Back at the top: Monessen wraps up section title No. 46 with win over Mikes
CARMICHAELS ëƵ Monessen is back at the top.
The Greyhounds came up short the past two years of claiming the boys basketball programëƵs 46th section championship but got the job at Carmichaels on Tuesday night.
Lorenzo Gardner scored a game-high 23 points as Monessen defeated the Mikes on their Senior Night, 60-47, to wrap up sole possession of first place in Section 4-AA.
ëƵIt was the goal coming into the season,ëƵ Greyhounds coach Dan Bosnic said. ëƵBefore the season Carmichaels and Jefferson-Morgan were expected to compete for a section championship and we were kind of off to the side. Our kids took that personally.
ëƵWeëƵre just really proud of them and the effort they put in to get into this position.ëƵ
The Greyhounds led most of the way but had to fight off a couple runs by Carmichaels.
Monessen (9-0, 15-4) took a 12-7 lead in the first quarter and pushed the margin up to 15 points at 22-7 midway through the second.
ëƵYou look at this game and the game we played before against them (a 65-59 loss at Monessne) and two of the big things were turnovers and rebounds,ëƵ Carmichaels coach Ian McCombs said. ëƵAnd, right out of the gate, that was how they got off to a big lead.ëƵ
Carmichaels (6-2, 12-4) came roaring back with a 16-4 run highlighted by a pair of 3-pointers from Chris Barrish and one by Tyler Richmond to pull within 26-23 late in the second quarter.
ëƵThe guys needed to settle in a little bit,ëƵ McCombs said. ëƵItëƵs a big crowd, big night for them, Senior Night, and obviously there was a lot on the line with the game itself. I think once the nerves got settled a little bit we started making better decisions, we put the pressure on them in the full court and we got back in the game a little bit.ëƵ
Gardner made a pair of free throws to make it 28-23 at halftime.
Bosnic felt his team got out of sorts in the latter part of the second quarter.
ëƵAt halftime we just talked about playing with composure,ëƵ Bosnic said. ëƵWe talked about handling whatever came their way in the second half.ëƵ
The Greyhounds took control again in the third quarter with its defense and rebounding to push the gap up to 13 but a 3-pointer by Barrish at the buzzer got the Mikes within 44-34 heading into the final frame.
Another 3-pointer by Barrish and three points from Mike Stewart highlighted a seven-point run as Carmichaels whittled the gap to 46-41 with just under four minutes to play.
Monessen wouldnëƵt allow the Mikes to get any closer, though, and pulled away from there to wrap up the win.
ëƵThere were times when I thought we were making a move and then they would get an offensive rebound and second-chance points,ëƵ McCombs said. ëƵThings like that kept the momentum in their favor.ëƵ
Kody Kuhns followed Gardner with 16 points for the Greyhounds, who also got six points from Leonaj Thomas and five points from Dante DeFelices.
Barrish led the Mikes with 17 points, including five 3-pointers. Drake Long, Stewart and Richmond added nine points apiece.
ëƵWe knew coming in we wanted to speed them up and get the ball out of BarrishëƵs hands and make those other guys play faster than they wanted to,ëƵ Bosnic said. ëƵI thought our kids did that for the most part.ëƵ
Bosnic lauded his teamëƵs effort on the boards.
ëƵI thought a big part of this game was the rebounding, especially offensive rebounding,ëƵ Bosnic said. ëƵThat was a big difference tonight.ëƵ
McCombs was disappointed his team, which remains in second place and is headed for the playoffs, couldnëƵt keep its section title hopes alive but commended seniors Barrish, Long, Stewart, Dylan Rohrer and Beau Batis.
ëƵTheyëƵre a good group who have been playing together for a long time,ëƵ McCombs said. ëƵYou see that at times, where they seem to know what each other is thinking and what theyëƵre going to do.
ëƵHopefully, we can finish off their senior year on a high note.ëƵ









