So special that Alter (19-3) earned its second straight outright Greater Catholic League Co-Ed North Division title, something none of the other great Alter teams could do. The Knights finished 9-1, their only blemish a blind-siding at Fenwick the previous Friday that utlimately served as a wake-up call for Alter.
Had CJ (12-9, 7-3) won it would have shared the division title with Alter. Instead, both are headed into a loaded Division II sectional field, Alter hoping to keep its newfound momentum going and CJ looking for answers.
Laravie was unstoppable, going for a game-high 29 points, the ninth time he’s hit 25 or more. He hit 9 of 11 shots and converted 11 of 14 free throws to go with 14 rebounds, four steals and two blocks. He hit 1,000 points for his career late in the third quarter and eventually passed his father Greg Laravie among Alter’s all-time scoring leaders.
“We just have no answer for Laravie,” veteran CJ coach Joe Staley said. “I’m good friends with a couple of them and I played against his dad. We’re one year apart. That’s one of those good Alter families that’s given them a lot of good players.”
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James Finke III hit three 3-pointers and added 11 points for Alter. Connor Bazelak was good for 10 second-half points.
Senior guard Christian Montague led CJ with 19 points. P’Hariz Watkins added three 3-pointers and 13 points for the Eagles.
Alter swept CJ, also having won 71-50 a month ago. Alter’s other losses were to state-ranked Dublin Coffman and undefeated Moeller, the state’s top-ranked D-I team.
"This is a special year, no question," said Alter coach Eric Coulter, who's in his fourth season after succeeding Joe Petrocelli. "I hope we continue it. Laravies are an Alter tradition. There's a long list of very good players that have come out of the family. I could not be prouder of this one. He's had an unbelievable career at Alter. He's one of the best players I've ever had but also it's the character he has and the quality of young man he really is."
Alter has an opening-round bye and will play the Carroll/Meadowdale winner in the second round of the D-II Trent 2 sectional on March 1. CJ opens D-II play against Waynesville this coming Friday in the Trent 3 bracket.
“It’s always special beating CJ,” assured Laravie. “We’re looking to do something very special and go as far as we can go in the tourney, too.”
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