BALTIMORE, MD – Baltimore has become my second home. Whenever I take the familiar drive down I-95, my excitement builds as I anticipate the sights, sounds, and unique flavors of Charm City. Today was no different. My pilgrimage started, as it often does, at Chap’s Pit Beef. Remember back in season 2 of The Wire when Wee-Bey, Stink, and Savino take Dee to the Chaps and Bey ordered his sandwich with extra horseradish.  They all asked him how he can eat it with all that heat. Wee-Bey said the trick is to “not to give a fuck boy!”

Channeling my inner Wee-Bey, I said `FUCK IT` and went all-in on the pit beef sandwich with extra horseradish. It was the kind of meal that leaves your sinuses clear and your soul satisfied. As I finished, I couldn’t help but think think of Wee-Bey’s infamous interrogation room quip: “Fuck it… For another pit beef sandwich and tater salad, I’ll go a few more (admit to more murders).”

Can’t say I can relate to those circumstances, but I’ll take a couple parking tickets for sure.

My destination was St. Frances Academy, a hallowed institution in Baltimore and a National basketball powerhouse that has come to feel like family. Today, they were hosting Devon Prep from the Philadelphia Catholic League, the defending Pennsylvania PIAA AAA state champions. The matchup was a collision of worlds—Baltimore’s grittiest versus one of Philly’s toniest.

A Study in Contrasts

St. Frances Academy sits in the heart of Baltimore, a stone’s throw from the Baltimore City Detention Center, its iron gates standing sentinel in a neighborhood where resilience is a way of life. Founded in 1828 by Mother Mary Lange and the Oblate Sisters of Providence, St. Frances has always been a sanctuary for the underserved. Nearly 80% of its students live at or below the poverty line. Tuition, though modest at $9,000 annually, is waived or reduced for most families.

By contrast, Devon Prep’s picturesque campus sprawls over 20 pristine acres on the Main Line in Chester County. The facilities are immaculate: a mansion-turned-classroom building, STEAM labs, and a recently completed $5.7 million renovation that would make any university envious. Their multi-sport field house gleams under the lights, a testament to a $31,000-a-year education and a steady stream of donor generosity.

As I pulled into the St. Frances parking lot, I was struck by the presence of the Main Line supporters of the Devon Prep squad. Devon Prep had the parking lot resembling a UGK video set. Range Rovers, S-Class Mercedes Benzes, 7-series BMWs, Telsas, etc. Maybe… Just maybe… Pimp C and Bun B were gonna spit a few bars at halftime.

This dichotomy extends to the basketball court. St. Frances, under Coach Nick Myles, thrives on grit, aggression, and relentless defense. “The gym is the workplace,” Myles often says, and his players take it to heart. The Panthers are greedy… They want the ball… They relentlessly pursue it on the defensive end. Myles teaches his guys to always want the ball and the only way to always have the ball is to constantly take it back through defense.  

For more than a decade, I’ve watched as Myles has ingrained this into his players. Relentless effort comes from relentless work in practice, this tenacious approach to the game can be jarring for those new to the St. Frances Academy approach.

Devon Prep, led by Coach Jason Fisher, employs a measured and cerebral style. Fisher implements a version of the offense pioneered by Pete Carrill at Princeton some years ago. Many contend that this offense benefits a team whose players are less athletic than their opponents. But I tend to disagree, the offense requires all players to be good passers, ball-handlers, and good outside shooters, as well as possess a high basketball IQ. If you have players like that, you can probably win with any offense, As deployed by Fisher and Devon Prep, the Princeton offense is a more deliberate offense, oftentimes with many passes each possession. This tends to slow the game down, controlling the tempo, usually resulting in lower game scores. When effective, with its calculated passes and deliberate pace, the Princeton offense reflects the academic rigor of Devon Prep—a thinking man’s game designed to neutralize athletic disparity.

The Game

When these two programs first met, a couple years ago, at the Black Cager Fall Classic, Devon Prep emerged victorious, their methodical precision frustrating the Panthers under Pennsylvania’s no-shot-clock rules. But today was different. Playing under Maryland rules with a 35-second shot clock, St. Frances was in its element.

The Panthers gave the Tide 32 minute of Hell!

From the opening tip, the Panthers imposed their will. Myles’s squad pressed relentlessly, disrupting Devon Prep’s rhythm and forcing turnovers. The gym buzzed with energy as St. Frances raced out to an early 20-7 1st quarter lead, fueled by their signature defensive intensity. Fisher’s carefully orchestrated offense never found its footing. The shot clock eliminated any chance of slowing the game to Devon Prep’s preferred pace, and the Panthers seized the moment.

It was an ol’ fashioned ass whuppin…

Despite the lopsided score, the game was a masterclass in mutual respect. Both teams played with honor, and the sportsmanship on display was a testament to the shared values of these two fine Catholic institutions.

Brotherhood Through Basketball

For all their differences, St. Frances and Devon Prep share a commitment to excellence—on the court, in the classroom, and in their communities. St. Frances’s legacy of service and perseverance echoes in the hearts of its students, while Devon Prep’s commitment to innovation and opportunity prepares its graduates to lead.

On my way home, I kept getting a hankering for one of those authentic Baltimore crab cakes Omar was eating in the car. So, I stopped at a spot Angel Reese introduced me to… Mo’s Seafood. Two crab cakes, one broiled and one fried, to go. As I drove back to Philadelphia with a bag of crab cakes riding shotgun, I reflected on the beauty of this emerging rivalry. Basketball is more than a game—it’s a bridge between worlds. St. Frances and Devon Prep showed us that the game’s true power lies in its ability to unite, to teach, and to inspire.

Back in Philly, it’ll be cheesesteaks, roast pork sandwiches and familiar faces, but Baltimore will call again soon. And when it does, I’ll be ready—with pit beef and crab cakes sandwiches in hand and my heart set on the hardwood.