By RICHIE HALL
LOGANSPORT – Whether it’s on offense or on defense, Carmel always seems to be able to make that “one more play” that wins games.
Saturday evening, the Class 4A No. 2-ranked Greyhounds made one more play on both ends of the floor, and that resulted in another regional championship.
With his team trailing No. 7-ranked Lafayette Jefferson 49-48 and 17 seconds left in the Logansport regional title game, Carmel senior Brian Waddell made two free throws to put the ‘Hounds up by one. The Bronchos tried for one last shot, but Carmel senior Connor Gioia tipped the ball away.
The ball eventually landed in the hands of Greyhounds junior Josh Whack, who held on to it until the final buzzer. That gave Carmel the regional championship, 50-49 over a determined Bronchos squad that twice came back from large deficits to challenge the ‘Hounds.
Carmel’s victory over Jefferson was an instant classic. But don’t forget about the Greyhounds’ semi-final game. That was another remarkable performance, one where Carmel shut down No. 1-ranked Homestead 60-49 with yet another solid defensive effort, handing the Spartans their first, and ultimately only, loss of the year.
The regional title was the 11th for the Greyhounds, and their third consecutive championship at this level. Carmel won regional trophies in 2018 and 2019; there was no regional round in 2020.
“You think about this team and where we started in November of 2019, and it’s basically the same group, minus Jackson Jannsen, who graduated,” said Greyhounds coach Ryan Osborn. “We’ve been through a lot of games together. And they’ve matured. They’ve got experience. I’m just proud of them.”
Carmel is now 24-2 for the season and will play at Lafayette Jefferson next Saturday for the Class 4A north semi-state, taking on No. 10-ranked Gary West Side.
GAME OF RUNS
The championship game between the Greyhounds and the Bronchos was a true game of runs, with both teams going on lengthy scoring spurts throughout the game. The first big run came at the end of the first quarter, when Carmel finished the period with an 8-0 stretch to lead 16-11.
The ‘Hounds traded the lead with Lafayette Jeff for most of the first quarter, with Bronchos star Brooks Barnhizer hitting a 3-pointer to put his team up 11-8. But Carmel ran through the final minutes of the first, with Waddell scoring seven points, including a dunk and his own 3.
Another Waddell dunk – he’s 6-foot-7, athletic, and knows how to combine the two – put the Greyhounds up 26-15 midway through the second quarter. Waddell also hit another 3 early in the period, as did Wil Leary.
But Jefferson stormed back, finishing the half on a 12-0 run to take a 27-26 lead at the break. Barnhizer got going, scoring seven points of that run, and Ashton Beaver contributed a three-point play.
The Bronchos continued the run into the second half, with Barnhizer making a layin to open the third quarter. It was now a 14-0 run and gave Jeff a 29-26 lead. Waddell ended the run with – guess what? – a dunk, but Beaver’s jumper and a 3 from Barnhizer gave the Bronchos their largest lead of the game at 34-28.
Carmel then went on its biggest run of the contest, a 13-0 spurt that ran into the fourth quarter. Charlie Williams scored on a putback, Sam Orme hit a triple, and Waddell added five points – a putback and a 3 that finished the quarter. The score after three was 38-34, and it became 41-34 once Orme nailed a 3.
Orme continued to be hot in the fourth, hitting another 3-pointer to give Carmel a 46-37 lead. Then Barnhizer took over, scoring seven straight points to bring Jefferson within 46-44. He would lead all scorers with 27 points.
“I think you first have to give credit to them. Barnhizer is a heck of a player and he fought and fought to the end,” said Osborn. “It’d be really easy in that situation to get selfish and take bad shots or let it get out of hand. You got to give them credit for sticking with it and fighting for it, bringing their team back. He’s another guy that just made senior plays.”
Williams made two free throws to get the Greyhounds up 48-44. The Bronchos responded with a Beaver basket off a Barnhizer rebound, then Jacob Collicott converted an and-1 to get Jeff ahead 49-48 with 1:44 left. Carmel was able to get the ball back, drew a foul with 17 seconds left, and Waddell took care of business at the line.
Waddell admitted he felt the pressure when he stepped up to make those free throws, especially with a loud Jefferson crowd screaming in the background.
“But that’s why we get up every week, shoot free throws,” he said. Waddell approached the moment like he was in an empty gym. “Just me and the rim, knocking down two huge free throws,” he said.
Osborn had this to say about Waddell’s success: “It couldn’t happen to a better person right now.”
“He’s worked and he’s fought through injury,” said Osborn. “He’s developed as a player and he’s matured as a leader.”
Waddell finished the game with 23 points. Peter Suder collected seven rebounds, while Waddell pulled six rebounds.
SEMI-FINAL GAME
Carmel never trailed against Homestead, and the game was only tied twice in the early stages, at 2-2 and 4-4. Williams scored the Greyhounds’ first four points on jumpers.
Meanwhile, the Spartans’ two stars, Big Ten recruits Fletcher Loyer and Luke Goode, each made a basket to keep up with Carmel. The Greyhounds answered that with a 6-0 run; Suder scored four of those points and Williams the other two. A layin from Waddell finished the first quarter and put Carmel up 12-4.
Homestead made its own run in the second quarter, using a 9-2 stretch to get within 14-13. Waddell got the ‘Hounds out of trouble with a floater, then Williams made a layin to put Carmel up 18-13. The Greyhounds expanded their lead to 25-17 by halftime, with Waddell scoring eight points in the second quarter.
“Our guys battled,” said Osborn. “They saw three different guys, both of them did, and I thought every one of our guys gave them different issues. Got in foul trouble early and we had some guys step up and guard in positions that they haven’t had to yet this year.”
Carmel stayed a step ahead of Homestead for the entire second half. The Spartans did get close early in the third quarter, when Loyer’s and-1 got Homestead within 29-25 with 6:13 left. The ‘Hounds scored the next two baskets, a putback by Waddell and a Suder layin, and they were back up by 33-25. Suder finished the period with a floater to give Carmel a 42-32 lead.
Homestead made one more push in the fourth quarter, getting within 50-46, then 53-49. Loyer did the honors in both instances, first with a 3-pointer, then a 3-point play. The Greyhounds never let the Spartans get closer, finishing the game on a 7-0 run. Williams scored six of those points.
Osborn said that Williams has “grown more than anybody” from the beginning of the season to the end.
“You talk about a kid who had every right to be a little bit frustrated early,” said Osborn. “He got sick, he had his wisdom teeth taken out. And then he would come back, and something would happen, and so he just couldn’t get in a rhythm.”
Osborn said that after Christmas, Williams found his confidence.
“And today, he put it all together. He rebounded well. He scored it well. And we need that. When you have a post presence like that, it frees up the perimeter guys a little more,” said Osborn.
Williams finished the game with 20 points, with Waddell scoring 16 and Suder adding 12. Waddell and Williams both pulled eight rebounds. Suder had seven rebounds, five assists and two blocked shots, while Gioia dished out four assists.
SEMI-FINAL GAME
CARMEL 60, HOMESTEAD 49
Carmel FG FT TP PF
Connor Gioia 1-2 0-0 2 3
Josh Whack 1-3 0-0 2 3
Peter Suder 6-10 0-0 12 2
Brian Waddell 7-9 2-4 16 4
Charlie Williams 6-9 8-8 20 2
Sam Orme 2-3 0-0 5 0
Bryce Beery 0-0 0-0 0 1
Wil Leary 1-2 0-0 3 1
Totals 24-38 10-12 60 16
Score by Quarters
Homestead 10 7 15 17 – 49
Carmel 14 11 17 18 – 60
Carmel 3-point shooting (2-6) Orme 1-2, Leary 1-1, Whack 0-1, Suder 0-1, Waddell 0-1.
Carmel rebounds (27) Waddell 8, Williams 8, Suder 7, Whack 2, team 2.
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
CARMEL 50, LAFAYETTE JEFFERSON 49
Carmel FG FT TP PF
Connor Gioia 1-4 0-0 2 2
Josh Whack 0-0 0-0 0 0
Peter Suder 4-9 0-0 8 4
Brian Waddell 9-12 2-2 23 3
Charlie Williams 1-2 3-5 5 1
Sam Orme 3-5 0-0 9 2
Bryce Beery 0-1 0-0 0 0
Wil Leary 1-2 0-0 3 0
Nick Frische 0-0 0-0 0 0
Totals 19-35 5-7 50 12
Score by Quarters
Carmel 16 10 12 12 – 50
Lafayette Jeff 11 16 7 15 – 49
Carmel 3-point shooting (7-11) Waddell 3-4, Orme 3-4, Leary 1-2, Suder 0-1.
Carmel rebounds (23) Suder 7, Waddell 6, Williams 4, Whack 3, Gioia 2, team 1.