“We just wanted to play DeMatha basketball tonight,” senior forward Malcolm Thomas said. “We just wanted to be on top of our stuff and not worry about anything else. That’s when we shine.”
Just last week, O’Connell toppled Gonzaga, which was ranked No. 1 in the area at the time. On that same night, DeMatha had its hands full with unranked Bishop McNamara — climbing back from a 21-point halftime deficit to earn a two-point win.
“It’s a dogfight in this league every single night, anywhere you go,” DeMatha junior forward Kade Sebastian said. “We know very well that you have to come ready to compete.”
The Knights (12-3), who vaulted to No. 2 in The Washington Post’s rankings after that win over Gonzaga, boast one of the buzzier starting lineups in the area. They added high-major transfers in seniors AJ Swinton (a Florida State signee) and Bryson Tucker (a top-50 prospect). They have the size and talent to compete with anyone in the conference, but Monday night, it was the Stags’ disciplined, clinical approach that held sway.
“We wanted to make life difficult for them tonight,” Stags Coach Mike Jones said. “We had a game plan to stop their weapons and hopefully play harder than them. It starts with trying to be in better shape than everyone we play, and then it comes down to execution.”
Jones, in his second year at the helm in Hyattsville, employed a similar approach in his last stop at St. Stephen’s/St. Agnes in Alexandria. His Saints teams played with physicality and pace, often outworking their opponents. That mind-set worked just fine for DeMatha (13-3) on Monday: The Stags earned a key road win with a defense-first approach.
On the offensive end, it was a balanced attack. Thomas finished with 12 points, freshman guard Jamaal McKnight Jr. had 12 of his own, and junior forward Charles Thomas added 11.
“In December, I learned how resilient this group can be,” Jones said. “They’re not afraid of a big moment. And as a coach, you love to see that because it tells you that you’re going to be in every game you play.”