Frazier secures playoff berth with 67-49 win
PERRYOPOLIS — The Frazier Commodores earned a crucial victory Tuesday night at home, defeating Carmichaels, 67-49, to secure a Section 2-AA boys playoff berth.
Frazier (8-10) improves to 6-5 in the section and closes the section schedule Friday against California. Bentworth sits at 6-6, but lost both games to the Commodores.
“I’ve been talking to the kids all week since the loss to Chartiers-Houston, and we all knew the season wasn’t over,” revealed Frazier head coach Zach Keefer.
“I was especially proud of our defense tonight,” continued Keefer. “I think we had more steals in this game than we ever had in a game before, and the great defense was able to help us score offensively.”
Frazier’s John Celaschi scored first, but Nick Mundell quickly responded for the Mighty Mikes (10-10, 2-9) to tie the game at 2.
The Commodores were able to put some distance between them and the Mikes, adding five points for a 7-2 lead with 6:35 left in the first. However, Carmichaels battled back with six unanswered points to take the lead, 8-7, with 4:16 left in the first quarter.
Frazier’s Giovanni Rendina nailed his second 3-pointer of the game, putting the Commodores back on top 10-8.
Carmichael’s Al Cree was able to knot the game at 12 apiece with :38 second left in the first, and following a brief two-point Frazier lead, Matt Barrish’s layup at the buzzer tied the game at 14.
After the back-and-forth first, the Commodores stepped up their game in the second quarter, outscoring the Mikes, 18-7, for a 32-21 lead at the half. Carmichaels battled back and was able to narrowly win a low-scoring third quarter, 11-10.
Frazier’s offense exploded in the fourth quarter as the Commodores scored 25 points. The Mikes closed with 17.
Barrish (19) and Cree (12) scored in double digits for Carmichaels. Celaschi (16) and Justin Novak (15) led Frazier.
“Tonight, I think we finally put four quarters of basketball together, and I think that’s why we were victorious tonight,” said Keefer. “Despite what their record is, Carmichaels is a good team, and they just knocked off a good team. As a coach, you don’t get 500 wins for doing the wrong thing, so the coach does a good job with them.”
It was a disappointing loss for Carmichaels head coach Don Williams, who just earned his milestone 500th victory as a head coach last week.
“We didn’t come out and play very well in the second half, and our offense isn’t where it needs to be right now,” said Williams. “They were hitting their shots and are well-coached.”
Frazier held its annual Senior Night before the game, honoring Celaschi, Brandon Lovis, Bradley Poling, and Rendina.
Both teams close section play Friday night with Frazier traveling to California (12-7, 6-5) and Carmichaels hosting Jefferson-Morgan (9-12, 2-9).
“Hopefully, we can capitalize off of tonight’s momentum and take it into California against the Trojans,” concluded Keefer.