Mikes soundly defeat J-M for King Coal crown
Carmichael's Sean Smoggie (20) passes around Jefferson-Morgan's Travis Taylor (11) during the King Coal Lions Club Tournament championship game Friday at Carmichaels High School.
Carmichael’s Brandon Lawless (5) steals the ball from Jefferson-Morgan’s Rece Henneman (12) during the King Coal Lions Club Tournament championship game Friday at Carmichaels High School.
Holly Tonini
Jefferson-Morgan's Travis Taylor (left) drives the ball around Carmichael's Josh Mundell during the King Coal Lions Club Tournament championship game Friday at Carmichaels High School.
Carmichaels’ Sean Smoggie (20) moves around Jefferson-Morgan’s Travis Taylor (11) and Nathan Bianchi during the King Coal Lions Club Tournament championship game Friday at Carmichaels High School. (Photo by Holly Tonini)
Jefferson-Morgan's Dominque Cage (5) looks to make a pass around Carmichaels' Sean Smoggie (20) during the King Coal Lions Club Tournament championship game Friday at Carmichaels High School.
CARMICHAELS — Carmichaels brought home its own tournament title for the first time since the 2008-09 season, as the Mikes soundly defeat Jefferson-Morgan, 51-28, in the King Coal Lions Tournament Championship game Friday night.
“We played as a team and we have been preaching to them that we are not a one- or two-man team,” Carmichaels coach Don Williams said. “We are unselfish and we believe that all eight guys in our rotation can score and contribute for us.”
This is the third meeting in the last 20 days, and it will also be the last this year, as the teams are in different sections.
On Dec. 8, Carmichaels won the Jefferson-Morgan Tip-Off Tournament against the Rockets in the title game, but the Rockets avenge that loss on Dec. 19 with a four-point road win.
“This is just a great rivalry for the kids,” Williams said. “There have been some intense games over the last couple of years. All of the kids know each other, and it’s good to play them.”
The Mikes (7-1) took its first lead of the game after a trey from Ty Cole and extended its lead to 11-4 after a 3-pointer from Josh Mundell.
Carmichaels’ Sean Smoggie had seven of his team’s 17 points in the first quarter, as the Rockets (4-6) trailed 17-8 after one.
Travis Taylor connected on 3-of-4 shots from the foul line to bring J-M’s deficit to 20-13 midway through the second quarter, but Carmichaels ended the period on a 9-4 run to extend its lead to 29-17 at halftime.
The Mikes’ defense stepped up the intensity in the third quarter and did not surrender a basket over the eight minutes. Carmichaels held an 8-3 scoring advantage in the quarter for a 37-20 lead three.
In the final quarter, Carmichaels once again controlled the pace and held the scoring edge, 14-8.
“It was a tight, defensive battle tonight,” J-M coach Chris Niemiec said. “On offense, I think Carmichaels bumped our cuts a lot and we were out of sync. You got to take the positives out of every game and focus on what we did right. We are good with our team defense, but we were not able to get anything out of our transition game.”
Smoggie finished the game with 17 points for the Mikes and was named the tournament’s MVP.
“Sean is an athletic kid,” Williams said. “He is a good shooter and he is quick enough to get to the hoop and get some points. We needed him tonight and he made some tough shots.”
Cory Fuller added 12 points for Carmichaels, while Justin Newman (9) and Ty Cole (6) rounded out the scoring for the home team.
For the Rockets, Taylor was the leading scorer with nine points, followed by Chas Mattish’s seven-point effort.
In the consolation game, Mapletown picked up its first win of the year in dramatic fashion, as Ben Boone hit 1-of-2 free throws with no time remaining in the Maples’ 42-41 victory over Beth-Center.
After the Bulldogs held a 6-4 lead at the end of one quarter, the Maples bounced back in the middle quarters, outscoring B-C by a 29-22 margin.
Mapletown (1-7) increased its lead to 41-34 after a bucket from Kevin Ridgley with 2:16 left, but B-C (5-4) rallied back with seven consecutive points, including a game-tying trey from Adam Walters with 13 seconds left in regulation.
Boone collected a rebound after a contested shot and was fouled with triple zeros on the clock. After missing his first free throw, he nailed the shot from the foul line for the win.
“The kids deserve this win,” Mapletown coach Craig Hoone said. “We stayed out of foul trouble and we pressed more on defense. We were more patient on offense and didn’t turn the ball over that much. Defensively, we wanted to pressure the ball and get hands in passing lanes.”
Ridgley ended his night for Mapletown with 23 points and Dereck Riggleman collected 11.
Anthony Gilpin (12) and Walters (11) were the leading scorers for the Bulldogs.
Besides Carmichaels’ Sean Smoggie garnering MVP honors, the following players were recognized to the all-tournament team: B-C’s Anthony Gilpin, Mapletown’s Dereck Riggleman and Kevin Ridgley, J-M’s Travis Taylor and Rece Henneman and Carmichaels’ Ty Cole.
Boys Basketball Sums
King Coal Lions Tournament
at Carmichaels
Consolation Game
Mapletown 4-17-12-9 — 42
Beth-Center 6-14-8-13 — 41
Mapletown: Kevin Ridgley 23, Dereck Riggleman 11. Beth-Center: Anthony Gilpin 12, Adam Walters 11. Records: Mapletown (1-7), Beth-Center (5-4).
Championship Game
Jefferson-Morgan 8-9-3-8 — 28
Carmichaels 17-12-8-14 — 51
Jefferson-Morgan: Travis Taylor 9. Carmichaels: Sean Smoggie 17, Cory Fuller 12, Justin Newman 9. Records: Jefferson-Morgan (4-6), Carmichaels (7-1).