Now in Paperback!
The Capital of Basketball is now out in paperback! Get yours here! Use GiftCode TGUF for 30% off!
February 16, 2022
News and Articles
The Capital of Basketball for everyone on your holiday list
Whether you’re shopping for fans of sports, history, education, or just good writing, The Capital of Basketball needs to be on your shopping list. Order The Capital of Basketball now! Signing events are on hold
November 17, 2020
Still In The Game
For a dollar or two (back then), you could watch compelling, intense, athletic basketball from just an arm’s length away, played by young men not much older than I was but whose skills were worlds beyond my own. In terms of value for your entertainment dollar, I still believe you can’t beat a good high school basketball game.
November 10, 2020
Tribute to My Father
Father’s Day—June 16, 2016 This will be my first Father’s Day without my father. He passed away on April 2. I think about him every day, but the memories of him are especially strong on
November 10, 2020
Capital of Basketball Events Feb – May 2020
Order The Capital of Basketball now! Events for 2020 are on hold for the public health crisis, but you can still order your copy now. Buy it, read it, and bring it to the next
January 31, 2020
Capital of Basketball events in 2020
Look for events on Facebook at the John McNamara’s author page here. This Facebook page will be updated more regularly than this blog. Order The Capital of Basketball here, or at Amazon here. January 7,
January 7, 2020
The Capital of Basketball is out in time for holiday giving — order now!
Order The Capital of Basketball here, or at Amazon here. Dec 7, Saturday, 12 noon, Barnes and Noble, Rockville, MD. Special guest: Hall of Fame Coach Gary Williams! Dec 10, Tuesday, 6 pm, Dematha Stags
May 26, 2019
John McNamara ’83 Endowed Sports Journalism Scholarship
Please donate to the John McNamara ’83 Endowed Sports Journalism Scholarship
November 20, 2018
JOHN McNAMARA: Killed in Mass Shooting at the Annapolis Capital Gazette Newspapers . . . July 30, 1961 ~ June 28, 2018
John McNamara was devoted to his family, his friends, his alma maters – Maryland and St. John’s College High School – his craft of journalism, his Maryland Terrapins and the sports he loved to chronicle, watch and play.
July 8, 2018
UM recruit Wiggins shines brightest at Capital Classic
On Friday night, though, Maryland recruit Andrew Wiggins, a 6-foot-6 swingman, offered offered some hope there may be better days ahead for the Maryland Terrapins.
May 1, 2018
One local product staying put, one moving on, another makes history
During the past week, one local basketball product will be staying put, another will be moving on and yet another made a bit of history. At Notre Dame University, Mike Brey (Bethesda/DeMatha), the winningest coach
April 23, 2018
Elgin Baylor finally got a statue in L.A. When will D.C. follow suit?
The Los Angeles Lakers unveiled a bronze statue of Elgin Baylor at Staples Center before Friday night’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. What took them so long? The Staples Center has been in existence since
April 11, 2018
Forty years ago this week, DeMatha came up with the perfect ending
Forty years ago this week, DeMatha’s basketball team made history. By that time, Hall of Fame coach Morgan Wootten had been at the school 20 years and had turned it into the premier high school
March 22, 2018
Happy 62nd birthday to DeMatha great Adrian Dantley
It was a cold winter morning in December of 1969. Schools were on break, with teachers and coaches like DeMatha’s Morgan Wootten happy for a respite from their responsibilities. This particular morning, Wootten heard a
March 8, 2018
Local product Palmer finds winter in Nebraska to his liking
It’s rare that someone would prefer winter in Lincoln, Nebraska to winter in Miami.
But it worked out for James Palmer, Jr. Palmer, who played at Henry Wise and St. John’s, is one of the main reasons Nebraska is battling for an NCAA Tournament bid as March approaches.
February 25, 2018
50 years ago, Northwestern’s Fox played a game to remember
Was it the greatest single-game performance in the history of D.C. area high school basketball? It just might be. Fifty years ago this week, Harold Fox, a 6-foot-1 guard at Northwestern High School, pumped in
February 15, 2018
Gary Mays, Armstong High’s one-armed wonder, dead at 82
When you hear the stories about Gary Mays, a multisport star at the long-closed Armstrong High School, it’s easy to dismiss what you’ve heard. There’s couldn’t really have been a one-armed high school basketball player
January 25, 2018
In January of ’68, nobody was hotter than Jim O’Brien
Fifty years ago this week, Washington’s sports pages were full of stories on the Green Bay Packers’ recent Super Bowl II victory over the Oakland Raiders. In sports news closer to home, local basketball fans
January 17, 2018
Brey now winningest coach in Notre Dame history
For years, a string of Notre Dame football coaches has tried to duplicate the sustained success of the program’s glory days. Notre Dame’s basketball program, meanwhile, doesn’t have that problem. Mike Brey has seen
January 5, 2018
Grant Hill: Reston’s Hometown Hero
More than a quarter-century later, with a distinguished professional career behind him and unimaginable riches to his name, Hill is an A-List basketball celebrity by any measure. But his days at South Lakes still represent something special to him. That’s why he came back for the ceremony; that’s also why he hosted a private question-and-answer session with the current varsity players afterward. To the people of Reston and the community at South Lakes, Grant Hill is a hometown hero – in every sense of the word.
December 16, 2017
Turnovers a big problem for Terrapins
Much of the talk after University of Maryland’s 80-65 victory Saturday over New Mexico centered on the Terrapins’ ability to bounce back from a tough loss. “I’m really proud of how my team responded,” Maryland head coach Mark
November 27, 2017
Memories of ex-DeMatha star Sid Catlett
Catlett was a key figure in DeMatha’s biggest win ever, its upset of Lew Alcindor (now Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) and Power Memorial in 1965. That DeMatha victory ended the New York City school’s 71-game winning streak in front of 12,500 at the University of Maryland’s Cole Field House.
November 19, 2017
Williams and Ferry inducted into Washington Metro Hall of Fame
Prince George’s County was well-represented at the Wooden Leadership in Coaching awards dinner Thursday night at the Watergate Hotel in downtown Washington. Walt Williams (Temple Hills, MD) and Danny Ferry (Bowie, MD) were inducted into
October 15, 2017
Fultz latest in long line of local products to go high in NBA Draft
With his selection as the first overall pick by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2017 NBA Draft, DeMatha’s Markelle Fultz became the fifth D.C.-area player ever to be taken No. 1 overall.
July 20, 2017
Former local stars shuffle at Maryland
For a long time, it seemed like local basketball fixture Kevin Broadus (Blair/Dunbar) might wind up working for every local college basketball program but Maryland. Over the year, he embarked on a tour of the area’s
April 24, 2017
Offense is the order of the day at Capital Classic
The 44th annual Capital Classic at Verizon Center on Saturday wasn’t exactly perfect. But Dhamir Cosby-Roundtree was. The 6-foot-8 Villanova recruit out of Philadelphia’s Neumann Goretti High School scored 18 points and didn’t miss a shot
April 9, 2017
Stars come out at Verizon Center as Capital Classic returns to downtown
After a nomadic existence the last few years, the Capital Classic high school all-star basketball game is returning to downtown D.C. The 44th annual game will be played at the Verizon Center on April 8, with
March 20, 2017
Forty years ago, TC Williams wrote the perfect ending
It was 40 years ago this week that the 1976-77 T.C. Williams basketball team capped one of the great seasons in Northern Virginia basketball history. The Titans (28-0), ranked No. 1 in both the Washington
March 13, 2017
50 years ago Carr drives Mackin over DeMatha
But 50 years ago this week, Mackin was finally able to knock DeMatha from the top of the league standings and the top of the local high school basketball rankings.
In the first week of March in 1967, Mackin had at least two of the three factors in their favor. Star guard Autin Carr scored 21 points (including the 2,000th of his pep career) as Mackin downed DeMatha, 54-48, on the night of March 3, 1967.
March 5, 2017
Earl Foreman: Lawyer played big role on D.C. pro basketball scene
Earl Foreman didn’t merit an obituary when he passed away last month. They should have written a book.
That’s the only way to do justice to the wild and crazy ride Foreman took through professional basketball as an owner, investor, and wheeler-dealer.
February 14, 2017
Brey has Irish Eyes Smiling
Don’t look now, but Mike Brey’s Notre Dame basketball team sits atop what may be the best conference in college basketball. Nobody should be surprised by this. It’s the sort of thing the former DeMatha
January 17, 2017
Major milestone for Magruder coach
Dan Harwood quietly just keeps adding to his resume.harwood
The longtime Magruder High School basketball coach passed another milestone last week when he won his 500th career game. Outside of Derwood (MD), his accomplishment drew little attention.
But it bears noting, even if most in the local prep basketball world remain focused on the schools in the WCAC.
December 29, 2016
Make 2017 a Banner Year for Adrian Branch
In the early 1980s, Adrian Branch helped Driesell accumulate 82 victories from 1981-85, a healthy chunk of the 348 wins Driesell amassed during his 17 years in College Park.
He’s the only 2,000-point scorer in school history whose jersey number doesn’t hang from the ceiling.
December 16, 2016
DeMatha’s Fultz a fabulous freshman
One of the few certainties in this still-young season is this: Upper Marlboro native and DeMatha grad Markelle Fultz is playing as well as any freshman in the country. Through the first five games of his college career at the University of Washington, Fultz is averaging 25.5 points, 5.3 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game.
November 25, 2016
Maryland gets a break from schedule-makers
Maryland’s basketball team, coming off back-to-back 27-win seasons for the first time in school history, faces a lot of questions entering the 2016-17 season. Starters Jake Layman, Rasheed Sulaimon, Robert Carter and Diamond Stone have
August 31, 2016
Gene Doan, a basketball architect
When Gene Doane was a young man, he thought he might become an architect or an engineer.
“I always had an interest in designing things,” he once said.
Ultimately, he was diverted from such pursuits. Basketball was in his blood, so instead he became a coach – a builder of successful high school basketball programs, an architect of winning teams.
July 4, 2016
Jo Jo and Hawkeye: a staged match up for the ages
Clearly, the two of them were playing on a different level – and neither was unduly selfish or reckless during their 32-minute showcase. Whitney connected on 17 of 25 shots grabbed 14 rebounds and even found time to hand out four assists. Sort of makes you wonder what the rest of the Stags were doing that night.
February 5, 2016
Private schools dominate local basketball courts
Congratulations go out to DeMatha’s Markelle Fultz and Paul VI’s V.J. King, who were recently named to the McDonald’s All-America team. This year marks the first time in nine yars that the Washington area has
January 24, 2016
Mixed bag for Maryland transfers
The Internet is now Tweeting a different tune about Md Coach Mark Turgeon; but what about those players who left the program that summer and opted for the court not taken? Unable to find anything on-line or anywhere else on this, this is for Maryland fans who are interested to know whatever became of Charles Mitchell, Seth Allen, Nick Faust, Rody Peters, Shaquille Cleare and Trayvon Reed.
January 3, 2016
Everyone knows Markelle Fultz now
Last Friday, Fultz announced that he was forsaking all of the big-name schools to play at the University of Washington – a decision that must have led to a lot of head-scratching.
August 28, 2015
Happy Birthday to “The Admiral”
Happy 50th birthday to the greatest professional basketball player ever to come out of Northern Virginia – Osbourne Park’s David Robinson. The number 50 looms large in Robinson’s career – he wore that number on his
August 6, 2015
Ex-Terp Vasquez is on the move again – to Milwaukee
In case you didn’t notice amid all the hubbub about wardrobe choices during the NBA Draft or all the free agent speculation following it, former Terrapin Grievis Vasquez (Montrose Christian) was on the move. Again.
July 16, 2015
Jerian Grant third Stag to reach NBA off 2009-10 DeMatha team
Jerian Grant becomes the third player off the 2009-2010 DeMatha team to get drafted. Two years ago, Ex-Stag Victor Oladipo went second overall to the Orlando Magic. Last year, Grant’s brother Jerami, went in the second round to the Philadelphia 76ers. He, too, played at DeMatha in 2009-10.
July 5, 2015
Bench led Warriors to title 40 years ago against Bullets
Four decades ago, the Warriors pulled one of the biggest upsets in the history of the NBA Finals, knocking off the heavily-favored Washington Bullets in four straight games.
June 18, 2015
In Capital Classic, there is no try: Luke Maye not be ignored
Typically, the guys who do the thankless grunt work don’t get noticed in high school all-star basketball games. Fans come to see high-flying dunks, ankle-breaking crossover dribbles and great moves to the basket. In Friday
April 25, 2015
For Wizards radio announcer, broadcasting is a dream job and a link to his mother
Dave Johnson doesn’t just think about basketball when he’s broadcasting a Washington Wizards game. He also thinks about his mother. His late mother, Mary Lue , suffered from multiple sclerosis and spent most of her time in
April 22, 2015
Locals pulled huge upset in Capital Classic back in 1978
Nobody much cares which team wins an all-star basketball game, especially a high school all-star game. The game is supposed to be a showcase for the players, a chance to show what they can do
April 8, 2015
Maryland signee Diamond Stone is a big deal in every way
Some thoughts on Friday’s news that the 6-foot-10 Diamond Stone, one of the most sought-after high school basketball players in the country, plans to play basketball next season at the University of Maryland: The announcement
March 28, 2015
Some Bowie flavor to NCAA Tournament
Notre Dame’s Jerian Grant and Duke’s Quinn Cook grew up playing basketball together in Bowie, Md. and now will try to take their respective teams on deep NCAA Tournament runs. For as long as they
March 20, 2015
The secret to Maryland’s basketball success in 2014-15
By now, Maryland basketball fans probably have heard or read about Ken Pomeroy’s assertion that Maryland has been the luckiest college basketball team in the country this season. And, after watching the Terrapins pull out
March 14, 2015
D.C.’s Austin Carr set an NCAA Tournament scoring record 45 years ago today
Saturday, March 7, 2015 marks the 45th anniversary of one of the great performances in NCAA Tournament history – a performance turned in by one of Washington, D.C.’s greatest players. Austin Carr, who played his
March 6, 2015
Capital of Basketball
John McNamara is the author of the Capital of Basketball, a work in progress. He has also written Cole Classics! Maryland Basketball’s Leading Men and Moments, and University of Maryland Football Vault. He has been
January 30, 2015