ON THE WEB
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It’s not the m.o. they envisioned, but the streaking Alter High School boys basketball team ran it to perfection against rival Chaminade Julienne Friday night.
It goes like this: Mount a large deficit, make a halftime gut-check and rally for another unlikely win.
“They’re going to wear me out if they keep doing this to me,” said a grateful Knights coach Eric Coulter following a 51-45 Greater Catholic League Coed North Division victory before about 2,000 spectators at Wright State University’s Nutter Center.
Coupled with a non-league overtime defeat of neighboring rival Centerville on Tuesday, the Knights won their fourth straight. Even more impressive, Alter is 8-4 and on a 7-1 run after starting 0-3.
“Our team is definitely a bunch of fighters,” said Knights senior Joey Laravie, who hit 10 of 13 mostly fourth-quarter free throws and scored 18 points to again lead Alter. “That’s how we’ve described our whole season. We have a motto, with all the doubters it’s just us. That’s all we care about. Everything within the team, it’s just about us.”
Dominic Laravie, Joey’s cousin, added 12 points and as always provided the inside muscle for Alter. J.P. Schimpf added 11 points.
CJ (10-2) was in control early. Ahead by nine, the Eagles had high-scoring Christian Montague hold the ball for about 4:30 of the second quarter when Alter wouldn’t budge from its zone. Players rolled their eyes and fans serenaded the stall with catcalls and boos.
Finally, CJ took the last shot of the half and led 16-7 at the offensively challenged break. Alter scored two points in the second quarter.
“We had our best player in foul trouble (Joey Laravie) and for me, if we come out and we extend then their players go around us and they just build on their lead,” Coulter said. “Even though the kids hate it and the fans hate it, it is strategy and I wasn’t going to come out (of the zone).”
Instead, CJ wilted under Alter’s second-half defensive pressure. CJ coach Joe Staley estimated the usually sure-handed Eagles were undone by 20-plus turnovers.
“Their length caused us to turn the ball over,” said Staley, who earlier this season won his 400th game, all at CJ. “I give them a lot of credit. Who do beat with 20-plus turnovers?”
Miles Joiner led CJ with 22 points. His final 3 pulled CJ within 47-45. But Joey Laravie converted four straight free throws to close out another comeback win.
Alter converted 21 of 31 free throws. Montague added 13 points for CJ, which had a five-game win streak snapped.
There’s no letup for Alter, which is at CGL South member St. Xavier today. CJ’s other loss is to Fenwick. That’s leaves CJ and Alter both at 3-2 as the GCL North co-leaders. CJ will host Alter in the regular-season finale that could decide the division title.
“We’ll be back,” assured Staley.
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