Back at the top: Monessen wraps up section title No. 46 with win over Mikes
Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard/
Monessen’s Leonag Thomas (4) gathers in an offensive rebound during Tuesday night’s game at Carmicahels.
Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard
Monessen’s Lorenzo Gardner puts up a shot between Carmichaels’ Chris Barrish (3) and Mike Stewart (24) during Tuesday night’s game at Carmichaels. Gardner scored a game-high 23 points in the Greyhounds’ 60-47 win.
Carmichaels’ Drake Long (left) and Monessen’s Davontae Ross scramble for a loose ball during Tuesday night’s game at Carmichaels. (Photo by Rob Burchianti)
Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard/
Carmichaesl’ Chris Barrish hits a 3-pointer against Monessen during Tuesday night’s game at Carmicahels. Barrish scored 17 points with five 3-pointers but the Greyhounds won, 60-47.
Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard/
Monessen’s Kody Kuhns drops in a layup for two of his 16 points during a game at Carmicahels on Feb. 8. The Greyhounds host Jeannette tonight in a WPIAL first-round playoff game.
Monessen coach Dan Bosnic talks to his team during a timeout in Tuesday night's game at Carmichaels.
Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard/
Monessen’s Lorenzo Gardner puts in two of his game-high 23 points during a game at Carmichaels on Feb. 8. The Greyhounds play in the WPIAL Class AA quarterfinals tonight against Greensburg Central Catholic at Norwin.
Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard/
Carmichaels’ Drake Long shots over Monessen’s Kiantae Robinson during Tuesday night’s game at Carmichaels.
Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard
Carmichaels coach Ian McCombs makes a point with his players during a timeout in Tuesday night’s game against Monessen at Carmichaels.
Monessen coach Dan Bosnic talks with Leonaj Thomas (4) as he comes to the bench during Tuesday night's game at Carmichaels.
CARMICHAELS — Monessen is back at the top.
The Greyhounds came up short the past two years of claiming the boys basketball program’s 46th section championship but got the job at Carmichaels on Tuesday night.
Lorenzo Gardner scored a game-high 23 points as Monessen defeated the Mikes on their Senior Night, 60-47, to wrap up sole possession of first place in Section 4-AA.
“It was the goal coming into the season,” Greyhounds coach Dan Bosnic said. “Before the season Carmichaels and Jefferson-Morgan were expected to compete for a section championship and we were kind of off to the side. Our kids took that personally.
“We’re just really proud of them and the effort they put in to get into this position.”
The Greyhounds led most of the way but had to fight off a couple runs by Carmichaels.
Monessen (9-0, 15-4) took a 12-7 lead in the first quarter and pushed the margin up to 15 points at 22-7 midway through the second.
“You look at this game and the game we played before against them (a 65-59 loss at Monessne) and two of the big things were turnovers and rebounds,” Carmichaels coach Ian McCombs said. “And, right out of the gate, that was how they got off to a big lead.”
Carmichaels (6-2, 12-4) came roaring back with a 16-4 run highlighted by a pair of 3-pointers from Chris Barrish and one by Tyler Richmond to pull within 26-23 late in the second quarter.
“The guys needed to settle in a little bit,” McCombs said. “It’s a big crowd, big night for them, Senior Night, and obviously there was a lot on the line with the game itself. I think once the nerves got settled a little bit we started making better decisions, we put the pressure on them in the full court and we got back in the game a little bit.”
Gardner made a pair of free throws to make it 28-23 at halftime.
Bosnic felt his team got out of sorts in the latter part of the second quarter.
“At halftime we just talked about playing with composure,” Bosnic said. “We talked about handling whatever came their way in the second half.”
The Greyhounds took control again in the third quarter with its defense and rebounding to push the gap up to 13 but a 3-pointer by Barrish at the buzzer got the Mikes within 44-34 heading into the final frame.
Another 3-pointer by Barrish and three points from Mike Stewart highlighted a seven-point run as Carmichaels whittled the gap to 46-41 with just under four minutes to play.
Monessen wouldn’t allow the Mikes to get any closer, though, and pulled away from there to wrap up the win.
“There were times when I thought we were making a move and then they would get an offensive rebound and second-chance points,” McCombs said. “Things like that kept the momentum in their favor.”
Kody Kuhns followed Gardner with 16 points for the Greyhounds, who also got six points from Leonaj Thomas and five points from Dante DeFelices.
Barrish led the Mikes with 17 points, including five 3-pointers. Drake Long, Stewart and Richmond added nine points apiece.
“We knew coming in we wanted to speed them up and get the ball out of Barrish’s hands and make those other guys play faster than they wanted to,” Bosnic said. “I thought our kids did that for the most part.”
Bosnic lauded his team’s effort on the boards.
“I thought a big part of this game was the rebounding, especially offensive rebounding,” Bosnic said. “That was a big difference tonight.”
McCombs was disappointed his team, which remains in second place and is headed for the playoffs, couldn’t keep its section title hopes alive but commended seniors Barrish, Long, Stewart, Dylan Rohrer and Beau Batis.
“They’re a good group who have been playing together for a long time,” McCombs said. “You see that at times, where they seem to know what each other is thinking and what they’re going to do.
“Hopefully, we can finish off their senior year on a high note.”