Despite the Baltimore City championship game being held inside the Hill Field House at Morgan State University, the Poly girls basketball team felt right at home from the opening tip.

Coach Kendall Peace-Able’s squad has played a tough slate of games, even traveling to Delaware, where they had the opportunity to play on an NBA G League court. That stretch has made the Engineers stronger as they remained unfazed by anything No. 6 Forest Park threw at them Tuesday night in the Baltimore City championship game.

“We’re all a team now,” junior Alexis Smothers said. “Everyone has come together and played their role instead of being individuals with their own agenda.”

A season of ups and downs culminated with hardware for Poly, which beat the Foresters, 56-41, for its third straight league title.

London Elliott showed early on that she was not afraid of the big moments. In typical Poly fashion, it started on the defensive end for the talented sophomore and her teammates.

The Engineers, who lost to Forest Park by four in the regular season, took the early lead as the Foresters failed to get any good looks, instead opting for contested shots or sprinting back frustrated after turning the ball over.

“I don’t like offense, I love defense, so that’s what we work on,” Peace-Able said. “My staff and I broke it down for them, we analyzed what they do on offense, and we picked it apart. We took away their strengths.”

With the defense clicking, Elliott turned her attention to the offensive end and dazzled. She finished with a game-high 23 points, including Poly’s first nine points.

“It’s easy to develop a player who is like a sponge,” Peace-Able said. “London manages everything that goes on, and we’re excited to see how she grows these next couple of years.”

After her early scoring outburst, Elliott was constantly pressured and responded by dishing out assists to open teammates ready to take a shot at a moment’s notice.

Smothers got involved, scoring five straight points and showing off her sharpshooting prowess. Brianna Pope was a force down low, battling for rebounds and serving as the perfect option for Elliott as the offense continued to run efficiently through her.

“When they collapsed on me, it meant one of my teammates was open,” Elliott said. “We went straight to the basket.”

Perhaps the most satisfying moment of the night for Peace-Able came in the second half when Forest Park finally started to knock down shots to trim the deficit to single digits. Needing to combat the duo of India Watkins and McKenzie Fitzgerald, Elliott and Smothers went right back at them, responding to the brief moments of adversity with the mental toughness and resilience of a championship team.

“We’re listening a little better,” Peace-Able said. “We’re young, and a lot of them have grown into their roles and responsibilities and are getting the hang of it.”

While Peace-Able celebrated with her team Tuesday, she still kept herself and her girls’ focus on the next steps, knowing the chance at an even bigger prize is well within reach now that the squad is playing its best basketball at the right time. They’ve come a long way from several close early-season losses and playing just five home games all year.

“This was a great test for us heading into the postseason,” she said. “This is the time when you start showing who you really are.”

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Po: London Elliott 23, Alexis Smothers 12,

Brianna Pope 12, Darryn Moore 6, DaNara Tarver 3

FP: India Watkins 15, McKenzie Fitzgerald 14, Khloe Stewart 6, Myla Dorsey 3, Nydia Mack 3