Five Takeaways: Mt. Carmel vs Gilman
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Yesterday afternoon two undefeated teams went head-to-head at Mt. Carmel hosted Gilman. Both programs were off to a 3-0 start, but it was Mt. Carmel who remained perfect when the final buzzer sounded by defeating the Hounds by a final…
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Continue ReadingYesterday afternoon two undefeated teams went head-to-head at Mt. Carmel hosted Gilman. Both programs were off to a 3-0 start, but it was Mt. Carmel who remained perfect when the final buzzer sounded by defeating the Hounds by a final score of 64-54.
Here are five takeaways from this contest:
Deon Perry Deon Perry 5'8" | PG Mt. Carmel | 2022 State MD leads the way
Perry didn’t take long making his presence known and was key in getting the Cougars off to a quick start. The 5-foot-8 guard buried four triples in the first quarter on his way to a game-high 25 points. Following his first quarter outbreak, Gilman keyed in on Perry by throwing a box-in one his way. He struggled handling it at first, but eventually got back into his groove and was more effective attacking off the bounce and getting into the paint. He also did a nice job of sprinting the lanes without the ball in transition and getting tough lay ups or fouls.
Christian Winborne Christian Winborne 6'2" | CG Gilman | 2022 State #199 Nation MD faces a plethora of defenders
It’s no secret that Winborne is Gilman’s most effective player no matter the circumstance. With that being said, he’s going to face several different defensive looks throughout this season. Yesterday, Mt. Carmel made it the job of multiple defenders to guard Winborne. On the catch he’d be in one-on-one scenarios, but the second he put the ball on the floor the weakside defender was sliding over to prohibit penetration. It resulted in Winborne having to hit tough shots. Luckily for Gilman, he’s capable of making those shots and led the way with 19 points, but it wasn’t enough to steal the win.
Mt. Carmel keeps it going
The Cougars have a three-headed monster in Perry, Kevin Kalu Kevin Kalu 6'10" | C Mt. Carmel | 2021 State MD and Toby Nnadozie. Each have taken turns leading the scoring attack in games throughout this season and it’s proving to be successful. Nnadozie had a tough time getting it going to begin the game, but ended strong in the second half scoring eight of his 10 points in the final two frames. Kalu was his typical presence in the paint and lived at the free-throw line. He left some point on the board at the charity stripe, but still managed to finish in double-figures with 11 points. Freshman guard Andrew Dixon Andrew Dixon 6'1" | PG Mt. Carmel | 2024 State MD was extremely impressive early on. All of Dixon’s 10 points came in the first half, but they were timely in helping establish momentum for Mt. Carmel.
Gilman looking for second consistent scorer
With opposing teams basing their defensive schemes on stopping Winborne, it makes it more vital for someone to step up and become a consistent second scoring option. Rayuan Lane had good moments as he chipped in with 10 points. The Navy football commit stands 5-foot-11 but acts as a human wrecking ball when driving to the basket. He forced the referees to call fouls on his drives and finished a couple of contest lay ups around the rim. Jalen Marshall Jalen Marshall 6'0" | PG Gilman | 2022 State MD had instances where he looked capable of being a secondary guy as he followed Lane with eight points. It’ll come down to whoever can emerge and be consistent. The Hounds aren’t anywhere near as deep as they were last season, so getting steady production from their starters will be key in them seeing success this season.
Looking ahead
Taking a look at the next five games for Mt. Carmel, they’re all very winnable as they’ll face Concordia Prep, Glenelg Country, Pallotti, St. Maria Goretti and Calvert Hall. No game in the MIAA is ever guaranteed, but if the Cougars continue to play at their current level, we could realistically see them sporting a 9-0 record over the next couple of weeks. Gilman on the other hand is about to face a gauntlet. They’ll play St. Frances, Mt. St. Joe, John Carroll and Spalding in their next four games. Going 2-2 during this stretch would be a major plus, but based off how those four teams look this season, stealing one of these games may be a more realistic goal for Gilman.