Carmel prevails over Gary West in overtime, 53-50
By RICHIE HALL
LAFAYETTE – No matter what the challenge has been during this boys basketball season, the Carmel Greyhounds have always answered it with their experience and toughness.
Carmel needed both of those intangibles Saturday afternoon at Lafayette Jefferson’s Crawley Center, when it took on Gary West Side for the Class 4A north semi-state. The No. 2-ranked Greyhounds needed overtime against the No. 10-ranked Cougars before prevailing 53-50 in yet another instant classic.
With that, Carmel won its third consecutive semi-state championship and earned a ticket to the April 3 4A state championship game. The Greyhounds will play No. 3-ranked Lawrence North, which won the 4A south semi-state at Seymour over Bloomington South 54-52.
“Our kids keep coming back and giving us their best and more than anything, believing,” said Greyhounds coach Ryan Osborn.
Carmel finished the first quarter up 7-6, with Charlie Williams scoring five points during that period. The Greyhounds and Gary West traded the lead for most of the first half until two big 3-point baskets allowed the Carmel to get some separation at the end of the half.
With his team down 14-13, Samuel Orme nailed the first 3, pushing the ‘Hounds ahead 16-14. After the Cougars’ Chrishawn Christmas hit a free throw, Josh Whack answered that with a triple to finish the half and put the Greyhounds up 19-15.
“These guys are experienced,” said Osborn. “I trust them to take good shots. Sometimes I got to tell them ‘Hey, you’re being selfish if you don’t take that shot.’”
Whack made another big play early in the third quarter by converting a traditional three-point play to get Carmel up 22-17. Seconds later, Brian Waddell’s basket put the Greyhounds up 24-18, and that would be their largest lead of the game. The Cougars were starting to push back towards the end of the third quarter, but Carmel stayed in front 26-24 at the end of the period.
Gary West tied the game with a basket to open the fourth quarter, but Peter Suder answered that with a tipback, and Carmel was in the lead again, 28-26. Minutes later, two free throws from Waddell kept the Greyhounds up 31-28 with 5:11 left in regulation, but Quimari Peterson tied it up with a 3-pointer. Waddell’s layin put Carmel back in the lead, then Christmas scored on an and-1 to move the Cougars ahead 34-33 with 3:50 left.
The Greyhounds responded with a 6-0 run. Waddell scored again, then Williams and Connor Gioia both made two free throws. Carmel led 39-34 with 1:58 left, but would only score one more point in regulation. Gary West tied the game up when Christmas scored off a steal, then got the ball back. But a last-second shot didn’t go, so it was on to overtime.
“The stop at the end of regulation was huge,” said Osborn. “And I felt like that gave us some momentum, some positives going into the overtime.”
Sure enough, Carmel took the lead right away in the OT when Nick Frische made a free throw 19 seconds into the extra period. The ‘Hounds would hold the lead for good after that. The Cougars got within 43-42 after a Peterson layin, but Orme knocked in his second 3-pointer of the night.
Carmel was now up 46-42 and the momentum had definitely shifted in its favor. Gioia took over after that, scoring the Greyhounds’ last seven points. He went 5-of-6 from the free-throw line during the final 68 seconds of the game, and also made a layin.
“We knew they were tough, a lot of pressure, physical,” said Gioia. The senior said his team knew it had to lock in on the defensive end and get stops.
“That’s what ended up winning us the game down the stretch,” said Gioia.
Gioia, who stands 5-foot-8, led the Greyhounds with 16 points. He showed no fear in the game, even when taking on players that were much taller than him.
“It doesn’t matter what size the guys are on the floor, I’m going to take Connor every time,” said Osborn. “Out of everybody. This is no joke, total truth: We were in a one-on-one-on-one rebounding drill, and Connor was in with two 6-7 guys, and it was his point to win, and he won it. It was game point. It was a rebounding drill and he had to score. Connor may be little, he may be short, but he doesn’t play short, he doesn’t play little. He’s one of the toughest dudes out there.”
“Every night you got to go out there and play your best and as a shorter guy, be tougher than most as well,” said Gioia. “Just got to be tough, have that mindset when you go out there.”
Waddell added 13 points, also collecting five rebounds and making two blocked shots. Suder dominated the boards with 10 rebounds.
Peterson led Gary West with 16 points, while Christmas scored 12 and pulled eight rebounds. The Cougars finished their season 22-5.
Carmel is now 25-2, the third time in the past decade that the Greyhounds have reached that win mark. Carmel also hit 25 wins in the 2012-13 season, and was 26-1 two seasons ago, in 2018-19.
In addition, the Greyhounds won their eighth semi-state championship in school history. Carmel is tied for sixth in terms of all-time semi-states won, putting itself in some good company: East Chicago Washington, Evansville Bosse, and Kokomo have also won eight semi-state titles.
CARMEL 53, GARY WEST SIDE 50
(overtime)
Carmel FG FT TP PF
Connor Gioia 3-8 10-12 16 3
Josh Whack 2-3 1-1 6 1
Peter Suder 2-8 0-0 4 4
Brian Waddell 5-7 3-5 13 1
Charlie Williams 2-3 3-3 7 5
Samuel Orme 2-3 0-0 6 0
Wil Leary 0-1 0-0 0 0
Nick Frische 0-1 1-3 1 3
Bryce Beery 0-0 0-0 0 1
Totals 16-34 18-24 53 18
Score by Quarters
Carmel 7 12 7 14 13 – 53
Gary West Side 6 9 9 16 10 – 50
Carmel 3-point shooting (3-8) Orme 2-3, Whack 1-1, Gioia 0-2, Waddell 0-1, Leary 0-1.
Carmel rebounds (27) Suder 10, Waddell 5, Orme 4, Gioia 3, Whack 2, Williams 2, Frische 1.