Boys Basketball: Mount Carmel tops Curley, 58-52

Despite only dressing seven players, Mount Carmel played aggressive man-to-man defense, forcing 12 Archbishop Curley turnovers en route to a a 58-52 home victory victory in a MIAA B Conference contest in Essex.

"We matched-up man-to-man with them all night," Cougars coach Tom Rose said. "We were able to use our defense to creat offense."

Guard Gabe Yuille scored six of his game-high 16 points in the first quarter for Mount Carmel (9-8, 4-4 MIAA B) to set the tone for the rest of the game. Archbishop Curley (3-10, 3-3) started the game with a technical foul for listing wrong players in its starting five before eventually trailing 14-10 after the first quarter.

Friars point guard Daxter Miles scored seven points in the second quarter as he helped pull his team to within 25-23 with 2:29 left in the first half.

However, Cougars point guard Thornton Thomas added seven points of his own as Mount Carmel led 33-27 at halftime. Mount Carmel then led 47-42 after three quarters as the game took on a more physical tone.

"This is a B league game," Rose said. "You are going to get physical play."

Thomas then slowed the game to a crawl over the last 3:19. Cougars wingman Lucas Gallina then helped put the game away with two late defensive rebounds and three clutch free throws in the finals minutes.

Two late defensive rebounds and three made free-throws from Cougar wingman Lucas Gallina would put the game away for Mt. Carmel 58-52. The Cougars look for another B Conference win at 5:45 today when they play at St. Vincent Pallotti.