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Carroll escapes GCL rival Alter, creates frenzy

Carroll’s defeat of GCL rival prompts delirious students to rush court.

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By Jeff Ermann, Contributing Writer 12:31 AM Saturday, January 28, 2012

RIVERSIDE — When Alter and Carroll met five weeks ago, it was hardly a narrow escape for the Knights. But when the buzzer sounded Friday night at Carroll, that’s exactly what Patriots point guard D.J. McCommons was aiming for — to slide off of the court just before the frenzied mob of celebrating students could engulf him.

“I just escaped. It’s not safe in there,” McCommons said after Carroll knocked off its Greater Catholic League rival 59-53.

Carroll built a commanding early lead with a 3-point barrage, staved off a spirited comeback bid and beat Alter at home for the first time in head coach Dennis Wahle’s four years.

“It’s our biggest win yet,” said McCommons, who scored a team-high 18 points despite missing chunks of the game with foul trouble. “For a lot of our guys, it’s their first time beating Alter ever in basketball.”

Just as the first meeting was a runaway in Alter’s favor (a lopsided 34-point win in Kettering), this one seemed headed for blowout status in Carroll’s favor. The Patriots (9-5 overall, 4-5 GCL) made six of their first seven shots — four from 3-point range and another that McCommons converted into a three-point play — and raced to an 11-0 lead.

But Alter senior Jake Laravie almost single-handedly kept his team in it, scoring 15 of his game-high 22 points in the first half. Laravie’s 3 late in the third quarter tied the game briefly, but Alter never led.

Alter’s Allen Jemison produced the highlight of the night when he split two defenders and threw down a tomahawk dunk as the third period ended, but Carroll’s Luke Pelfrey (11 points) went on a one-man 6-0 run to regain control.

Carroll moved within one game of Alter (7-7, 5-4) in the GCL North standings.

“It was a total team effort. Any time you play Alter, it’s a big game,” Wahle said.

That was apparent by watching Carroll’s raucous student section swarm the court.

“The environment (was the difference),” said Alter junior Jaaron Simmons, who scored 17 points. “It was crazy in there.”

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