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The Frederick Douglass High School boys' basketball team came within one win of a Class 2A state championship last season.

Douglass coach Tyrone Massenburg said the goal this season is to be one game better. With that formula, that extra win would mean a state championship.

This summer, the Eagles are preparing for that goal by participating in the Falconer's League at Riverdale Baptist, while hosting the inaugural Beasley Assault League.

Massenburg knows exactly what to expect from his players between the two leagues.

"You just want them to work on individual skills," said Massenburg, following Tuesday evening's 47-45 overtime win against McDonough in Beasley League action. "It's hard to build team chemistry in the summer. You're not playing with a full team and you're not practicing night in and night out. This is mainly all about keeping in shape, development, and keeping them active."

McDonough squandered a 10-point lead in the final 9 minutes of regulation Tuesday. Late baskets by Douglass rising senior Terrell Bonhom and rising sophomore Kavon Glover and a late free throw from rising junior Mike Smith gave the Eagles a two-point advantage. But Devonte Gray drove the lane for the Rams and scored an easy lay-up with 1.1 seconds remaining to force overtime.

Smith's two field goals in overtime paced the Eagles, but the Rams had the last shot. They pushed the ball upcourt into position to take a potential game-winning 3-pointer, but they never got the shot off.

Bonhom was particularly effective in the second half, when he scored 14 of his game-high 17 points. Smith and Glover each added 11 points. Gray led McDonough with 15 points.

"With a game like this, we want to find out which kids can finish a game and who can play to the end, so that we can move on," said Massenburg. "That's how we look at it."

One of those players is rising junior point guard Vincent Williams, who was promoted from junior varsity team last season for the Eagles' playoff run.

"Last season, I did good, I tried to lead the team," said Williams. "It's a quicker pace out here now than it was with J.V. I'm just trying to get into the flow of playing varsity and become a better player."

Bonhom will fall into the leadership role in his final season. It is a role he accepts.

"I want to improve my leadership skills," said Bonhom. "I'm going to be a senior. I will be talking to everyone on the floor. I didn't really do a lot of that last year because we had other seniors doing that."

The Eagles were without three of their key returners Tuesday in the likes of rising senior Pernell Murray and rising juniors Eric Washington and Timmone Whatley, the latter two combined for more than 25 points per game. Whatley was also a Gazette-Star All-County second-team selection.

Douglass improved to 3-1 in the Beasley League with Tuesday's win. The Eagles were scheduled to play North Point Wednesday evening after The Star went to press, then will face Forestville on Monday. They have no remaining scheduled games in the Falconers League, which begins playoff action on Monday. 

E-mail Adam Rubenstein at arubenstein@gazette.net.