A not so pleasant homecoming for McCormack's Lady Red Devils, who fall 44-35 to Carroll in holiday tourney

A USA-365.com Special Report by Mark Smith
12-20-2006

Saturday, December 16, 2006 - Nonconference game at Flora, Indiana - Carroll County Classic

LOWELL (35)  Kara Lamb 3-0-6, Kelly Johnson 3-1-7, Gabi Goetz 0-0-0, Kim Bell 4-2-10, Kasey Manis 0-0-0, Katie Haberlin 2-4-8,  Jessica Schiessle 1-0-2, Megan Bolanowski 0-0-0.  TOTALS: 14 (7-16) 35.

CARROLL (44)  Ashley Miller 2-1-5, Jamie McCarter 2-4-8, Brooke Yoder 3-0-9, Krysta Brazel 5-5-19, Abby Reinke 1-0-3, Sarah Brown 0-0-0, Morgan Yoder 0-0-0, Kara Overholser 0-0-0, Courtney Hall 0-0-0.  TOTALS: 13 (10-12) 44.

FREE THROWS:  LOWELL (7-16, 43.7%) Bell 2-6, Johnson 1-2, Haberlin 4-8;  CARROLL (10-14, 71.4%) Miller 1-2, McCarter 4-7, Brazel 3-4, Reinke 0-1.

REBOUNDS:  LOWELL (25) Goetz 4, Haberlin 4,  Lamb 4, Bell 5, Pratt 4, Manis 2, Johnson, Scheissle;  CARROLL (21) Brazel 6, Miller 3, Peden 3, Brown 3, Brooke Yoder 2, Morgan Yoder 2, MCCarter, Overholser .

STEALS:  LOWELL (6) Lamb 2, Johnson 2, Bwell, Manis.  CARROLL (4) Miller 2, McCarter, Brown.

ASSISTS: LOWELL (12) Lamb 4, Manis 3, Haberlin 2, Johnson 2, Svcheissle.  CARROLL (9) McCarter 5, Brazel, Hall, Miller, Peden

3-GOALS:  LOWELL (0)  CARROLL (8) Krysta Brazel 4, Brooke Yoder 3, Abby Reinke

FOULED OUT:  Kara Lamb (L) 4th Q - :05 left.

FLORA, IN (12-16-2006) -  Lowell coach Patti McCormack is the former coach at tiny Carroll high school in Flora, Indiana.  So when the Devils go back to the farm every year for the Carroll County Classic, you'd figure she'd be a favorite daughter.  Not in Carroll County.  After defeating Rossville 41-36 in the early game of the annual Carroll Christmas Classic, Lowell allowed just five two-point baskets all night, but still lost to the hosts 44-35.

That was only one of the things that was not understandable about the game.  Carroll (3-5), using a totally perimeter offense with a unique arsenal of picks and screen, hit 8-of-14 from three point range.  Despite a night full of complaints, the Cougars were able to "legally" get enough players open to outscore a tired Lowell squad.

Normally, walking screens and just sticking your leg out is not considered legitimate basketball.  But Saturday's referees were not of a kind to call illegal screens and the quality of the game deteriorated.  There was a lot of shirt holding and grabbing and even one case of a Carroll player tugging on a Lowell girls shorts like you would on the playground when you're getting beat by your best friend.  Play that's considered somewhat juvenile.  But not in Carroll County.

A technical foul on McCormack with 2:20 left showed that the teams and the refs did not leave as friends.

"I coached here for a long time," said McCormack, "and we did not play basketball that way."

The key play of the game came with Lowell trailing 34-33.  Carroll point guard Jamie McCarter lost control of the dribble, raising her hand to above her shoulder to bring the ball back down and continue.  In most places, that's "palming," or carrying the basketball.  Not in Carroll County.

Freshman coach Corey Ancliff said, "They said her hand stayed on top of the ball."

McCormack said, "Not a chance.  And instead of a carry, she drives the lane and banks it in."

Carroll then scored seven consecutive points on free throws to ice the game as Lowell had to foul.  But it was largely the style of play that had Lowell upset.  It was the night full of questionable tactics.

"You don't do that unless you're taught," said McCormack, who seemed genuinely dismayed that her old school played that way.

Truthfully, 44 points should not have beaten Lowell in this game.  McCormack didn't miss Lowell's 7-of-16 foul shooting and she had a big problem with her team's offensive approach.

"They didn't have a soul on that team that can stop any post we have," said McCormack.  "We cant get the ball inside.  We have talked until we are blue in the face about the ball-side post moving up off the block, so that, at least when they turn, if they are bellied on (defended closely) you can make a power move to the basket.  But we insist on staying down low and burying ourselves and then we turn and give the ball away.  We're 10 games in now.  I don't know how difficult that is to figure out."

It felt like a missed opportunity weekend for Lowell, who could easily have won three times, but ended up 1-2.  It has always been difficult for Lowell at the Carroll Classic, and since it's an all-day affair against teams that have nothing-to-lose against the "big" 4A school, there is a feeling that Lowell's participation in this tournament will be reevaluated.  With the Devils remodeled gym a thing of pride, Lowell might be better suited as hosts of a holiday tournament.  Hanover has a brand new gym and they might want Lowell as a player in a Wildcat Holiday tournament.

There are other places Lowell would be welcome for a holiday tournament, and if the game is going to be officiated the way it was Saturday, there's a chance that someday soon that's where they'll be.  Not in Carroll County.

Patti McCormack summed it up. "I'm just glad to be going home."

DEVIL NOTES:  Lowell lost to Calumet 46-45 Friday night despite a career-best 19 rebounds from Gabi Goetz.

"As tough as this game was," coach Patti McCormack said, after Lowell's Saturday win over Rossville, "that game was twice as rough.  But we missed too many free throws."

Goetz had 15 rebounds Saturday afternoon in the 41-36 win over Rossville (3-7).  Lowell came through the three gamnes in 24 hours reasonably healthy.  Even senior Kelly Johnson, who began the season with knee and shoulder problems, was in good spirits. 

The Lowell girls visited the giant 'Christmas farm' display south of Rossville after the second game.  They rode the bus to Lafayette to go shopping for Christmas presents for underprivileged kids between games.

Carroll boys basketball player Tim Flora is a descendent of John and Sarah Flora, the couple who founded the town when they moved to Indiana from Virginia in 1827.  Girls player Kara Overlhoser is a descendent on one of the original families who first purchased land in Flora in the 1800s.  The surprising fact is that this is not unusual.  The town's web site says that many  Flora residents are descendents of the original settlers almost 180 years ago.

Usually, the Carroll tournament is the final girls basketball date before Christmas, but Lowell plays a home game with Bishop Noll (3-7) Friday.  Noll has only beaten Lew Wallace, Lake Station and Whiting.

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Revised: December 20, 2006 .