LET THE MADNESS BEGIN

by Derek Toney

For Tyler Massey, “March Madness,” will have a special meaning. The Eastern Tech High grad will head to Raleigh, N.C. with UMBC’s men basketball team which will meet Georgetown in a Midwest Region first-round game of the NCAA Tournament.

It’ll be the first game NCAA tournament game for the Retreivers, who won the America East Conference tournament title Saturday at the RAC. The 6-foot-10 junior center has played in 11 games for UMBC.

Other Baltimore County alums in NCAA Tournament

Ernest Hargett (Coppin State College/Kenwood): Freshman has played in six games for Eagles, who are the first team with 20 losses to qualify. Will play Mount St. Mary’s Tuesday in play-in game.

John Schwartz (Mount St. Mary’s/Perry Hall): Six-foot-7 freshman forward hasn’t played this season for the Mount, which won the Northeast Conference crown.

Other area notables

Malcolm Delaney (Virginia Tech/Towson Catholic): Last season’s Baltimore metro area player of the year has been impact performer as freshman (9.1 ppg., 3.0 apg. and 2.9 rpg.). Hokies will play Morgan State in opening round of NIT Wednesday.

Donte’ Greene (Syracuse/Towson Catholic): Leads Orange in scoring (17.5) as freshman heading into team’s NIT opener against Robert Morris. Six-foot-10 forward was all-Big East Rookie team pick and second-team overall.

Rickey Harris (Calvert Hall/UMASS): Averaging 17.9 ppg. for Minutemen, which plays Stephen F. Austin in NIT Wednesday evening. Named this season’s most improved player in Atlantic 10 Conference.

Kenny Hasbrouck (Siena/Cardinal Gibbons): Been driving force for Siena, which plays Vanderbilt in Midwest Region opener Friday. MVP of Metro Athletic Association Conference tournament, Hasbrouck is averaging 15.6 points, 2.3 assists and 2.3 steals.

Jack McClinton (Miami/Calvert Hall College): First-team Atlantic Coast Conference guard will lead Hurricanes into NCAA Tournament against St. Mary’s in South Region opener Friday. Lead Hurricanes in scoring (17.0) and assists (2.6).

DaJuan Summers (Georgetown/McDonogh School): Six-foot-8 sophomore is the Hoyas’ second-leading scorer (11.3) and rebounder (5.5). Georgetown plays UMBC in Midwest Region opener.

Will Thomas (George Mason/Mount St. Joseph): Is the top rebounder (10.5) and second-leading scorer (15.8) for the Colonial Athletic Association tournament champion Patriots. In 2006, Thomas helped George Mason to the Final Four.