In the first half Episcopal senior George Mawanda-Kalema stole the show, scoring 15 points on the way to staking his team to a 33-23 halftime lead over The Potomac School. In the second half, though, it was Devon Flowers’ time to dominate. The junior forward was virtually unstoppable, scoring most of his 31 points in the third and fourth quarters to give the Panthers a 65-64 comeback victory.
Episcopal raced to an 8-0 lead early and the home team seemed intent on blowing Potomac out of the gym. But even in the first half the Panthers were able to stay close thanks to Flowers. An and-one move by him in the post cut the lead to 21-16. Then after the Maroon hit a three Flowers collected an offensive rebound and scored, getting fouled in the process. Still, thanks mostly to the lightning quick Mawanda-Kalema, who hit a beautiful jumper as the first half drew to a close, Potomac trailed by double-digits at the half.
But it was a way different story in the third quarter as the Panthers out-scored the Maroon 19-7.
“We got stops,” Panthers coach Levi Franklin said. We made defense the priority. It should always be the priority, but for the last few games everybody’s been trying to score points instead of trying to stop points. So that was a big key.”
It was, and Flowers did his part on the defensive end, blocking shot after shot from Episcopal. But he was also assertive on offense. After Potomac School’s Preston Bacon (12 points) found Magdiel Grimes (12 points) to open the third quarter with a three, Flowers put on a show. His two free throws got the Panthers to 35-30. He then hit a jumper. Then two more free throws. Then another jumper a little later gave his team its first lead of the day at 38-37. Early in the fourth quarter Flowers made a beautiful spinning move from the high post and buried a turn-around jumper. It was then 48-42 Potomac School, and the Panthers had just completed a 25-9 run which essentially won them the game.
Episcopal (11-11) did wake up and continue the fight. Sophomore guard Xavier Johnson (16 points) hit a few threes and junior Zach Pfaffenberger (19 points) did some damage down low, but Potomac hit its free throws late to ice the victory. Bacon was perfect from the line and Flowers was 13 of 16. With Mawanda-Kalema limited to six points in the second half, the Maroon simply could not overtake the visitors.
It was a much-needed win for The Potomac School (12-8), which had lost four straight contests coming into the game. It was Episcopal’s fifth straight loss and fifth by five points or less.
–Chris Jollay
all stats are unofficial
| POTOMAC SCHOOL | FG | FT | TP | RB | AST | |
| BACON | 3-5 | 6-6 | 12 | 5 | 1 | |
| FLOWERS | 9-15 | 13-16 | 31 | 8 | 1 | |
| GRIMES | 4-11 | 3-4 | 12 | 0 | 0 | |
| HARRIS | 1-3 | 0-1 | 2 | 4 | 3 | |
| MARTIN | 3-8 | 1-2 | 7 | 2 | 0 | |
| Fraser | 0-2 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Holmes | 0-1 | 0-0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Law | 0-4 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Killebrew | 0-1 | 1-2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
| Tyson | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| TOTALS | 20-50 | 24-31 | 65 | 25 | 6 | |
| Three pointers: Grimes 1-4, Martin 0-3, Fraser 0-2, Law 0-2, Harris 0-1 | ||||||
| EPISCOPAL | FG | FT | TP | RB | AST | |
| JOHNSON | 6-10 | 1-1 | 16 | 2 | 2 | |
| PFAFFENBERGER | 7-11 | 5-6 | 19 | 4 | 1 | |
| GREENSPON | 1-3 | 3-4 | 6 | 5 | 0 | |
| TAMBUE | 1-4 | 0-1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | |
| MAWANDA-KALEMA | 6-19 | 8-9 | 21 | 7 | 4 | |
| Lyerly | 0-0 | 0-1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | |
| Kenneally | 0-3 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| TOTALS | 21-50 | 17-22 | 64 | 24 | 12 | |
| Three pointers: Johnson 3-4, Greenspon 1-2, Mawanda-Kalema 1-6 | ||||||