It’s been quite a season for PB Boys’ Basketball. The varsity team currently stands at 14-4 and is tied for the 1st seed in the 4A North with John F. Kennedy, who they recently dropped a game to. On the junior varsity (JV) side, they recently completed an excellent season with a final record of 13-1.
The varsity began the year on an amazing run, going 6-0 before dropping their first game of the year to rival Blake in mid-December. Following the loss they went on to win their next game before dropping a game to Richard Montgomery. They bounced back from that loss as well before going on another 6 game-win streak that was once again stopped by Blake. They dropped consecutive games for the first time of the season in their next matchup, dropping a 59-50 decision to Kennedy. Following the Kennedy loss Paint Branch redeemed themselves after beating Richard Montgomery in a close 58-56 game.
The team has been led by senior guard Isaiah “ZeyBranch” Lee, who has been a force on the offensive end scoring 16 points per game (ppg) and averaging 3 assists per game. Head coach Darrian Lee notes that Lee has “raised the team’s IQ with his next-level understanding of the game.” Another player who has starred this year is senior forward Jordan “Deuce” Horm, Jr., who has been a defensive force, averaging 10 rebounds per game and a block a game. Coach Lee also sees senior Larry Allen as a player who has contributed a lot to the team’s defense.
Some of the highlights of the season included Lee dropping 41 points against Rockville on 70% field goal shooting, and Horm, Jr. dropping 24 points in the first game of the season against Watkins Mill. Heading into the final weeks of the season, Coach Lee believes that the Paint Branch basketball program has exceeded his expectations as they work to gain more respect in the county. “We understand that respect is not earned overnight. A major factor when establishing a winning program is consistency, so I believe we are heading in the right direction.”
PB has two games remaining, a matchup against Sherwood today and an end-of-the-season game on the 20th against Wheaton, who they play for the first time.