By RICHIE HALL
CARMEL – The No. 1-ranked boys basketball team in Indiana came to Carmel on Friday night, and the Greyhounds proved – like they always do – that they were up to the challenge.
Carmel battled Ben Davis to the wire before falling 46-45 in front of a packed Eric Clark Activity Center. There were multiple lead changes during the game, and the ‘Hounds up two midway through the fourth quarter. But a quick run by the Giants gave them the lead, and they were able to hold on for the final four and a half minutes.
Ben Davis is ranked No. 1 in both the Class 4A Associated Press and the IBCA polls, and the Giants played like it during the first couple minutes, jumping out to a 5-0 lead. Spencer White got Carmel (ranked No. 8 in the IBCA poll) on the board with a 3-pointer around the 5:10 mark.
Alex Couto stepped up for the ‘Hounds in the first quarter. With his team trailing 7-3, Couto nailed a triple, then made a jumper to get Carmel in front for the first time at 8-7. Sam Orme then made it a run by draining a couple free throws, and the Greyhounds were up 10-7 after one quarter.
Orme opened the second period with a dunk, giving Carmel nine straight points for a 12-7 lead. Ben Davis jumped ahead 13-12 with its own 6-0 stretch, but baskets by Orme and Ryan Clevenger pushed the Greyhounds in front by halftime, 16-13.
Carmel and the Giants played even with each other for most of the third quarter. It became a battle of big men, as Orme would make free throws to put the ‘Hounds back in front, then Ben Davis’ Zane Doughty tied the game with dunks. Couto made another 3 to put Carmel ahead 25-22, but the Giants’ Clay Butler answered that with a triple.
Ben Davis led 28-27 after three quarters, and increased that lead to 33-27 after Mark Zachery IV made a traditional three-point play and Butler was good on a layin. But the Greyhounds fought back, going on an 8-0 run for a 35-33 advantage. Couto made a layin, then Orme nailed back-to-back 3s.
Doughty put the Giants in front again with an and-1, then seconds later, KJ Windham made a 3. That put Ben Davis up 39-36, and it would not trail again, although Carmel never let the Giants pull away.
“I’m proud of the team,” said Greyhounds coach Ryan Osborn. “At this point, it’s about us and what we’re doing and where we need to get better. Every time we’ve challenged them in any kind of way, they’ve made adjustments and they’ve gotten better in those areas.”
Orme’s layin was answered by a Doughty dunk, then a Ben Davis timeout. Orme got the ball on the inbound, which he immediately threw down for his own dunk, keeping the ‘Hounds within 41-40. But the Giants would win the game from the free-throw line, as Butler went 4-of-4 in the final 25 seconds to clinch the game.
Orme had a sensational game, scoring 23 points and making three 3s. Couto added 10 points. White and Jared Bonds both collected six rebounds and Ryan Clevenger handed out five assists.
“I thought they competed for 32 minutes,” said Osborn. “No moral victories. We executed down the stretch. We did everything we needed to do to put ourselves in position to win it. Good game experience.”
Doughty scored 17 for the Giants, and had 11 rebounds for a double-double; Ben Davis is now 21-0 for the season.
Carmel is 11-6 and plays Thursday at Lawrence North.
BEN DAVIS 46, CARMEL 45
Carmel FG FT TP PF
Alex Couto 4-6 0-0 10 4
Ryan Clevenger 1-5 0-0 2 1
Spencer White 2-6 2-2 7 4
Sam Orme 7-16 6-9 23 1
Jared Bonds 1-2 0-0 2 4
Owen Huber 0-1 0-0 0 0
Jake Bellin 0-0 0-0 0 0
Logan Reinhart 0-1 1-2 1 0
Anthony Coellner 0-0 0-0 0 0
Totals 15-37 9-13 45 14
Score by Quarters
Ben Davis 7 6 15 18 – 46
Carmel 10 6 11 18 – 45
Carmel 3-pointers (6-13) Orme 3-5, Couto 2-3, White 1-3, Clevenger 0-1, Reinhart 0-1.
Carmel rebounds (22) White 6, Bonds 6, Orme 4, Clevenger 2, Reinhart 2, Couto 1, Huber 1.