Carmichaels shuts down Bentworth
John F. Brothers | Herald-Standard
Carmichaels’ Joel Spishock hits a jump shot despite pressure from Bentworth’s Nick Silver (15) during Friday’s Section 2-AA game at Carmichaels High School. Spishock scored 11 points in the Mikes’ 60-31 victory.
Carmichaels' Liam Shea (1) is fouled by Bentworth's Wil Bashioum (42) as he tries to shoot during Section 2-AA boys basketball action Friday at Carmichaels High School.
Carmichaels' Liam Shea (1) is tripped up as he tries to drive between a pair of Bentworth defenders during Friday's Section 2-AA game at Carmichaels High School.
Carmichaels' Reed Long (4) finds an open path to the hoop during the Mikes' Section 2-AA game against Bentworth at Carmichaels High School.
Bentworth's Nick Silver (15) bats the ball away from Carmichaels' Joel Spishock (32) as he tries to shoot during Friday's Section 2-AA game at Carmichaels High School.
Carmichaels' Blake Conard (12) sets up to shoot during the Mikes' Section 2-AA contest against Bentworth Friday at Carmichaels High School.
Carmichaels' Coty Allen (23) tries to break through Bentworth defenders Steven Harner and Justin Vilce (14) during Section 2-AA action Friday at Carmichaels High School.
CARMICHAELS — Carmichaels’ gymnasium floor sports the letters “DW” this season in honor of longtime boys basketball coach Don Williams.
True to form, the Mikes played the style of game that’s been Williams’ trademark in his 41 years at the helm.
Carmichaels combined a tough man-to-man defense with a balanced offense to produce a 60-31 Section 4-AA victory over visiting Bentworth last Friday night in the Herald-Standard Boys Game of the Week.
It’s a recipe that’s helped Williams win 478 games, a team concept that his teams live by.
“That’s what we stress: team,” Williams said. “Everybody’s got a job to do and if everybody does their job, we’ll be fine. We played good defense. Like I tell them, offense comes and goes, but defense and rebounding is there every night.”
Nick Mundell led the Mikes (3-2, 1-1) with a game-high 13 points. Coty Allen, who swished a trio of 3-pointers, followed with 11, and Joel Spishock came off the bench to also score 11. Liam Shea chipped in with eight points.
“We don’t rely on one person because one person could have an off night,” Williams said. “We just want everybody to contribute whatever they can.”
Everybody did just that for the Mikes in the first period as they put four different players in the scoring column while their defense limited the Bearcats (2-4, 0-3) to one basket for a 13-2 lead after one period.
“We always play man, 24-7,” Shea said. “We play pretty tight ‘D’ usually and we can put it into a zone look at some points, and we play a lot of help defense. I don’t think they were used to that.”
Spishock tallied eight points in the second period and Shea hit a spectacular double-pump lay-up to close out the scoring as Carmichaels pushed its lead to 28-8 at halftime.
The Mikes honored their 1995-96 team, which went 22-6 and reached the WPIAL semifinals and the PIAA quarterfinals, at intermission.
Steven Harner converted the first of his two three-point plays on the night to spark a 5-0 spurt at the beginning of the third period as Bentworth tried to climb back in the game.
After a 3-pointer by Allen and a basket by Mundell put the lead back to 20, Nick Silver hit consecutive buckets to pull the Bearcats within 16.
Again the Mikes fired right back with two free throws from Reed Long, a steal and double-clutch lay-up by Allen and a three-point play by Shea to make it 40-17.
The Bearcats wouldn’t get closer than 20 the rest of the way. Silver led Bentworth in scoring with 12 points and Harner had 10.
Shea turned in the play of the game with 5:36 remaining when he drove the lane and delivered a perfect behind-the-back pass to Alex Hoy who hit a lay-up while being fouled and made the foul shot.
Even so, Shea thought he could’ve played better.
“I think the team played their best game tonight,” Shea said. “I didn’t have my best game but they made up for that.
“It was a really good team effort.”
Or the basic blueprint for a Don Williams’ coaching win.