EBENSBURG - Sometimes teams can learn lessons in a loss. Sometimes a loss brings a moral victory. Sometimes coaches talk about finding positives in a loss.
None of these was true for Bishop Carroll Catholic in its 70-40 home loss Thursday night to Bishop McCort.
"You throw this one right in the garbage can," Huskies coach Cosie Aliquo said. "You forget about it. We lost to a class act team and a well-coached team. We just forget about it and move on. We look to Monday, that's it."
Bishop Carroll came into the game winners of three of its last four games. However, it never got anything going in the game. The Huskies never held the lead in the game. The Crushers opened the game on an 11-2 run and ended the quarter on an 8-2 run. The runs allowed Bishop McCort to hold a 19-8 lead after the first quarter.
The Huskies' low first-quarter point output was combination of poor shooting, lack of rebounding of missed shots and the inability to force turnovers on defense. The Huskies have lived all season on getting easy baskets from turnovers on their press. Thursday night, they were not able to succeed. Bishop McCort was able to break the press throughout the night, getting layups and easy baskets.
"They pass the ball really well, and we looked like we did just did not have any energy on the defensive end," Aliquo said. "That is a credit to them. As much as they pass the ball, I think we were chasing the basketball, and we just couldn't get anything going. That falls on me."
After the first quarter, the closest that Bishop Carroll got was eight points, at 20-12, early in the second quarter. However, three 3-pointers and a layup by the Crushers led to an 11-4 run that put the game out of reach. Bishop McCort took a 37-22 lead into the locker room at halftime.
The Crushers outscored the Huskies, 33-18, in the second half to set the final score.
Despite scoring 70 points, Bishop McCort head coach Patrick Hollern wanted to talk about his team's defensive play.
"The biggest thing with us right now is that we are really understanding how to play team defense," Hollern said. "We're not taking too many defensive possessions off. It's really about our guys buying in, being together and all into this whole thing."
Billy Hipp led all scorers with 18 points. Scott Ranck led the Huskies with 12 points. Ranck was the only Huskies player to score in double digits.
"I think they had a pretty good offensive effort, and they had a pretty good defensive effort," Aliquo said about Bishop McCort's performance. "They look like a team that is read for the playoffs. We look like a team that's not even close."
BISHOP MCCORT (70): Kinter 2 0-1 4, Leech 3 2-2 8, Hipp 7 3-3 18, Varga 1 0-0 3, Spangler 1 1-2 3, Wilson 5 0-2 12, Trexler 6 2-4 14, Howard 1 2-2 5, Sobecky 1 0-0 2, Barbin 0 0-0 0, Rugg 0 0-0 0, Ingram 0 0-0 0, DiFrancesco 0 0-0 0. Totals 27 10-16 70.
BISHOP CARROLL (40): Lee 1 2-2 4, Ranck 5 2-2 12, Madonna 1 0-0 2, Maruca 1 0-0 2, Lauer 4 0-0 8, Martinazzi 4 0-0 8, Dietrich 1 0-0 2, Shuty 1 0-0 2, Suckinos 0 0-0 0, Corcoran 0 0-0 0, Lucas 0 0-0 0, Repko 0 0-0 0, Woo 0 0-0 0, Semelsberger 0 0-0 0. Totals 18 4-4 40.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Bishop McCort19 18 14 19 - 70
Bishop Carroll8 14 8 10 - 40
3-point field goals: Bishop McCort 6 (Wilson 2, Hipp, Spangler, Howard, Varga).
Records: Bishop McCort (9-3); Bishop Carroll (9-6).
Officials: Pat Kirby, Corey Theys, Anthony Brezovic.
