Columbia, MD - The energy inside the Dragons' Den was electric Saturday evening as the Howard Community College men's basketball team tipped off their 2025-26 season with a commanding 78-42 win over Tidewater Community College.

From the opening whistle, it was clear the Dragons came ready to make a statement. Myles McDuffie (Baltimore, MD/Lake Clifton), returning from a season ending knee injury last season, set the tone early. McDuffie was aggressive in getting to the line, attacking Tidewater's defense and scoring the first six points of the season. The Storm kept things interesting early, hitting open looks and making the right passes to keep the contest close. By halftime, the Dragons held a slim eight-point lead.

Howard flipped the script in the second half, holding the Storm to just 15 points. While the three-point attempts from the Dragons weren't falling, Howard found their groove inside the paint, attacking the basket and earning trips to the foul line. The Dragons shot over 70% from the stripe, keeping the scoreboard moving even when Tidewater tried to slow the pace.

Rebounding was another story of dominance. Howard pulled down 48 boards to Tidewater's 31, controlling the glass on both ends. That effort translated into second-chance points and back-breaking defensive stands that kept the Storm at bay all night long.

The Dragons had three players in double figures at the end of the night. Sincere Barfield (Philadelphia, PA/Patterson) led the charge with 18 points and three three-pointers. McDuffie totaled 14 points, and TaJir Webster (Waldorf, MD/St. Charles) dominated in the paint with 11 points. Nathan Hiteshew (Columbia, MD/Wilde Lake) had productive minutes off the bench with nine points in only 12 minutes of play.

As the final buzzer sounded, the scoreboard told the full story. Howard dominated in a 36-point statement win to start the season. For the Dragons, this wasn't just a win. It was a message that Howard is ready to compete and defend their two-consecutive Region 20 titles. The Dragons will next face Mercer County on Sunday at 2:00PM.