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One Good Shot Deserves A Great One | Defector

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10 months ago

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One Good Shot Deserves A Great One | Defector


A one-possession NCAA tournament game with seconds on the clock can induce as much dread as anticipation. For as often as situations like these produce iconic buzzer-beaters, they just as often fall victim to college basketball’s inherent jankiness—subpar coaches drawing up doomed sets and skittish players momentarily forgetting which direction their basket is. It’s a blessing to get one great shot out of a scenario like this; on Sunday night, Colorado State and Maryland gave us two.

The teams that successfully navigate these moments tend to be the ones that have a good idea of who they are and what they want to do. After Maryland’s Julian Reese hit two free throws to give his team a 70-68 lead with 22 seconds left, CSU head coach Niko Medved didn’t like what he saw as his team raced up the floor and struggled to get into an offensive set. He called a timeout with 12 seconds left, and while the Rams huddled up, there was no doubt who would be getting the ball on the next possession.

The Rams go as Nique Clifford goes. The 6-foot-6 playmaker who started his college career at the University of Colorado before transferring to CSU waited for his fifth season to become one of the best all-around players in the country. This transformation began in earnest after the new year, which is right around the time that CSU just stopped losing. The Rams came into Sunday’s game on an 11-game winning streak, with Clifford averaging 19 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists per game.

Clifford, who scored 21 points in the game, beat his defender to the spot on the left wing and received the inbound pass. One jab step and two strong dribbles later, he found himself on the block with a clear view of the floor and Maryland’s defense flowing toward him. A one-handed skip pass to the opposite wing found senior guard Jalen Lake wide open, who splashed one of the prettiest jumpers you’ll see to give CSU a 71-70 lead with 6.1 seconds left. After getting the ball over half court and calling a timeout, it was Maryland’s turn to figure out what the hell to do with 3.7 seconds remaining.

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“Give me the motherfucking ball.” That’s the message Maryland head coach Kevin Willard says he received from Derik Queen in the huddle. That’s a bold demand for a freshman to make, but one that was suitable to the moment. Queen, a Baltimore native, was one of the most sought-after high school recruits in the country, and Maryland spent years convincing him to stick close to home and play for the state university. The Terps’ program-building philosophy wasn’t much more complicated than get Derik Queen and the rest will take care of itself, and they were largely proven correct. Queen arrived on campus and transformed a team that went 16-17 last season into a 27-8 monster that was good enough to earn a four seed in the tournament.

So Queen ran out from the baseline and received the inbound pass just beyond the three-point line. This is normally not the place you want your 6-foot-10 center to be receiving the ball on the final possession of the game, but Queen didn’t end up there out of desperation. His greatest gift his his coordination and body control, which is something to which any Big 10 defender who had to deal with Queen facing him up at the free-throw line can attest. Queen turned the corner and took a hard dribble to his left, then another, then a step, and a step, and a step—shut up about traveling!—and suddenly he was hanging in the air, all 245 pounds of him perfectly aligned in time and space, and he kissed a one-legged jumper off the glass and in from an improbably acute angle.

“Well, I mean, so I think I’m from Baltimore, that’s why.” That’s what Queen had to say to Andy Katz on the postgame court when he was asked where he found the confidence to demand the ball in that situation. Later, on the dais in the pressroom, he would tell everyone that this was the first game-winner he had ever hit. (“I wouldn’t have given it to him if I had known that,” Willard chimed in from two seats over.)

There’s another thing that can add a pall of dread to these tournament- and program-defining moments, which is that no matter which way they break, they bring on the future. Maryland survived and advanced, but soon there will be no more games to play and Queen, with braces still in his mouth and only one game-winner under his belt, will be headed for the NBA. Maryland will have ultimately spent more time recruiting Queen than counting him as a member of the team, and their ability to remain a force in the Big 10 will come down how quickly the can find the next Derik Queen.

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Clifford’s leaving, too, which puts CSU back in the same spot it always finds itself in, as a plucky mid-major scouring the transfer portal for overlooked players that can be poached from bigger conferences and developed into Mountain West stars. There’s more than one way to build a successful program, and to engineer a legendary shot. You hold onto those moments as long as you can, and then you start over.



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Maryland

Maryland and Virginia Youth Charities Shut Down After Candy Bar Fundraising Scheme – The MoCo Show

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22 minutes ago

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January 17, 2026

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Maryland and Virginia Youth Charities Shut Down After Candy Bar Fundraising Scheme – The MoCo Show


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Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown and Secretary of State Susan C. Lee announced settlements that will permanently shut down two nonprofits, Maryland Youth Club of America and Virginia Youth Club of America, and ban their founder and leadership from operating or soliciting for charities in Maryland.

The action follows a joint investigation with authorities in Washington, DC and Virginia, which found the organizations recruited school aged children to sell candy door to door while falsely claiming the proceeds would support scholarships and programs for at risk youth. “These adults exploited children twice, first by sending them door to door as salespeople, then by misusing the money donors thought would help at risk youth,” Brown said.

Investigators said the nonprofits misrepresented their charitable activities, diverted funds for personal use, and destroyed financial records, leaving large amounts of money unaccounted for. Lee said her office “strongly opposes deceptive charitable practices” and will act to protect the integrity of the nonprofit sector, adding, “We are committed to keeping bad actors out of the nonprofit world and upholding Maryland’s charity laws.” Under the settlements, both organizations will be dissolved, their officers permanently barred from charitable solicitation in Maryland, and $5,000 will be redirected to legitimate nonprofits serving at risk youth.



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Md. Gov. Moore follows stellar week picking football playoff games with more predictions – WTOP News

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12 hours ago

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January 17, 2026

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Md. Gov. Moore follows stellar week picking football playoff games with more predictions – WTOP News


Another week, another fabulous slate of playoff games for football fans. And there’s no bigger fan than Maryland Gov. Wes Moore.

Another week, another fabulous slate of playoff games for football fans. And there’s no bigger fan than Maryland Gov. Wes Moore.

The governor had a dream week picking NFL and college playoff games for WTOP last week. He went 7-1 (2-0 for college and 5-1 for NFL). Moore’s only miss was picking the Jags over the Bills.

But, can he keep his hot streak going? Moore gave WTOP his picks in all five upcoming pro and college playoff games.

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NFL matchups

For the NFL Divisional games, Moore likes Denver (14-3) at home to beat Buffalo (12-5).

“I wouldn’t want to play this Broncos team in Denver right now,” he told WTOP. “Bills quarterback Josh Allen has 10 interceptions on the season. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see at least one this weekend.”

“In the end, I really think it’s the defense for the Broncos that’s going to deliver the win for them,” he said.

In the San Francisco (14-3) at Seattle (12-5) matchup, Moore said, “This Seahawks team is looking like the most well-rounded in the playoffs. They’ve got it all.”

Moore said he’s paying attention to the injury status of Seahawks’ quarterback Sam Darnold (oblique). “If he plays, I’m confident, they’ll win,” he said.

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New England (14-3) hosts Houston (12-5) in the other AFC Divisional game.

“I’m putting my faith in Drake Maye here. He’s been an animal on the field,” Moore said. “This Patriots team has one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL and I think it’s going to overcome this Texans’ defense.”

The governor saved his boldest pick for the final NFL game of the weekend between the Rams (12-5) and the Bears (11-6).

Frigid temperatures are expected in Chicago, which might favor the underdog home team. Bears’ second-year quarterback and Gonzaga High School alum Caleb Williams is coming off a game in which he completed an all-time clutch throw on fourth down to help Chicago advance.

“I think this is going to be a year for these sophomore quarterbacks,” Moore said, adding he thinks the Rams are “running out of steam.”

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“I know this is my big upset of the week, but I’m locking in on the Bears,” he said.

College football

For the College Football Playoff National Championship game Monday night, Moore did not hesitate to pick undefeated Indiana (15-0) over Miami (13-2), despite the game being played in Miami Gardens.

“Miami has been playing great football and they’ve had a hell of a season but I just don’t see Indiana losing this one,” Moore told WTOP. “Indiana isn’t just winning games, they are blowing people out. What they did to Oregon last week was embarrassing. I mean they crushed them.”

The Hoosiers are led by Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who is a Miami native.

“I just think Mendoza does it all here. He gets the win and then rides into the first spot in the draft,” Moore said.

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WTOP will keep checking in with Moore for his picks until a champion is crowned in the Super Bowl.

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© 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.



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Owings Mills, Baltimore residents charged in Washington Co. triple-fatal fire

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1 day ago

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January 16, 2026

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Owings Mills, Baltimore residents charged in Washington Co. triple-fatal fire


MARYLAND (WBFF) — Maryland State Police announced two additional arrests made in connection with the triple murder and house fire in Washington County last November, authorities announced Friday.

Lanea George, 40, of Owings Mills, was arrested and charged with accessory after the fact to first-degree murder and obstruction of justice.

David Chapple, 43, of Baltimore, was also arrested and charged with accessory after the fact to first-degree murder.

ALSO READ | Mother seeks justice after daughter killed in Washington County triple-fatal house fire

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On November 18, 2025, shortly after 5:00 a.m., the State Fire Marshal responded to a reported fatal structure fire at a single-story residence located in the 13,000 block of National Pike in Clear Spring.

During the initial investigation, authorities found multiple signs of foul play, including K-9 alerts for accelerants and evidence of trauma to the victims that was not caused by the fire, police reported.

The deceased victims were identified as Brittany Ray, 31; Harold Flichman, 36; and Brianna Mae Weishaar, 25, all from Clear Spring.

All three victims were pronounced dead at the scene, and autopsy results showed that the cause and manner of death were homicide by gunshot, authorities reported.

ALSO READ | Mother fights to amend Second Look Act after daughter’s murder in Washington County

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George is being held without bail at the Baltimore County Detention Center, awaiting transport to the Washington County Detention Center.

Chapple is also being held without bail at the Washington County Detention Center.

The Maryland State Police Homicide Unit is continuing its investigation in collaboration with other law enforcement agencies, including the Office of the State Fire Marshal, the Federal Bureau of Investigation Baltimore, and the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services.

Authorities stated they expect more arrests to follow and urge anyone with information to contact the Maryland State Police Hagerstown Barrack at 301-766-3800. Calls can remain confidential.



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