COLLEGE PARK — Herman Harried isn’t a stranger to stages like the state basketball tournament at the Xfinity Center. In his 19 years at the helm of Lake Clifton basketball, he has four state championships and racked up nearly 400 wins.
This year, however, has a different script than years in the past. Entering the playoffs with a six game losing streak and a roster loaded with six sophomores, Harried put things in perspective and took a step back.
“I tell the kids, “The key is to understand me,” Harried said. “If you can understand me and my demand … how I bring it to you sometimes, you can overcome anything in life. I believe that.”
His wise outlook and drill-sergeant demeanor has steered himself down a heralded pathway to one of Maryland’s all-time greats. On Friday afternoon, No. 11 Lake Clifton would need every bit of Harried’s knowledge and coaching tactics as adversity would strike in the heat of the moment. In the end, it was the Lakers (17-10) that surged past Surrattsville, 49-37.
“We knew it wouldn’t be easy,” Harried said. “When adversity struck, we were prepared.”
Lake Clifton would jump out to an early 10-4 lead, due in large part to sophomore guard Rasheed Brown (13 points, 9 rebounds and 5 steals) who had a free throw, a 3-pointer and a put back all in that order.
That’s when the downfall began as Surrattsville would put together a 17-6 run the final 10 minutes of the first half to hold a five point halftime lead.
“I put these guys through a lot,” Harried said. “I’m very challenging . … We’ve got a lot of new guys that aren’t used to the challenge, but my veteran presence has helped them through it.”
Lake Clifton’s defense would then come through with stifling ball-pressure to produce the games biggest turning point — a 19-2 run that would last from the 1:56 mark in the third quarter to four minutes remaining.
A four point deficit turned on its heels and became a 13 point Lake Clifton lead that would hold true and advance the Lakers to the Class 1A state championship against Pocomoke tomorrow afternoon.
“It’s a great experience to play (at the Xfinity Center),” Brown said. “I love my teammates.”
Though Lake Clifton lost to just about every intra-city team this year, they enter Saturday’s championships as the lone team from Baltimore City to play for a coveted ring. And the last time Harried’s Lakers lost more than 10 games was the 2004-2005 season.
But those are all just irrelevant numbers. The foundation of success goes beyond pedestrian statistics found on paper.
“My method of madness is beyond basketball,” Harried said. “It’s about preparing them for the difficulties of life. We have difficulties in basketball so when you face them in life, you can get through them.”
Shawntaze Drake registered a double-double (10 points and 12 rebounds) and Kai Thompson added 12 points, both for Lake Clifton.
“It all starts in our gym listening to coach,” senior guard Shawntaze Drake said. “If we’re having a bad time, we stick with him, because we know he’s going to lead us victorious.”
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