Boys Basketball: Mount Carmel clips Joliet Central in 2 OTs
By Dick Goss dgoss@stmedianetwork.com January 21, 2013 11:04PM
Joliet Central's Michael Mercer (21) looks to put up a shot as Mount Carmel's Malik Garrett (12) and Montana Byrd defend. | Larry Kane~For Sun-Times Media
Article Extras
Updated: February 23, 2013 6:23AM
The roster sheet lists Mount Carmel guard Christian Searles at 5-foot-11. That’s a stretch, and then some.
“We let him pick what height he wanted to be on the roster, and he picked 5-11,” Caravan coach Mike Flaherty said Monday night after Searles scored 31 points to destroy Joliet Central 72-68 in two overtimes in the last of seven games at the Joliet Central MLK Day of Hoops.
Flaherty said Searles is more like 5-8, but if he keeps playing like he did Monday, he may want to add another foot or so when new rosters are printed.
Searles made three of Mount Carmel’s 13 three-pointers. He nailed 7-of-8 free throws in the second overtime, the last two the clinchers after he grabbed an offensive rebound that was batted around.
“That was my career high, 31 points,” Searles noted with a smile.
“We keep telling him how good he is,” Flaherty said. “He’s been inconsistent. I think he can be a big-time player.”
Joliet Central coach Jeff Corcoran said his Steelmen (10-8) prepared for The three-point attack of the Caravan (8-11), but to little avail.
“That was the No. 1 focus of our game plan, that all five of their guys can hit threes,” he said. “We can’t come off a big win like we did (52-51 on Friday over Bolingbrook) and then come out here and relax the way we did.”
Markel Ellis came off the Central bench to hit three threes and finish with 13 points, none in the first half. Jalen Heath had 15, Jalen Jones 13 and Mike Mercer 12. Jones’ two free throws with threee seconds left in the first overtime forced the second extra session after Ellis’ three-pointer with 27 seconds left were the final points of regulation.
“That was Markel’s best game,” Corcoran said of Ellis. “He played under control and smart, really gave us a spark.”
Malik Garrett chipped in with 13 points for Mount Carmel.
