McHenry, MD - The #3 seed Howard Dragons showed why they are a team to be feared, winning their Region 20 Division II tournament semifinal game over the #7 seed Beaver County Titans 75-43.
 
The two teams exchanged leads back and forth for much of the first half before a late run by the Dragons sparked by a David Garey (Gaithersburg, MD/Hargrave Military) steal and fast break layup spurred Howard to a 30-24 halftime lead.
 
The Dragons kept the momentum going to start the second half as Garey knocked down a corner three pointer and Daeshawn Eaton (Columbia, MD/Oakland Mills) stole away the subsequent pass to lay it in for an easy basket. Garey hit another three pointer for an 8-0 Howard run to create some separation for the Dragons.

Howard continued to assert their will in the game, building up to a 20 point lead midway through the second half as Hollique Johnson (Millersville, MD/Old Mill) made some big plays on offense to provide a strong inside presence for the Dragons. DJ Tucker (Ellicott City, MD/Marriotts Ridge) took a great pass from Eaton and finished a tough layup while being fouled to make an old fashioned three point play. Garey continued to hit big shots and helped carry the team to a convincing victory.

Garey led the way with 20 points including four baskets from behind the three-point arc. Eaton scored 13 points with four assists and six steals while Johnson scored 12. Baptiste chipped in 10 points with nine rebounds and four assists in another strong game for the freshman guard. 

The Dragons will take on the #1 seed and #4 nationally ranked Cecil Seahawks in the regional championship game on Saturday, March 5 at 1 PM. The Dragons fell to the Seahawks at Cecil 86-72 in a regular season game at Cecil back on January 26. The winner of the game will earn a spot in the national tournament as the Dragons attempt to repeat as regional champions.