Carmel stays strong in win over St. Viator
Carmel's boys basketball team had played four games in three days and then had to play St. Viator at Cahill gymnasium in Arlington Heights Tuesday night.
Carmel played two games on Saturday and two Monday at the Wheaton Warrenville South MLK tournament where they went 2-2. The wins came over Willowbrook and Lake Forest Academy. The losses came to Waubonsie Valley and the host Tigers.
You couldn't blame the Corsairs if they would have been weary. But, no. Didn't happen.
Carmel shot 50% from the field on 18 of 36 and out rebounded the host Lions 31-12 in their 48-43 East Suburban Catholic win.
"You play one game then you watch film and then get ready for the next game," said Carmel center Bryce Smith. " It was kind of fun but now I'm going to sleep good tonight."
Smith only scored six points, all in the first half, but his 13 rebounds, most at key times, kept the Corsairs ship afloat.
"I've been up and down with my rebounding this year," said Smith. "This was my seasons best. A good one tonight. We all played with intensity. This was a conference game we wanted to win. We were talking through the switches on defense. We were on top of it. We did a great job in the fourth quarter communicating through everything."
The fourth quarter was key as St. Viators Brandyn Michaels who would lead the Lions with 15 points converted on a 4 pt play to end the third quarter with a 40-36 lead.
Davion Jones who came off the bench to score 11 points and grab 5 rebounds scored on a offensive rebound. Noah LaMora then tied the score at 40 with an old fashion hook shot.
Henry Marshall of the Lions hit the Lions only basket in the fourth quarter on a three point shot for a 43-40 lead with 4:20 left in the game.
St. Viator shot 36% on 16 of 44.
Ethan Matz' layup with 3:43 left in the game gave Carmel the lead for good at 44-43.
Jones hit for another basket and then one of two free throws.
Kalen Jackson who led Carmel (9-12, 2-6) hit a final free throw with :02 left.
Jackson scored 8 points including two three point baskets when Carmel hit 8 of 9 shots in the quarter.
"We settled in to what St. Viator was running on defense and we found the open players and the shots started falling," said Jackson. "We stayed aggressive. We were able to figure out their defense after our last game (a 55-50 St. Viator win 11-28-23). We're all a little tired after this game."
"On defense we played much better this time around," said Carmel coach Dmitry Pirshin. "On offense were were more patient and we played more physical than last time. Jackson and Smith did great jobs tonight in leading us. Our defense played very well in the fourth quarter.
"We were a little tired at times and we were able to rotate different players so they could get a rest. "
"I don't think the layoff (13 days) hurt us," said St. Viator coach Michael O'Keeffe. "They (Carmel) competed very hard. They won the loose ball battle and they won on the glass (31-12). You get out rebounded by 19 your going to lose."
The good news for St. Viator was the return of junior guard Josiah Calvin. While Calvin didn't score he handled the ball well and took a few charges. Calvin broke his left hand in the Lions early season game against Libertyville at the St. Viator tournament in November. Calvin was cleared to play Monday.
"He's been able to practice the last few days and so we said lets see what he can do," said O'Keeffe. "He took those charges and that what we need to do more as a team."