ...

Spalding Cavaliers *

Rudy Gay Rudy Carlton Gay Jr. (born August 17, 1986) is an American professional basketball player for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The 6'8" forward played college basketball for the University of Connecticut before being d ...

, '04 - NBA

Memphis Grizzlies The Memphis Grizzlies (referred to locally as the Grizz) are an American professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee. The Grizzlies compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference ...

, NCAA

UConn Huskies The UConn Huskies (or Connecticut Huskies) are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Connecticut, located in Storrs. The school is a member of the NCAA's Division I and the Big East Conference. The university's foo ...

Aleksandar Pavlović Aleksandar "Saša" Pavlović (Anglicized: Sasha Pavlovic, sr-cyr, Александар "Саша" Павловић; born November 15, 1983) is a Serbian-Montenegrin basketball executive and former professional basketball player who spent ten seas ...

, '99 - NBA Cleveland Cavaliers Cardinal Gibbons Crusaders *

Norman Black Norman Augustus Black (born November 12, 1957) is an American former professional basketball player who played in the CBA, NBA, and PBA. He's the current head coach for the Meralco Bolts. He has since settled in the Philippines. He is also ...

, '75 - NBA

Detroit Pistons The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division and play their home games at L ...

, NCAA Saint Joseph's College * Dylon Cormier, '10 - , NCAA

Loyola Greyhounds The Loyola Greyhounds are the athletic teams that represent Loyola University Maryland. The teams include men and women's basketball, cross country, lacrosse, rowing, soccer, swimming & diving, and tennis. Men's sports also include golf, while w ...

Quintin Dailey Quintin "Q" Dailey (January 22, 1961 – November 8, 2010) was an American professional basketball player. A 6'3" guard who played collegiately at the University of San Francisco, he later went on to a career in the NBA, playing for the Chicago B ...

, '79 - NBA

Chicago Bulls The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago. The Bulls compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The team was founded on January ...

, L.A. Clippers and

Seattle SuperSonics The Seattle SuperSonics (commonly known as the Seattle Sonics) were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle. The SuperSonics competed in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member club of the league's Western Confe ...

, NCAA San Francisco Dons * Steve Wojciechowski, '94 - NCAA Duke University Blue Devils, former Head Coach at

Marquette University Marquette University () is a private Jesuit research university in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Established by the Society of Jesus as Marquette College on August 28, 1881, it was founded by John Martin Henni, the first Bishop of the diocese of M ...

Archbishop Curley Friars * Kwame Evans (played at Curley from 1987 to 1989) - NCAA

George Washington University The George Washington University (GW or GWU) is a Private university, private University charter#Federal, federally chartered research university in Washington, D.C. Chartered in 1821 by the United States Congress, GWU is the largest Higher educat ...

Colonials - made 3 trips to the NCAA Tournament ('93, '94, and '96) with a Sweet 16 appearance in 1993. Evans currently ranks fifth on GW's all-time scoring list and was inducted into the university's athletic Hall of Fame in 2014. Goretti Gaels *

Rodney Monroe Rodney Eugene Monroe (born April 16, 1968) is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and other leagues. He was selected by the Atlanta Hawks in the second round (30th pick overall) ...

, '87 - NBA

, NCAA

NC State North Carolina State University (NC State) is a public land-grant research university in Raleigh, North Carolina. Founded in 1887 and part of the University of North Carolina system, it is the largest university in the Carolinas. The university ...

Wolfpack * Rodney Gibson, '01 - NCAA St. Francis Red Flash * Derrick Davis, '03 - NCAA South Carolina St. Bulldogs * Gene Johnson, '06 - NCAA Morgan State Bears * Kevin Breslin, '08 - Semi-Pro

Washington Generals The Washington Generals are an American basketball team who play exhibition games against the Harlem Globetrotters. The team has also played under several different aliases in their history as the Globetrotters' perennial opponents. Function ...

, NCAA

Washington College Washington College is a private liberal arts college in Chestertown, Maryland. Maryland granted Washington College its charter in 1782. George Washington supported the founding of the college by consenting to have the "College at Chester" name ...

Shoremen Mount Saint Joseph Gaels *

Torrey Butler Torrey Butler (born October 25, 1980) is an American expatriate professional basketball player. He has played in Ireland and in Austria. Butler played college basketball at Coastal Carolina University and was named the Big South Conference Men's B ...

, '99 - NCAA

Coastal Carolina Coastal Carolina University (CCU or Coastal) is a public university in Conway, South Carolina. Founded in 1954 as Coastal Carolina Junior College, and later joining the University of South Carolina System as USC Coastal Carolina, it became an in ...

* Will Thomas, '04 - NCAA

George Mason Patriots The George Mason Patriots are the intercollegiate athletic teams representing George Mason University (GMU), located in Fairfax, Virginia. The Patriots compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as members of t ...

Henry Sims Henry Sims (born March 27, 1990) is an American professional basketball player for Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus of the Korean Basketball League (KBL). He played college basketball for Georgetown University. High school career Sims played for M ...

, '08 - NBA Philadelphia 76ers, NCAA

Georgetown University Georgetown University is a private university, private research university in the Georgetown (Washington, D.C.), Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded by Bishop John Carroll (archbishop of Baltimore), John Carroll in 1789 as Georg ...

* Phil Booth, '14 - NCAA

Villanova Wildcats The Villanova Wildcats are the athletic teams of Villanova University. They compete in the Big East (NCAA Division I) for every sport; except football and rowing where they compete in the Colonial Athletic Association ( Football Championship ...

Jalen Smith Jalen Rasheed Smith (born March 16, 2000) is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association. Nicknamed "Stix", he played college basketball for the Maryland Terrapins. Smith w ...

, '18 - NCAA

St. Frances Panthers *

Devin Gray Devin Antoine Gray (May 31, 1972 – August 17, 2013) was an American professional basketball player. He played parts of three seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets ...

, '91 - NBA

, and Houston Rockets. NCAA Clemson *

Sean Mosley Sean Mosley (born March 19, 1989) is an American professional basketball player who last played for Hapoel Tel Aviv B.C. of the Israeli Basketball Premier League. High School career While in high school Sean was named Player of the Year by the ...

, '08 - NCAA

Mark Karcher Mark Duane Karcher (born November 22, 1978) is a retired American professional basketball player who was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2nd round (48th pick) in the 2000 NBA draft. Although his professional career spanned seven years ...

, '97 - NBA Philadelphia 76ers, NCAA

Temple Owls The Temple Owls are the athletic teams that represent Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The current athletic director is Arthur Johnson. The owl has been the symbol and mascot for Temple University since its founding in the 1 ...

* Dante Holmes, '16 - NCAA

North Carolina Central University North Carolina Central University (NCCU or NC Central) is a public historically black university in Durham, North Carolina. Founded by James E. Shepard in affiliation with the Chautauqua movement in 1909, it was supported by private funds from ...

References

{{reflist

External links

MIAA SPORTSBCL Official SiteSportsmajors.comLoyola Blakefield BasketballBMore HoopsMid-Atlantic HoopsArchbishop Spalding Basketball
Maryland high school sports conferences Basketball in Maryland Basketball leagues in the United States High school basketball competitions in the United States Catholic Church in Maryland Catholic sports organizations