Unbeaten Carroll no match for Alter

Alter is used to getting every opposing team’s best shot. And now Carroll knows what that feels like, too.

Unbeaten Carroll rolled into a midseason girls high school basketball Greater Catholic League Co-Ed North showdown at Alter on Saturday night with hopes of finally overtaking the two-time defending Division II state champs. That seemed doable because the Patriots were an impressive 11-0 and the Knights had proved vulnerable, having already lost twice.

Instead it was Alter that reasserted itself, unloading in the second half for an impressive 69-49 statement win.

“It was a game that meant a lot to both of us so it was huge,” said Alter senior Braxtin Miller, who hit four 3s – including three in the final quarter – and tallied a game-high 24 points. “We were so nervous. It’s a huge rivalry. I thought it was going to be super close. They’re a really good team and there’s always next time.”

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It was close – for a half – and there will be at least one more next time in the Feb. 4 rematch at Carroll. And there’s always the possibility of yet a third meeting in the postseason. If that happens it won’t be until deep into the playoffs. Both teams are likely to land high seeds in the upcoming tournament meeting, if not 1-2.

Playing mostly D-I non-conference teams, Alter (9-2) lost by one in overtime at Springboro (10-2) and also lost by four at Lakota West (11-1).

“It’s a process and it’s a daily process,” Alter coach Chris Hart said. “Playing a schedule like that is part of the process. Our league is strong and we’re fortunate because that helps to prepare you for the end of the season. We have to be ready every night and that’s a positive thing for us, too. We don’t get a whole lot of nights off.”

Carroll trailed by three at halftime but couldn’t stay with Alter in the second half. Held to six points through the break, Miller went for nine points in the pivotal third quarter and then bombed away in the fourth. Libby Bazelak tallied 10 second-half points for the Knights and Olivia Gillis also had 10 points.

Ellie Rumme paced Carroll with 14 points and Sydney Ingram added 12.

“Alter is a great team and kudos to them,” said Carroll’s Cecilia Grosselin, in her first season as head coach after serving as a longtime assistant to Rob Berry, who died of cancer last year. “The GCL is a tough league to be in. We all make each other better. We know we have some things we have to fix and hopefully the next time we’ll give them a better game.”


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View photos and video from the game at MyDaytonDailyNews.com

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