Carroll upsets Alter; Ponitz edges Fenwick

Carroll senior Stafford Stevens wasn’t certain how to explain an unlikely upset of Alter other than to credit an abundance of high energy.

“I’ve never felt this before,” said Stevens following a stunning 53-42 victory in Wednesday’s boys high school basketball Division II sectional semifinals at Fairmont’s Trent Arena. “Everyone was feeding off everybody and the student section was going crazy. We were just firing away and having fun.”

The season-defining win catapults Carroll (11-12) into Saturday’s D-II sectional final against Ponitz at UD Arena, one of three D-II sectional finals. Ponitz advanced by edging Fenwick 47-46 in Wednesday’s second game.

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Stevens tallied a game-high 18 points. He and Eli Ramsey (11 points) were instrumental in taking out Alter's go-to leader, Dominic Laravie. The Greater Catholic League Co-Ed North Division player of the year, Laravie was saddled with foul trouble throughout and finally left for good with about three minutes to play and Alter still within range.

“As a coach, do you play or protect your best player?” Alter coach Eric Coulter said. “We played (Laravie). We would not be in the position we were in in the first place if it weren’t for Dominic Laravie.”

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Alter swept Carroll in the regular-season, but by just one point in their last meeting.

“Our kids were very focused this week,” Carroll coach Tim Cogan said. “There was no fear. Our guys, I could see it in their eyes. We wanted to play in this game. Our guys wanted to go in this bracket and we wanted another shot at them.”

Besides, Alter had bounced Carroll out of the D-II tourney in last season’s sectional final.

Laravie led Alter (19-4) with 14 points. The Knights, a No. 3 seed behind top-seeded Trotwood-Madison and Dunbar, converted just 6 of 21 free throws.

Ponitz 47, Fenwick 46: Needing a bucket to extend a late-season surge, Fenwick's David Luers launched what appeared to be a game-winner. Ponitz coach Steve Pittman groaned the shot was good and it was, until rimming out.

Luers, a junior guard, converted two free throws with 20 seconds left to provide Fenwick its final one-point advantage. Ja’len Garrett of Ponitz did the same with 11.3 ticks left for what stood as the final margin.

Luers followed with that abbreviated game winner. He sank to his knees as the final buzzer sounded and was consoled by teammates.

Fenwick appeared destined to rack up another late-season signature win after leading by double-digits late in the first half. In succession, Fenwick bounced both Alter and Carroll in the last two games of the regular season and trumped that by eliminating Southwestern Buckeye League heavyweight Franklin 55-53 in its tourney opener.

“We didn’t play well in the beginning of the season but we finished real well down the stretch,” said veteran Fenwick coach Pat Kreke, who has guided the Falcons for 28 seasons.

Luers led Fenwick (13-11) with 13 points and Pual Blodgett added 10. De’edgar Cooks had 12 points for Ponitz.

Pittman, A Beavercreek grad who played at Dayton, is in his first season as a head coach. “It’s nice to be going home (to UD),” he said.


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