Sid McCray Receives O. Ray Mullis Coach of the Year Award!

St. Maria Goretti’s McCray (Coach of the Year); Embeya (Defensive POY) and Allen (Most Improved POY) honored; All-BCL Teams selected

BALTIMORE – Mount St. Joseph senior Amani Hansberry, who averaged 17.6 points, 12.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists, shot 63 percent from the floor and 42 percent from 3-point range, is the Baltimore Catholic League’s Jerry Savage Player of the Year Award winner for the 2022-23 season.

St. Maria Goretti coach Sidney McCray, who led the Gaels to a second-place finish in the BCL with a 12-2 league record and a current 24-6 overall record – the most victories for Goretti since the 2018-19 season – earned his first O. Ray Mullis Coach of the Year Award.

Goretti players also earned two other BCL Superlative Awards as junior Caleb Embeya was selected as the BCL’s Mark Amatucci Defensive Player of the Year Award winner, and senior Najeh Allen was tabbed as the league’s Cokey Robertson Most Improved Player of the Year Award recipient.

Hansberry, a first-team All-BCL choice last season and the 2022 BCL Tournament MVP, is the 11th Savage Player of the Year winner from Mount St. Joseph – the first for the Gaels since James Bishop in 2018-19.

McCray was named Mullis Coach of the Year for the first time in his career at St. Maria Goretti. The Gaels opened the season 9-0, and Goretti was the only team to defeat regular-season champion Mount St. Joseph during the BCL schedule. St. Maria Goretti is the No. 2 seed in the upcoming Baltimore Catholic League Tournament.

Embeya averaged 13.9 points, 9.4 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game for St. Maria Goretti. He is the first Goretti player to receive the Amatucci Defensive Player of the Year award.

Allen averaged 12.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, shot 47 percent from the floor and 40 percent from 3-point range for St. Maria Goretti. He is the second Gaels player to earn the Robertson Most Improved Player of the Year Award, joining Tyrus Fleetwood (2012-13).

The 2022-23 All-BCL first team includes St. Frances senior Carlton Carrington, Mount St. Joseph senior Ace Valentine, St. Frances senior Jahnathan Lamothe, Embeya and St. Maria Goretti senior Dionte Alexander.

The All-BCL second team consists of John Carroll senior Jeannot Basima, St. Frances sophomore Tyler Jackson, Archbishop Spalding sophomore Malik Washington, Calvert Hall junior Brendan Johnson, Mount Carmel junior Andrew Dixon and Allen.

Six other players received honorable mention recognition: J’Lin Brown (Loyola), Tyonne Farrell (Mount St. Joseph), Jonah Biggers (Calvert Hall), Mason Ellison (Loyola), Tyrin Bizzelle (Calvert Hall) and Omarion Reed (Mount Carmel).

The BCL also announced the winners of the Dave Kropfelder Never, Never Quit Awards for each school, as selected by their coach. The honorees for 2022-23 are: Damien Wilburn (Archbishop Spalding), Troy Tinch (Calvert Hall), Miles Smith (John Carroll), Ryder Drew, (Loyola), Tyler Lewis (Mount Carmel), Sean Clark (Mount St. Joseph), Joede Mebane (St. Frances) and Pascal Echibe (St. Maria Goretti).

The 52nd Baltimore Catholic League Tournament is set for March 3-5 at the Decker Sports and Recreation Center Arena on the campus of Goucher College. In the first round Friday, March 3, No. 6 seed Archbishop Spalding plays No. 3 seed St. Frances at 3 pm, No. 7 seed Loyola takes on No. 2 seed St. Maria Goretti at 4:45 pm, No. 8 seed Calvert Hall matches up against No. 1 seed Mount St. Joseph at 6:30 pm and No. 5 seed John Carroll meets No. 4 seed Mount Carmel at 8:15 pm. The semifinal round is Saturday, March 4 with the 5/4 winner playing the 8/1 winner at 5 pm and the 6/3 winner taking on the 7/2 winner at 7 pm. Championship Sunday, March 5 has the junior varsity championship at 1 pm, and the 52nd varsity championship game at 3 pm. Tickets for each day of the tournament go on sale Tuesday, Feb. 21. Visit bclbasketball.com for ticket information and to order starting Feb. 21.

2022-23 BALTIMORE CATHOLIC LEAGUE

ALL-LEAGUE TEAMS

Jerry Savage Player of the Year Award

Amani Hansberry – Mount St. Joseph – Senior

FIRST TEAM

Name, School (Class)

Carlton Carrington, St. Frances (Senior)

Ace Valentine, Mount St. Joseph (Senior)

Jahnathan Lamothe, St. Frances (Senior)

Caleb Embeya, St. Maria Goretti (Junior)

Dionte Alexander, St. Maria Goretti (Senior)

SECOND TEAM

Name, School (Class)

Jeannot Basima, John Carroll (Senior)

Tyler Jackson, St. Frances (Sophomore)

Malik Washington, Archbishop Spalding (Sophomore)

Brendan Johnson, Calvert Hall (Junior)

Andrew Dixon, Mount Carmel (Junior)

Najeh Allen, St. Maria Goretti (Senior)

Honorable Mention: J’Lin Brown, Loyola; Tyonne Farrell, Mount St. Joseph; Jonah Biggers, Calvert Hall; Mason Ellison, Loyola; Tyrin Bizzelle, Calvert Hall; Omarion Reed, Mount Carmel

Mark Amatucci Defensive Player of the Year Award

Caleb Embeya, St. Maria Goretti

Cokey Robertson Most Improved Player of the Year Award

Najeh Allen, St. Maria Goretti

O. Ray Mulls Coach of the Year Award

Sidney McCray, St. Maria Goretti

Dave Kropfelder Never, Never Quit Awards:

Damien Wilburn, Archbishop Spalding

Troy Tinch, Calvert Hall

Miles Smith, John Carroll

Ryder Drew, Loyola

Tyler Lewis, Mount Carmel

Sean Clark, Mount St. Joseph

Joede Mebane, St. Frances

Pascal Echibe, St. Maria Goretti

ABOUT THE BALTIMORE CATHOLIC LEAGUE: In its 52nd season in 2022-23, the Baltimore Catholic League (BCL) is comprised of eight Catholic high schools in Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Harford County and Washington County — Archbishop Spalding High School, Calvert Hall College, The John Carroll School, Loyola Blakefield, Mount St. Joseph High School, Our Lady of Mount Carmel School, St. Frances Academy and St. Maria Goretti High School. The league, founded for the 1971-72 school year, is one of the most prestigious boys high school basketball leagues in the country. Several alumni have gone on to star in college basketball at all levels and in the NBA. Jack Degele is in his 23rd season as the Baltimore Catholic League commissioner. The league's website can be found at bclbasketball.com and the BCL can also be followed on Twitter at @bclbasketball.

--BALTIMORE CATHOLIC LEAGUE--