The Meridian High School boys’ basketball team entered Thursday night with a perfect
record of 25-0, but it was the season’s 26 th contest that would determine just how special the
Mustangs’ 2024-25 campaign would be. Hosting the Dragons from William Monroe, Meridian
would be competing for a Regional Championship, with a win additionally earning Jim Smith’s
squad a home game in the opening round of the State Tournament.
After losing Sixth Man Billy Asel to a broken foot in the semifinals against Skyline on
Tuesday, the Mustangs were out to make a statement – and that they did. A tough Jarrett Jardine
layup opened the scoring, and Meridian earned the first 10 points of the game en route to taking
a 15-4 lead after a quarter. That advantage extended to 22-6 early in the second period before
Monroe scored five quick points, but the Mustangs answered with nine straight of their own. On
Tuesday, Smith had been unhappy that Meridian took its final shot of the half too early and
allowed a three on the other end before the buzzer, so this time, no mistakes were made – the
Mustangs held the ball for more than a minute before getting a Will Davis triple, and the home
team led by a commanding margin of 34-13 at the intermission.
If the Falls Church crowd wasn’t already feeling it, they sure would be early in the
second half when Monroe’s star scorer Brady Lamb was assessed a technical foul (which
doubled as his fourth personal) and had to take a lengthy seat on the bench. Shortly afterwards
the Mustangs took their largest lead of 42-15, and this one never even got close. It was 45-19
after three quarters, and after a final frame spent in full desperation mode on the visitors’ part,
Meridian cruised home to the 59-34 victory to earn its first Regional Championship since 2016
and school’s first as a member of Class 3.
“I’m just so proud of these guys,” Smith said postgame, following a special ceremony in
which the Mustangs cut down one of the gym’s nets in celebration. “They’ve all grown so much
with the program since I first got here… I’m just so grateful to have the opportunity to coach a
group like them.”
Smith began coaching at Meridian prior to the 2021-22 season, after coming out of
retirement following a storied nearly 30-year tenure at Chantilly High School. At the time he first
arrived in Falls Church, most of the team’s current core of contributors were just getting started
as eighth and ninth graders, while Jardine, Isaac Rosenberger, John Alverson, and Asel – all
seniors – have been playing together for even longer than that. They and the rest of their
teammates are as close-knit as they come, and their steady improvement over the course of the
past four years – from 7-15 in Smith’s first season, to 16-8 to 22-5 to now 26-0 and counting – is
a direct reflection of the winning culture that they have established together.
John Lyman led all scorers for Meridian with 17 (for the second straight game,
coincidentally), while Davis added 13 and Rosenberger had 11. Smith additionally credited

Lyman for his defense on Lamb, citing that minimizing his looks was among the biggest keys to
the win, in addition to doing a better job of closing out quarters.
With the victory, Meridian will remain home for the State Quarterfinals on Tuesday
night, where it will play host to an opponent to be determined. Win or lose, that will be the
team’s final home game of the season, so show up and show out to support our Mustangs!