It’s become a familiar Class 4A boys basketball regional semi-final: Carmel vs. McCutcheon.
The two teams hadn’t met in any game – regular or post-season – in recent memory until the 2015 Marion regional. Now the Greyhounds and the Mavericks will face off again in the semi-finals of the Logansport regional on Saturday.
This will be the second semi-final of a loaded regional at the Berry Bowl. The first game tips off at 10 a.m. and features Homestead taking on Fort Wayne North. The second game – Carmel-McCutcheon Chapter 3 – will not start until noon.
“We are playing our best basketball of the season and look forward to the challenge of what will be a tremendous regional at Logansport,” said ‘Hounds coach Scott Heady.
Last year’s regional showdown between the two teams was unforgettable, but ended painfully for the Greyhounds. Carmel led almost the entire game, but the Mavericks came back by making a 3-pointer at the fourth-quarter buzzer to send the game into overtime. McCutcheon then made a basket with 10 seconds left in the extra period for the victory.
The Mavericks are 23-2 for the season. Their only two losses were to Twin Lakes, 52-50, and to North Central Conference opponent Logansport, 54-49. That game decided the NCC championship in favor of the Berries, who finished 9-0 in the conference.
But No. 3 Logansport was beaten in the sectional by Zionsville 66-57 in the semi-finals. McCutcheon, ranked No. 5, took care of Kokomo 78-56 in the other semi, then won the championship over the Eagles 61-47.
The Mavericks have four players averaging in double figures. The leader is junior and Division I college prospect Robert Phinisee, who pours in 21.4 points per game. He also leads McCutcheon in assists, dishing out 6.9 per contest.
After that are three seniors: Haden Deaton not only scores 18.6 per game, but also pulls 6.8 rebounds, making him the leader on the boards. (Phinisee averages 5.8 per game.) Eddy Collins scores at a 14.2 point per game clip, and Gavin Dunbar adds 10.5 points per game.
”They play a very good zone defense and offensively have several players that can score,” said Heady of the Mavericks. “They have good perimeter shooters and one of the best point guards in the state. We understand that we’ll have to be at our best.”
Carmel’s leading scorer is senior Sterling Brown, who averages 17.4 points per game. Senior PJ Baron is next in line with 10.7 points, and has been a huge factor on the boards with 8.3 rebounds per game. John Michael Mulloy has turned into a fine player; the 6-10 sophomore has an average of 9.4 points and 7.9 rebounds per game.