The 2026 MIAA Basketball playoffs are underway

There is the season and then there is the postseason.

The 2026 MIAA basketball playoffs got underway on Tuesday evening with quarterfinal action in the A and B conferences. Action continues on Thursday as both conferences move to the semifinals, while iC Conference play begins in the semifinal round.

There were no byes in the A Conference as eight teams entered the field and, Tuesday, three of top four top seeds all prevailed. The lone exception was John Carroll, the second-seed out of the Red Division, which suffered a 63-57 loss to Glenelg Country (Black #3).

In a tight battle in Bel Air, the teams traded narrow leads after each of the first three quarters, before the Dragons led throughout the final period to advance.

Mount St. Joseph picked up its 30th win of the year as topped Archbishop Spalding, 68-56, overcoming a 10-point first quarter deficit. BJ Ranson scored a game-high 26 points to lead the Gaels while Chauncey Word and Saxton Smiley combined for 28.

St. Joe's win setup a semifinal battle with its archrivale – St. Frances, which advanced with a 72-57 win over St. Vincent Pallotti. Pallotti led by one at the half and trailed by just two after three quarters, before the Panthers turned on the afterburners and pulled away to the 15-point victory. Chance McCoy led the way for St. Frances with 17 points, followed by 16 from Carter Fisk and 14 from Terence Jones III. Jaliel Spears also added 11. Thursday's showdown will take place at St. Frances.

Glenelg Country will visit Mount Carmel in the other semifinal. The Cougars took their first step towards defending last year's championship with a 64-47 win over Boys' Latin. The Cougars played their entire roster and received points from 11 different players. Tristen Wilson led the way with 12 points, while Samartine Hill and Junior Mancho scored 10 each.

In the B Conference, where top seeds Severn and St. Paul's had first round byes, the two quarterfinal games turned out to be upset victories by a pair three-seeds.

In Carroll County, Archbishop Curley went on the road and topped host Gerstell Academy, 44-37, while Concordia Prep visited Friends School, on Charles Street in Baltimore, and prevailed, 47-44 in overtime. In Thursday's semifinals, Curley will visit St. Paul's in Brooklandville and Concordia will vist Severn in Anne Arundel County.

The C Conference semifinals feature Park at top-seeded Saints Peter & Paul and No. 3 Beth Tfiloh and No. 2 Cristo Rey.

All three championship games will take place on Sunday at UMBC's CEI Arena. Championship action will get underway at 1:00 p.m. with the C Conference title game. The B Conference follows at 3:00 p.m. and A Conference championship is scheduled to tip-off at 5:00 p.m. Tickets are available via Ticketmaster.

2026 MIAA Basketball Playoffs

A Conference Quarterfinals
Red #1 St. Frances 72, Black #4 St. Vincent Pallotti 57
Black #3 Glenelg Country 63, Red #2 John Carroll 57
Black #1 Mount Carmel 64, Red #4 Boys' Latin 47
Black #2 Mount St. Joseph 66, Red #3 Archbishop Spalding 56

B Conference Quarterfinals
Black #3 Concordia Prep 47, Friends 44, OT
Red #3 Archbishop Curley 44, Black #2 Gerstell 37

A Conference Semifinals
Thursday, Feb. 19
Black #3 Glenelg Country at Black #1 Mount Carmel
Black #2 Mount St. Joseph at Red #1 St. Frances

B Conference Semifinals
Thursday, Feb. 19
Red #3 Archbishop Curley at Red #1 St. Paul's
Black #3 Concordia Prep at Black #1 Severn

C Conference Semifinals
Thursday, Feb. 19
#4 Park at #1 Saints Peter & Paul
#3 Beth Tfiloh at #2 Cristo Rey

Championships
Sunday, Feb. 22 @ UMBC's CEI Arena
C Conference, 1 p.m.
B Conference, 3 p.m.
A Conference, 5 p.m.