Baltimore Catholic League

The Baltimore Catholic League (BCL), locally known as the Catholic League is a competitive basketball association composed of private Catholic high schools in the Baltimore, Maryland geographic area.

History

The BCL was founded in 1972, after the Baltimore high school basketball season culminated with Mt. St. Joseph High School defeated Dunbar High School in the MSA Championship game. This game is known as one of the most remarkable and controversial games in Baltimore high school basketball history. The impetus for the creation of the BCL arrived in the off-season. The goal was to make a separate division from the MSA, which was the league for all high school athletics in the Baltimore area, public or private. The BCL created a division that was strictly for Baltimore area Catholic High Schools.

It is alleged that the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) was the model for the BCL. The BCL was originally composed of most of the schools in the list below; with the most recent addition being The John Carroll School in 2010-11. Our Lady of Mount Carmel will join the league for the 2011-12 season. At different times during the league's history, Archbishop Curley High School has been a member.

The Cardinal Gibbons School has the most BCL championships to date. O. Ray Mullis, head coach at Cardinal Gibbons, has the most all-time wins of any coach in Baltimore City history (621 wins) while simultaneously claiming the most BCL championships. Other notable coaches in the league included Mark Amatucci, formerly of Calvert Hall College, who won a national championship in the early 80s; Cokey Robertson, formerly of St. Maria Goretti High School, Pat Clatchey, of Mount Saint Joseph High School, William Wells, formerly of St.Frances Academy Jerry Savage, formerly of Loyola Blakefield, and Dan Popera, formerly of Archbishop Curley High School.

Scheduling

The league works in cooperation with the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA). Seven of the 8 teams participate in the MIAA A Conference, which results in each team playing each other twice, once home and once away. St. Maria Goretti is the only member of the BCL that does not participate in the MIAA; however, one school participates in the MIAA 'A' conference, but does not participate in the BCL: McDonogh School.

After the conclusion of the season, the BCL sponsors a league tournament held at Loyola College's Reitz Arena. The event usually occurs after the MIAA Conference Championship with all 8 teams of the league participating. It is a single-elimination tournament with 4 quarterfinal matchups, 2 semi-final games, and a championship game. The Junior Varsity (JV) teams also play in the tournament; however, it is not played at Loyola College. Each game of the JV tournament is held at the home of the higher seed.

BCL Game of the Week

Beginning with the 2006-2007 season, RC Sports Productions broadcasts a Baltimore Catholic League Game of the Week on Fox 1370 Sports Radio (formerly V1370) WVIE in Pikesville, Baltimore. Check BCLbasketball.com for radio schedule on the 2008-2009 campaign.

The 2009-10 BCL Game of the Week will again be aired on Fox 1370 Sports. Check baltimorecatholicleague.com for the upcoming schedule.

Participating Schools

Notable BCL alumni

Many former BCL players later played collegiate basketball at NCAA schools, and these former BCL players later joined the NBA:

Towson Catholic Owls:

Calvert Hall Cardinals:

Spalding Cavaliers:

Gibbons Crusaders:

Goretti Gaels

St. Frances Panthers

References

  1. ↑ McDonald, Jeff (June 26, 2009). - "NBA DRAFT; SPURS ADD THREE; Spurs see Blair as steal". - San Antonio Express-News.

External links

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