Basima and Commander combine for 51 as No. 3 John Carroll drops Mount Carmel; look ahead to final week of MIAA A/Baltimore Catholic League basketball regular season
John Carroll School rode Jeannot Basima (left) and Tyson Commander to another victory Sunday. Commander finished with a game-high 27 points and Basima scored eight of his 24 points in the final quarter as the third-ranked Patriots defeated No. 5 Our Lady of Mount Carmel in a Baltimore Catholic League basketball match in Harford County.
With the MIAA A Conference and Baltimore Catholic League basketball postseason on the horizon, Tyson Commander and junior Jeannot Basima appeared ready to carry John Carroll School.
Commander had 27 points and Basima finished with 24 as the third-ranked Patriots defeated No. 5 Our Lady of Mount Carmel, 70-63, in Bel Air Sunday afternoon. TJ Vaughn added 11 for John Carroll (17-9 overall)
The defending BCL Tournament champs itched away in the second half from a 32-32 deadlock to move into a tie for fourth in the BCL with No. 4 Archbishop Spalding (both 7-5). The Patriots and Cavaliers sit a half-game behind second-ranked Mount St. Joseph (7-4) and Mount Carmel (8-5) for second-place.
Basima, the reigning BCL Tournament Most Valuable Player, scored eight in the third quarter as John Carroll took a 48-43 lead. Commander, who scored 12 points in the opening period, had eight points in the final eight minutes, combining with Vaughn to drain four 3-pointers.
The Patriots, who lost at No. 9 Loyola Blakefield Friday evening, finished with 10 trifectas Sunday as Commander, a senior, had five. Basima, primarily a slasher, dropped two daggers from behind the arc.
Deon Perry led Mount Carmel (21-6) with 22 points and Boumbong added 12. Perry, a Loyola University recruit, didn’t score in the first quarter as John Carroll established a 16-12 advantage.
The loss put Mount Carmel in a tie with Mount St. Joseph for second in the BCL heading into the final week of the regular season. John Carroll and Spalding along with the Cougars and Gaels are in play for the Nos. 2 to 4 spots and a first-round home game.
St. Frances, which clinched a fifth straight BCL regular season title Saturday, and has the top spot in the MIAA A Black Division secure, travels to Mount Carmel Monday evening. Mount St. Joseph is at Calvert Hall College Monday as well.
John Carroll hosts Calvert Hall Wednesday and St. Frances Friday evening. Spalding is at Mount St. Joseph Friday.
In the MIAA A, John Carroll (10-4) has a half-game advantage over Loyola (9-4) for second in the Black. Mount St. Joseph can move into position to secure the No. 1 spot in the Red Division with a victory over Calvert Hall College.
Spalding (9-3) and Mount Carmel (11-4) will decide the Nos. 2 and 3 spot. The Cavaliers, currently second by percentage points, is at St. Vincent Pallotti Monday and hosts Gilman School Wednesday before going to St. Joe Friday. Mount Carmel completes its Red Division schedule Friday at home against Glenelg Country School.
Depending on the week’s results, Spalding at Loyola, a game postponed last month, may be played to settle the final positions for the MIAA A and BCL postseason. All 12 member teams will participate in the MIAA A playoffs.
No. 3 John Carroll School 70, No. 5 Our Lady of Mount Carmel 63
Mount Carmel – Perry 22, Boumbong 12, Dixon 9, Kalu 9, Williams 5, Beckles 4, Reid 2. Totals 26 10-17 63.
John Carroll – Commander 27, Basima 24, Vaughn 11, Tschilombo 5, Snellenberg 2, Long 1. Totals 25 11-12 70.
Mount Carmel 12 20 11 20 – 63
John Carroll 16 16 16 22 – 70
