If it’s possible for someone to quietly have a six-point night, that was the case for Higgins, who has been flat-out phenomenal in 2024. Registering two goals and four assists, he had a pair of helpers early in the first quarter, and in the second stanza, the California native scored on a dodge from X, taking advantage of a poor approach and Gilman’s misplaying of a pick. He got to 5×5 late in the third quarter to kick off BL’s 5-0 run to end the game, adding an assist to Ford on EMO early in the fourth quarter.

The 1-on-1 battles between Higgins and McDonogh star defender Max Allen Max Allen 6'1" | 190 lbs | D | Left Hand McDonogh | 2024 MD were a pleasure to watch on Tuesday, and throughout the game, each got the best of their counterpart. The straw that stirs the drink for the BL offense this season, Higgins was always bound to get his, and the Lakers utilized pick play as much as possible to get their quarterback’s hands free. Operating behind the cage, he tossed an assist to George Insley George Insley 5'11" | A Boys' Latin | 2024 MD just 39 seconds into the game when McDonogh misplayed a pick, then had another helper to Colin Kenney Colin Kenney 6'2" | M Boys' Latin | 2024 MD late in the half thanks to a razor pick.

If Allen won the first half, then Higgins certainly won more battles in the final 24 minutes. In the third quarter, Higgins caught Allen taking a poor angle and approach, got underneath, and netted a pretty back-hander. In the fourth, he wisely pulled Allen out to 10 yards above GLE and beat him to the cage, then added an EMO assist to Spencer Ford Spencer Ford 6'3" | 180 lbs | A | Right Hand Boys' Latin | 2024 #5 Nation MD later in the final stanza to finish the day with two goals and three assists. I’ve always been a huge fan of Higgins, but at this point, I’m even more bullish on the California native’s ability to serve as Maryland’s QB upon his arrival in College Park. Always playing under control and dodging with his head up, he attacks tough matchups with confidence, doles out nifty passes, and puts in work in the riding game. He’s super quick, and even though he’s on the smaller side, Higgins never shies away from physicality and does an excellent job of keeping turnovers to a minimum.

An argument could be made that Higgins was the best player on the field, and his impact went far beyond his two-goal, two-assist stat line. After watching the film again later in the week, I counted at least four would-be assist opportunities in the first half alone that his teammates weren’t able to convert, including a handful of beautiful skip passes. Taking a significant step forward as a leader for the Lakers’ offense, Higgins was always willing to attack his matchup off the dodge or sling the ball around to his teammates with poise, doing so from a plethora of different spots on the field. Quick off the dodge and able to soak contact and double teams, he had the ball in his stick far more than he did a year ago and looked rather comfortable at X. If Tuesday served as any indication, the Northern California native will be a handful for MIAA defenses this spring.