SPRINGFIELD — With Qandace Samuels and Jaylah King leading the way, Bishop McNamara (MD) girls basketball proved it can beat the best of the best.
Samuels and King scored 21 points each, with Samuels scoring the game-winning basket with 1.5 seconds remaining to lift the Mustangs past Ontario Christian (CA), 57-55.
The No. 14 recruit in the Class of 2027 also grabbed 12 rebounds and recorded five steals to go with two blocks, playing the entire game.
“Words can’t even explain, it’s definitely very important,” Samuels said after the game. “We’ve been literally preparing for this game for a while now, so just us getting an opportunity to play here and just getting the win is big, very important.
“We knew we had to lock in (in the fourth) and we said before the game ― even if we’re down, we got to keep pushing, keep fighting and that’s exactly what happened.”
King matched Samuels with 21 points, picking up three steals as well and seven rebounds. Both players feasted on the offensive glass, grabbing five offensive rebounds each to help the Mustangs win that category, 15-11.
“I’m actually really proud of her for not getting in her head,” Samuels said on the sophomore guard. “More to come (from her), I just got to be by her side, encourage her. We’re going to be good, so (I’m) very happy (and) very proud of her.”
The Mustangs’ win comes against one of the top-ranked girls basketball teams in the nation, sporting both the No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2027, Kaleena Smith, and the No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2028, Tatianna Griffin.
Smith dominated on the ball, especially in the first half, leading the Lady Knights with 14 points at the break and finishing with a game-high 25 points on 10-19 from the field, including 4-8 from beyond the arc.
Griffin had just five points at halftime, but came alive in the second half, finishing with 17 points and seven rebounds in the narrow loss.
“In the month of December… we played probably five to six of the top-25 teams in the country early because we knew they was young and they needed to be battle tested early,” Bishop McNamara girls basketball coach Ron James said. “Today was a display of the games we’ve been playing. Playing (Archbishop) Mitty, playing (Long Island Lutheran), playing a few other really challenging, well-coached programs.
“We knew it was going to be a battle. I don’t think you can ask for a better game from the No. 1 and No. 2 team in the country.”
But for as great as Samuels played on Friday, James believes she is still only scratching the surface of her full potential.
“I think (Qandace Samuels is) a top-five player in the country and you only prove it in these moments right here,” James said. “She’s only getting better, with the road that she’s taking her first two years.
“As a junior now, (she’s) understanding you got to take that next jump and it’s not always about scoring. It’s about just bringing your energy in that part of the space and Qandace is starting to accept that part of it. I think that’s what is going to separate her and be able to put her back in the top-five in the country, eventually, when it’s all set and done.”
