BERLIN- Pocomoke’s boys’ varsity basketball team completed its return to the state championship game in style last weekend, beating Baltimore’s Lake Clifton, 64-56, for its first title since 2002.
The Warriors cruised through the regional playoffs and captured the 1A-East region championship to advance to the state’s Final Four and a trip to the University of Maryland in College Park. Pocomoke won its state semifinal last Friday, but had to return the next day to face traditional Baltimore powerhouse Lake Clifton in the championship game less than 24 hours.
Perhaps the quick turnaround slowed Pocomoke’s momentum, or maybe it was the Lakers’ defensive pressure, but the Warriors found themselves trailing, 21-10, by the end of the first quarter. Pocomoke made the right adjustments and took what the Lakers were giving them to get back in the game. The Warriors continually got into the paint and got easy baskets or were fouled, which allowed them to chip away at the lead.
On the other end, Pocomoke turned up the defense and stopped the early runs by the Lakers. As a result, Lake Clifton committed 28 fouls and turned the ball over 20 times, allowing the Warriors to adjust and get back in the game. By halftime, the Lake Clifton lead had been shrunk to just five points.
Throughout the third quarter and into the fourth, Pocomoke continued to get to the free throw line and wreak havoc on the defensive end, unnerving the once-steady Lake Clifton. In the end, the Warriors pulled out the 64-56 win and celebrated the small school in southern Worcester County’s first state championship since 2002.