John Carroll rolls on, topples Calvert Hall, 60-46

The late Charley Eckman, a great referee in the NBA, a former Coach of the Year with the Fort Wayne Pistons, and a renowned broadcaster in Baltimore after he left the pro circuit, often said, “it’s a very simple game.”

During No. 2 John Carroll’s victory over Calvert Hall in Towson on Friday night, the Patriot coaches could be heard exhorting their charges form the bench to “just play basketball.”

The upstart Patriots, newcomers to the Baltimore Catholic League, listened.  Coach Tony Martin’s squad vaulted to the top of the league standings with a 5-0 record after defeating the Hall 60-46 by making 90% of ther free throws (30-for-33).  A very simple game.

Martin, a veteran coach in the BCL said he was honored and humbled to be on top early.  “”I know this league well enough to know that you cannot sleep for a minute.”

Martin described the play of his charges the way Eckman would have.  “The big guys are trying to play within themselves; rebound, defend, don’t throw the ball away, and make layups.

‘We have three veteran players who can score the ball, and we’re trying to develop our young players.”

Malcolm McMillan had 26 markers for Martin, hitting 11-for-11 from the line.   Jarred Jones finished with 14 points and he was 12-of-12 from the stripe.  The Patriots were 18-for-20 in the fourth quarter, when  Calvert Hall came within eight with two minutes to play, but they could get no closer.

The Hall started fast, taking a 16-9 first quarter lead, but the Patriots held them to just six points in the second quarter, and only five in the third.

McMillan and Ronald Scott scored all 17 points for the Patriots in third quarter when they pulled away from the Hall.

Martin said that Jones was 15-for-15 from the line earlier in the year when he hit for 39 in a Patriot win.

John Carroll is now 19-1 overall this season, 5-0 in the BCL and 4-0 in the MIAA A Conference.

They will travel to Owings Mills on Sunday to take on McDonogh, a winner over St. Frances on Thursday night in A conference action.

Calvert Hall meets St. Frances in East Baltimore on Sunday.

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