Box Score

HAGERSTOWN, MD. – The Baltimore City Community College men's basketball defeated Hagerstown Community College Sunday night 80-79 to win the Region XX Championship.

The Panthers are 19-12 and are currently on an eight game winning streak and have won 11 out of their last 12 games. This is the first Region XX Championship for the Panthers in Division I play and second overall under Coach Terry Maczko, the first coming in 2010.  
 
The Panthers took a 33-26 lead in the first half with superb execution on defense holding the Hawks to 10-of-39 shooting from the field (25.6%) and held a 23-17 edge on the boards in the first half.

The Panthers shot 14-of-29 (48.3%) in the opening 20 minutes.
 
In the second half Hagerstown (13-17), trailed by 16 (69-53) with 5:55 to play in the game. BCCC finished the game with only three made baskets and went 5-of-9 from the free throw line.  
 
The Hawks were led in scoring by John Gavin Rajapillay with a game-high 25 points to go along with eight rebounds. Saquan Epps-Walker had 21 points and nine rebounds and Victor Blakey Jr. finished with 17 points, five rebounds, four assists and three steals.
 
For the Panthers, Xavier Richards (St. Thomas, U.S.V.I./Gwynn Park HS) had a team-high 19 points and 13 boards while adding five assists and Kavon Pyatt (Baltimore, Md./Edmondson HS) came off the bench to put in 17 points, 13 rebounds, four assists and two steals.  
 
John Majors (Upper Marlboro, Md./Largo HS) scored 12 points and DaJuan Dent (Columbia, Md./Oakland Mills HS) ended the game with 11 points and seven rebounds.
 
Next for the Panthers will be a rematch against Westchester Community College in Valhalla, N.Y. on Saturday, March 8^th for the NJCAA District 3 Final. The winner will go on to the NJCAA Tournament in Hutchinson, Kan.
 
Brian Kelley (Lanham, Md./Atlantic Shores HS), Majors and Pyatt were named to the Region XX All-Tournament Team.
 
Richards was named Tournament MVP, his second MVP award on the season.