Carmel upends St. Viator

Carmel's boys are growing up.

The Corsairs, who start three underclassmen on their varsity boys basketball team, didn't wilt down the stretch Friday night, as this "young, inexperienced" lineup has done before this season, and held on for 62-57 win at St. Viator, knocking the host Lions out of contention for the East Suburban Catholic championship.

"In our 16 losses this season," said Carmel head coach Zach Ryan, "we've had some games where we've played well and just couldn't finish."

The Corsairs finished Friday, but just barely.

Brien Julien, the senior point guard, refused to let them fold this time, scoring 12 of his game-high 24 in the final period, including two clutch jumpers and a crushing 3-point drive with 2:41 left. He and junior running mate Zion Kilpatrick (11 points) combined for 9 of 11 free throws in the period as Carmel built confidence going into the postseason.

"It meant a lot to win this game," Julien said. "We haven't beaten them. Free throws made a big difference."

With Carmel seemingly cruising to the win with a 48-36 lead midway through the fourth quarter, Viator did its best Lee Corso and said, not so fast.

Though he struggled with his shooting touch much of the night, Jeremiah Hernandez got the Lions (9-15, 5-3) ignited with a driving hoop. Daniel Morton (10 points off the bench) kept it going with another driving hoop and sharpshooter Peter Lambesis tossed home a couple of 3-pointers as Viator's pressure defense started paying off.

As did its bench. Morton, C. J. Cison (16) and Lambesis 14) were the only Lions in double-figures after 6-foot-8 center Addison Lubert carried the offense in the first half.

But 6-3 sophomore Jalen Snell (13 points) was a force around the basket for a shorter Carmel lineup. "He's been playing great," said Ryan, who was missing his starting center.

In the end, Carmel knocked down 13 of 17 fourth-quarter free throws and 4 of 5 field goal attempts, even as its turnovers piled up.

"Brien Julien was outstanding tonight," Ryan said. "He's a nightmare matchup for anyone because he's so quick."

And Viator might just be losing sleep about him. "(Snell) hurt us, and obviously Julien," said Viator coach Quin Hayes. "You can't give up 62 points against Carmel and expect to win.

"No question, we've got to get better defensively," as well as at the other end. "We've got to value the ball. We've got to slow down."