The Maryland Private Schools State Boys Basketball Tournament starts Thursday with first round games at Hebrew Academy. Ten teams ranked in this week’s High School On SI Top 25 Maryland Boys Basketball State Rankings will compete. 

DeMatha is the defending champion.

Bullis School – The three-time reigning Interstate Athletic Conference champ Bulldogs (No. 3 seed), led by McDonald All-American and UCONN recruit Eric Reibe, seek redemption after losing to DeMatha in last year’s final.

Clinton Grace Christian – After losing to Highland School and consensus Top 5 recruit Nate Ament in the Metro Private School Conference final last week, the Eagles (No. 4 seed) hope to make a legitimate run after losing to DeMatha in the quarterfinals last year.

DeMatha Catholic – The defending tourney champ and No. 2 seed Stags will be motivated to atone for their one-and-done in last week’s Washington Catholic Athletic Conference tournament. 

Mount Zion Prep – The Warriors, the tourney’s top seed, have an impressive resume including two wins over nationally-ranked Prolific Prep as well as win oner Utah Prep and the nation’s top player in Brigham Young recruit AJ Dylantsa. 

Bishop McNamara – The Mustangs are been playing their best basketball after horrific start, upsetting nationally-ranked Gonzaga College (D.C.) and then-Maryland No. 1 DeMatha Catholic, both on the road in recent weeks.

Georgetown Prep – The Little Hoyas, featuring a Division I starting five, nearly stopped Bullis’ reign in the IAC last weekend.

Glenelg Country School – The Dragons, led by high-scoring Bucknell-bound Patrick Curtin, had breakout season, narrowly missing the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference final (lost to St. Frances Academy in overtime in semifinals).

Riverdale Baptist School – The Crusaders played another challenging schedule this season, including victories over eventual District of Columbia champ Cardozo and WCAC stronghold St. John’s College (D.C.).

Patrick Curtin, Glenelg Country School, Sr., guard

Francis Folefac, Mount Zion Prep, Sr, center

Miles Franklin, St. Andrew’s Episcopal, Sr., forward 

Tyler Garrett, Georgetown Prep, Sr., center

Ashton Meeks, DeMatha Catholic, Jr., guard

Prince Alexander Moody, Bishop McNamara, Jr., guard

Eric Reibe, Bullis School, Sr., center

Qayden Samuels, Bishop McNamara, Jr., guard/forward

Adrien Stevens, Bullis School, Sr. guard

Akbar Waheed, Georgetown Prep, Sr., guard

SCHEDULE

Thursday Feb. 27 

No. 15 seed Maryland School for the Deaf vs. No. 10 Severn School, 5:15 p.m.

No. 13 Hebrew Academy vs. No. 12 Springdale Prep, 7 p.m.

No. 14 Our Lady of Good Counsel vs. No. 11 Lanham Christian, 8:45 p.m.

Saturday March 1 

Maryland School for the Deaf/Severn winner vs. No. 7 Glenelg Country School, 12:45 p.m.

Springdale/Hebrew winner vs. No. 5 Bishop McNamara, 2:30 p.m.

Good Counsel/Lanham Christian winner vs. No. 6 Georgetown Prep, 4:15 p.m.

No. 9 St. Andrew’s Episcopal vs. No. 8 Riverdale Baptist School, 6 p.m.

Monday March 3

St. Andrew’s/Riverdale Baptist winner vs. No. 1 Mount Zion Prep

Maryland School for the Deaf or Severn/Glenelg Country winner vs. No. 2 DeMatha Catholic

Good Counsel or Lanham Christian/Georgetown Prep winner vs. No. 3 Bullis School

Springdale or Hebrew/McNamara winner vs. No. 4 Clinton Grace Christian

Wednesday March 5

Quarterfinal winners

Friday March 7

Semifinal winners, 8:15 p.m.