12/03/2022
BY JACK BULLOCK
WAYNE CITY - The Mount Carmel Golden Aces forgot to bring their “A” game with them on their trip to Wayne City to play the Indians.

However they managed to remember to bring their “R” game.

As in “rebounding.”

Coach Tyler Buss' club didn't shoot the ball well in the first half but they pounded the glass.

The result was many second chances that were turned into points.

Seven of the ten offensive rebounds they hauled down occurred during the second quarter.

Although the rebounding totals were just 32-25 overall, Mount Carmel held the hosts to just four second chance (rebound) opportunities.

The Aces never trailed as they pulled away in the second and third quarters for a 58-31 non-conference victory over 1A Wayne City.

The victory improved Mount Carmel to 4-1 on the season while Wayne City dropped to 4-2.

Eight different Aces scored points with senior Gage Kennard leading the pack with 13 points.

Both junior guard Blayne Sisson and senior guard Gavin Smith notched nine points.

Senior Owen Dougherty and junior Levi Beesley added eight points apiece.

Six-five junior forward Connor Shelby added six points, with a pair of baskets coming in the first quarter which broke the game's final tie and triggered a 9-0 run.

“We stressed before the game that if we don't turn it over we can shoot it bad and still find a way to win if we crash the boards,” said Coach Buss. “We thought we had some advantages at certain spots in the lineup so it was a good job by our guys weathering that storm (of not shooting well) and giving ourselves some second and third chances.”

Wayne City was paced by 6-6 senior forward Justin Durham with 11 points and 11 rebounds.

Senior Grayson Habermaas ended up with eight points for the Indians, senior Grant Lewis finished with seven points and junior Tanner McNeil ended the scoring with five for WC.

Durham was battling the flu along with the Aces on Saturday while his brother Jonny Durham missed the game with an injury according to head coach Jake Talbert.

After some basket trading to open the game Shelby scored twice in the lane, with one in transition.

A free throw from Gavin Smith made it 11-6 Aces at the end of the first quarter.

Smith added a free throw and a 3-pointer from near the top of the circle to force a WC timeout at 15-6 with 6:11 left before intermission.

Smith hit a 3-pointer in the second quarter and Kennard added a drive to the basket as the lead reached 22-8.

The Indians did rally to get closer before the break with Durham scoring twice and Lewis scoring on a drive in the final seconds.

Those baskets cut the Mount Carmel lead to 24-14.

Mount Carmel put things away with a 17-7 third quarter, including an 11-0 run.

Kennard scored 11 of the points in the frame.

He scored twice on fast breaks and on a backdoor cut for a lay in.

A Beesley score, also in transition, made it 41-21 heading to the final quarter.

Of the 17 points scored by the Aces in the fourth quarter, five of the shots were 3-pointers.

Beesley and Sisson hit early in the quarter from the arc and then, on consecutive possessions, it was Beesley again along with Dougherty and junior reserve Jaxon Browning.

All of them nailed down long shots which made it 56-29 before the benches emptied.

Freshman Elliot Acree added a late lay up to close the scoring.

Although Mount Carmel struggled shooting early, the fourth quarter was better as they made 6-of-10 from the floor.

Totaled up the Aces were 23-of-54 overall and 7-of-17 from the arc.

Coach Buss' club committed just six turnovers, three coming late when it no longer mattered.

Wayne City was just 11-of-40 from the field, 1-of-14 from the arc as the Aces defense and rebounding made the difference in the Saturday afternoon game at the newly named J. Conrad Allen Gymnasium.

It is so named after the Indians former player and head coach who led the program from 1954 to 1962 and was a long time supporter of the school.

Mr. Allen passed away in February of 2022

The school's annual holiday tournament, the 68th annual tournament that begins next Saturday, is named after him.

“I thought our defense was there in the first half but we didn't keep them off of the boards,” said Coach Talbert. “They (Mount Carmel) got out in transition and we couldn't limit that. They're a veteran group and they've went deep into the postseason last year and you can't make those kind of mistakes. But it (the game) will make us better.”

The Aces will host Mount Vernon (IN.) on Tuesday and then will play at Lawrenceville to begin the Little Illini Conference schedule on Friday.

Mount Carmel lost to Lawrenceville, 59-45 back at the Lawrence County Capital Classic on November 25th.

“They (Wayne City) are a really nice 1A club. Durham is a really nice player and I know he wasn't feeling the best today,” said Coach Buss. “In the month of December we are more about fixing our stuff. We had some glaring things in the first tournament that we needed to fix and we've been focusing on that. It seems like each time out we are getting better. That was the focus today.”

Wayne City hosts Wayne County rival Cisne on Tuesday night before hosting their annual tournament which begins on Saturday.

The Indians will play Crab Orchard at 3:00 PM Saturday afternoon, December 10th.

Mount Carmel (58) – Sisson 2 1 2-2 9, Beesley 1 2 0-0 8, Gillihan 0 0 0-0 0, Kennard 6 0 1-2 13, Smith 2 1 2-6 9, Shelby 3 0 0-0 6, Browning 0 1 0-0 3, Daugherty 1 2 0-0 8, Bowser 0 0 0-0 0, Laudermilk 0 0 0-0 0, Webb 0 0 0-0 0, Acree 1 0 0-0 2, Coston 0 0 0-0 0, Kanipe 0 0 0-0 0.
2FG-16, 3FG-7, FT-5-10, PF-13.
Wayne City (45) – Durham 4 0 3-6 11, Smith 0 0 0-0 0, Lewis 3 0 1-1 7, Anderson 0 0 0-0 0, Habermaas 3 0 2-2 8, McNeil 0 1 2-2 5, Thompson 0 0 0-0 0, Walker 0 0 0-0 0, Strader 0 0 0-0 0, Scarbrough 0 0 0-0 0, Braddock 0 00-0 0. 2FG-10, 3FG-1, FT-8-11, PF-7.
Fouled Out – None.
Technical Fouls – None.