Five Takeaways: Mt. Carmel vs McDonogh
Last night, Mt. Carmel hosted McDonogh for a MIAA A Conference match up that didn’t disappoint. Two three’s were hit (one by each team) in the final 15 seconds to create separation. Fortunately for the Eagles, their three game with…
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Continue ReadingLast night, Mt. Carmel hosted McDonogh for a MIAA A Conference match up that didn’t disappoint. Two three’s were hit (one by each team) in the final 15 seconds to create separation. Fortunately for the Eagles, their three game with only 0.9 remaining on the clock as they held on to a 52-51 win to improve to 4-3 on the season. With the loss, Mt. Carmel falls to 3-2 overall.
Let’s look at some takeaways from the contest.
Curtis Jacobs returns to the lineup and immediately shows his worth
Jacobs played hero for the Eagles as he hit the game-winning three in the left corner off of a 2022 Everett Cooper kick out. The 6-foot-4 wing finished the game with 17 points on 5-of-10 shooting, five rebounds and two blocks.
Entering the season, the Eagles were both without Jacobs and 2022 forward Preston Howard. Howard remains out with a concussion, but Jacobs returning back to the lineup has been a huge help despite their hiccups. Not only does he bring versatility and toughess to both ends, but he brings a dominant rebounding presence alongside 2022 big man Dani Dennis-Sutton. His experience as a senior and ability to produce was something the Eagles were in desperate need of. Jacobs will head to Penn State for football, but for now, he’ll have a tremendous impact during his last season on the hardwood.
Tobi Nnadozie leads Mt. Carmel
Nnadozie is a new face to the Mt. Carmel team this season and it hasn’t taken him long to prove he can be an impact player. The 6-foot-3 guard finished with a game-high 19 points last night and was really the Cougars’ only player who consistently created opportunities. He was active defensively (3 steals) in the passing lanes and caused deflections that led to transition baskets. Nnadozie is an above average rebounder for his position thanks to his athleticism and aggression. He pulled down seven in the loss, three which came in the offensive variety.
Everett Cooper shows persistence and growth
Cooper didn’t have the most efficient game scoring wise, but the 6-foot-2 sophomore still finished with 14 points on the night. He also grabbed four rebounds and dished out three assists, with one of those assists being for the game-winning shot. Cooper finished just 4-of-14, but the shots that he hit were at significant times in the game. He was persistent even though he was off target and it came to light when he drove the lane on that last possession. Mt. Carmel had to do all they could to keep him from getting a good look, so they collapsed everyone in the paint which freed up Jacobs in the corner. Cooper has a scoring mindset on most of these situations, but the fact that he deferred and made the right play shows growth in his decision making.
Koralp Turk battles foul trouble, but still produces
The 6-foot-7 transfer from Turkey got in early foul trouble which limited his freedom to be aggressive on both ends in the early stages. He still managed to finish the game with 10 rebounds and nine points. Three of his points came in the second-to-last possession when a teammate found him at the top of the key for a three in which he buried to give the Cougars a two-point advantage with a little over 11 seconds remaining. Turk is still adjusting to the role that he is being asked to play and the talent in the MIAA, but his brute size and ability to shoot will eventually be critical to his team’s success.
Tough games ahead for both teams
You don’t get much time to relax in this league and these two teams will be challenged in their games on Monday. Mt. Carmel travels to take on a Glenelg Country team that has lost two-straight games after being looked at as a top team in the area, so they’ll be looking get back on track. McDonogh will host Mount St. Joe, who is coming off of a nice win over Pallotti last night and is looking to cement themselves as a force in the league.