COLLEGE PARK — Most teams would have folded after not scoring for more than a quarter while the red-hot opponent rattled off 23 straight points in the biggest game of the season.

But City boys basketball had passed one stern challenge after another this season with a simple message: To play hard for all 32 minutes. So when Sherwood went up by 18 points late in the first half of Saturday’s Class 3A state championship game, the No. 12 Knights simply dug out by digging in.

They made up a few important points after finally scoring late in that trying second quarter. They added pressure on defense, and their offense fed off of it to draw even by the end of the third quarter.

And by the midway point of the fourth, City had firmly taken hold for a memorable 70-61 win over the Warriors at the University of Maryland’s Xfinity Center. Behind a 20-point, seven-rebound performance from All-Metro senior guard Omarr Smith Jr., the Knights (22-5) claimed the program’s fifth state championship.

It’s the second title under Omarr Smith Sr. and the first the father-son combination gets to savor. Omarr Jr., a New Mexico State commit, transferred from Curley in his junior year with this day in mind.

“This is what I came here to do and it means everything to me. Winning the state championship with a parent as a coach, not a lot of people get to do that, so I’m not taking it for granted,” Omarr Jr. said.

It was an impressive team performance that was reflected on the game’s stat sheet. Senior guard Jordan Hammond scored 15 points and added five rebounds, four assists and two steals.

Marquel Paschall added 10 points, Damon Rowlett had nine, and Camari Stewart and Jaden Hargrove each chipped in eight. They were a collective force on defense, with the Knights switching to a 2-2-1 zone full-court press that helped force the Warriors into 15 second-half turnovers.

“It’s just one of them things, lessons we learned all season to fight because we have nothing left to do,” Smith Sr. said. “We preached 32 minutes since we realized we were coming to the championship game. So I just told them we just had to get back out there and fight.”

The second quarter was simply a disaster for City.

After closing the first quarter on a 5-0 run to take a 16-11 lead, the Knights couldn’t find the basket while Sherwood didn’t miss.

Tyler Gramling opened with a 3-pointer on the Warriors’ opening possession and they followed with baskets of all kinds — in transition off turnovers, inside, a short jumper and another 3. Sherwood rattled off 23 straight points in the run — including eight from Khalil Wilson — to build a 34-16 advantage with 1:23 left before the break.

But the Knights made good use of the final time left in the half, finally breaking through with two free throws from Hammond with 1:17 to play before Hargrove hit a monumental corner 3 with 57 seconds left. It cut the deficit to 34-21 and Smith Jr. made it a 7-0 run with two free throws before Wilson closed out his 15-point first half with a 3 near the buzzer to put the Warriors up 37-23.

Hargrove’s late 3 proved big — a statement that the Knights would be just fine.

“He’s our energy guy,” Hammond said. “When I see that Jaden is in a groove and into the game, it kind of just makes all of us [think], like it’s our last 16 minutes of the season and we knew we all had one goal, to win the state championship.”

The final 16 minutes featured urgent defense and an efficient offense that quickly got the Knights back in the game.

Hammond opened the third quarter with a 3 and then Smith took over a stretch.

He hit a 3 followed by a three-point play, and then his jumper with 6:03 to play cut the lead to 39-34.

A 3-pointer from Paschall tied the game at 47 going into the fourth quarter, and two free throws from Hammond on the Knights’ opening possession provided their first lead since the first.

Another 3 from Hargrove would stretch the lead to 60-53 with 4:38 left and the Warriors would get within three points twice before the Knights owned the game’s final minute. Hammond hit a baseline floater to make it 66-61 with 1:01 to play and the Knights, who made 16 of their 20 free throws, sunk four straight to secure the title.

Smith Sr. praised the Knights’ effort on defense in the second half to turn around the game.

“Them just willing to have each others’ backs, he said. “We preach just doing your jobs and when we’re on one page, we’re pretty good. It’s been a few games we’ve seen that and today was one of those days, especially on defense.”

Sherwood, which entered the season with five new starters, finished with a 25-3 mark. Wilson finished with 17 points, while Jamar Nix added 14.

Have a news tip? Contact Glenn Graham at ggraham@baltsun.com, 410-332-6636 and x.com/GlennGrahamSun.

City — 16-7-24-23 — 70

Sherwood — 11-26-10-14 — 61

C: Smith 20, Hammond 15, Stewart 8, Paschall 10, Hargrove 8, Rowlett 9

S: Jam. Nix 14, Welch 5, Wilson 17, Jad. Nix 8, Gramlin 9, Lawson 1, Hill 7