By RICHIE HALL
CARMEL – This isn’t exactly breaking news, but the Carmel boys basketball team is a confident team.
It’s the sort of confidence that has been built by winning over the years, and it always comes in handy whenever the Greyhounds find themselves in the midst of a tough game. That’s what happened Wednesday when Class 4A No. 2 Carmel battled with Barr-Reeve, the No. 1 team in Class 1A.
The Vikings had the ‘Hounds down by 14 points in the third quarter, but Carmel rallied, sent the game into overtime and finally prevailed 57-55 in an instant classic at the Eric Clark Activity Center. The victory kept the Greyhounds unbeaten, while it was Barr-Reeve’s first loss after winning six straight games to begin the season.
“We’ve been in that situation plenty of times,” said Greyhounds player Sam Orme. “We know how to act and we know how to play when we’re down. Just a great team win, really good defense on our part.”
Both teams played at a high level, and neither one backed down. Carmel got off to a quick start in the overtime, then the Vikings came back to tie it with 10 seconds left on a 3-pointer. But the ‘Hounds prevailed when Peter Suder made a floater with less than five seconds left.
“I’m confident in our guys,” said Carmel coach Ryan Osborn. “They understand what we need to do as a group to win games, and I’m proud of them for sticking with it.”
Carmel trailed 32-18 with 4:34 left in the third quarter. The ‘Hounds got to within 34-26 late in the period after Wil Leary drained two triples and Jared Bonds made a layin. The period ended with Curt Hopf, Barr-Reeve’s 6-foot-9 star, hitting two free throws, and the Vikings led 36-26.
Carmel cut that lead to 36-32 after Orme and Leary each hit a 3, but Barr-Reeve pushed its lead back up to 41-32 with a putback from Hopf and a 3 from Brycen Graber. The ‘Hounds kept chipping away, as Suder converted a traditional three-point play, then Leary threw in his sixth 3-pointer of the game.
A layin by Graber put the Vikings back up 43-38. Then Orme took over the game, scoring seven straight points. He got a basket off a steal, made two free throws, then hit a 3-pointer to give Carmel a 45-43 lead, the first time the ‘Hounds were in front since the second quarter.
“We started moving the ball a little bit better and getting better shots,” said Osborn. “Kind of fueled us a little bit defensively, too. So when we were able to play a little bit faster, I think our confidence came back a little bit and we were able to make the winning plays that we needed to make down the stretch.”
Hagen Knepp made a jumper with a few seconds left to tie the game at 45-45, and Carmel’s last-second shots didn’t go. But the Greyhounds regrouped quickly in the OT, going on a 7-0 run to lead 52-45 with under two minutes on the clock. Suder made back-to-back baskets, and Orme hit yet another 3-pointer, his fourth of the game.
Barr-Reeve got back within 53-52 after Hopf made an and-1, but free throws got Carmel back up 55-52. Graber tied the game with a 3, and Suder answered immediately with his winning basket. The Vikings’ last-second shot fell short.
“Everybody contributed,” said Osborn. “Sam had a big game. Wil came in, played big minutes, had a big game. Nick Frische steps in, has another big game.”
Barr-Reeve showed it could play right away when the Vikings went up 5-0 in the first quarter. The Greyhounds responded with a 10-0 run; Suder made two baskets, Brian Waddell turned a dunk into a three-point play, and Leary hit his first 3.
Hopf’s 3-poiner tied the game at the end of the period, and Barr-Reeve got going in the second quarter, leading 23-18 at halftime. Hopf finished the half with another triple, and that sparked a 12-0 run that lasted well into the third quarter and resulted in the Vikings’ big lead.
Leary totaled six 3-pointers for 18 points, while Orme added 16 points, including four 3s. Suder scored 14 points and had five rebounds and four steals. Waddell collected five rebounds and handed out four assists. The Greyhounds are without three players, meaning that others are having to step into different roles.
“Guys are playing in roles that either they weren’t ready for or they’re still learning,” said Osborn. “They’re getting better, and to have an opportunity to play a good opponent like that over break, I think we can learn from it.”
Hopf led all scorers with 21 points, with Knepp adding 11 and Graber scoring 10. Both teams made 10 3-pointers in the game.
Carmel is 7-0 and is back at the Eric Clark Activity Center next Wednesday to host Anderson.
CARMEL 57, BARR-REEVE 55
(overtime)
Carmel FG FT TP PF
Josh Whack 0-2 1-2 1 1
Peter Suder 6-12 2-3 14 2
Brian Waddell 1-3 1-1 3 0
Bryce Beery 0-2 0-0 0 2
Nick Frische 0-3 1-2 1 5
Wil Leary 6-15 0-0 18 1
Jared Bonds 2-2 0-0 4 1
Sam Orme 5-7 2-3 16 1
Totals 20-46 7-11 57 13
Score by Quarters
Barr-Reeve 10 13 13 9 10 – 55
Carmel 10 8 8 19 12 – 57
Carmel 3-point shooting (10-21) Leary 6-13, Orme 4-6, Waddell 0-2.
Carmel rebounds (19) Suder 5, Waddell 5, Orme 4, Leary 3, Frische 1, Bonds 1.