Mount Everett Tops McCann Tech to Go to 6-1
SHEFFIELD, Mass. – Brady Carpenter recorded a double-double, and James Green played lockdown defense Friday as the Mount Everett boys basketball team beat McCann Tech, 49-33.
Carpenter scored 14 points and pulled down 12 rebounds for the Eagles, who bounced back from their first loss of the season and improved to 6-1 this winter.
Green drew the defensive assignment on McCann Tech’s Zach Howland, who came in averaging more than 18 points per game but scored just 10 – two in the second half.
Mount Everett coach Jowe Warren was happy to get out of the game with Howland scoring just 10.
“That’s what we worked on, leading up to this game,” Warren said. “Zach was a kid we were going to look to try to stop, make somebody else beat us. I thought James did a great job.
“[Howland] got some space here or there, made some buckets. But he’s going to. Holding to 10, you know, that’s a fantastic night.”
Mount Everett’s offense got eight points apiece from Green and Darius Taliaferro. Green also pulled down nine rebounds.
The Eagles jumped out to an early double-digit lead, going ahead, 15-4, when Green finished an and-one with 3 minutes, 12 seconds left in the first quarter.
McCann Tech answered with back-to-back 3-pointers by Jaxson Pilot and Howalnd to end the first quarter down by just five points, 15-10.
Mount Everett then held the Hornets to five points in the second quarter and just four in the third to take a commanding 41-19 lead.
For the Hornets, it was a second straight game when they were held to 41 points or fewer.
“We’re struggling,” Hornets coach Chris Bullett said. “Our guys aren’t moving on offense. Too many turnovers. So I don’t know if we’re going to have to change the rotation up or figure something out, but you can’t play a team like Mount Everett and play offense like that. Way too stagnant.”
Warren said the Eagles wanted to “make someone else” beat them. Bullett agreed that the Hornets have to find offense to complement Howland.
“If we’re not going to shoot it, if all the shooters are going to pass on the open shot in the corner and stuff like we did today, they’re going to key on Zach all day,” Bullett said. “And if the other guys aren’t going to step up, it’s going to be a lot of pressure on him, which he’s definitely feeling a little bit.
“He took a few bad shots tonight, probably. I think the first three or four games he didn’t take a single bad shot the whole time. You could tell he was feeling the pressure to try to get us some baskets tonight.”
The Eagles also had trouble at times with ball security in the half-court offense, but Mount Everett was able to take advantage of enough transition opportunities to build and maintain its double-digit lead throughout.
“We’ve got some athleticism and some kids who can score in transition, so if we can get after it on the defensive end – get some turnovers or make them take a bad shot, we can get out and run and get some easy two points here and there,” Warren said. “We’ve had that happen against us in the past, so we’re trying to turn the tables.”
Friday’s game marked the third time in seven outings that Mount Everett has held an opponent in the 30s this season.
“The boys are definitely hanging their hat on defense and rebounding and trying to keep the game as low-scoring as possible, at least on the defensive end of things,” Warren said. “And they’re buying into it. They’re playing unselfish on the offensive end. A few unforced turnovers tonight hurt us a little bit. Hopefully, we can clean those things up.
“But they’re coming into practice, working hard, understanding the game plan and executing during the games.”
Mount Everett hosts Libertas Charter on Monday night.
McCann Tech (3-2) hosts Smith Vocational on Monday.
Photos from this game to come.
