Ty Peterson scores career-high 47 points to lead No. 2 Spalding boys basketball past No. 3 Mount Carmel, 96-74
Ty Peterson has always had the success of the Archbishop Spalding boys basketball team first on his mind, simply wanting to make a contribution to help bring home wins.
On Wednesday, the senior guard made a monumental one, scoring a career-high 47 points to lead No. 2 Spalding to a 96-74 win over No. 3 Mount Carmel.
By the latter stages of the fourth quarter, after the Cavaliers had shrugged off the home team’s comeback bid, Peterson’s point total was acknowledged on the bench. When he closed out the performance with his last basket in the closing seconds, he was swarmed by his teammates.
The Cavaliers improved to 15-2 on the season and remained perfect in the Baltimore Catholic League with a 5-0 mark, while Mount Carmel fell to 14-2 and 5-2 in league play.
Peterson, who entered Wednesday averaging less than 10 points per game, was humble and most of all happy the Cavaliers were getting on the bus with a win.
“Honestly, I just want to play hard for my team and, at the end of the day, I [couldn’t] care less how many points I score, as long as we win,” he said. “But it’s nice to contribute to the team because I’ve had a rough season so far. So this is great.”
As for the genuine happiness his teammates shared with him after the game, Peterson was appreciative.
“It’s all love,” he said. “If it would have been anyone else, it would have been the same reaction. So as far as the brotherhood, I appreciate it.”
In piling up 96 points, plenty of other Cavaliers contributed. Seniors Josh Rivers (five 3-pointers) and Cam Whitmore each finished with 15 points, while CJ Scott added 10.
The Cavaliers were lights-out from the 3-point line, hitting 11 in the first half on the way to a 51-32 lead. Peterson was most responsible for building the lead, scoring 15 consecutive points in a five-minute stretch of the second quarter.
After the Cougars started the third quarter on a 15-0 run to abruptly cut Spalding’s lead to 51-47, Peterson made another big contribution, finding Whitmore with a nifty pass inside to end the scoring drought.
Leading 57-53 late in the third quarter, the Cavaliers got consecutive baskets from Jordan Pennick, Scott and Peterson to build a double-digit lead. Peterson scored 18 points in the fourth quarter to finish his day and finish off the Cougars.
“Ty played great — I’m so proud of him. I think sometimes he gets lost in the shuffle and he’s a very, very good basketball player,” Spalding coach Josh Pratt said. “We want to play our best basketball in February, but to see Ty finally come around … The key was the kids at halftime, they’re like ‘Ty, keep it up.’ I always say be happy for your teammates and you could see it at the end of the game. They were so happy for him because they know how hard he works.”
Senior guard Deon Perry scored 26 points to lead the Cougars, who made defensive adjustments to get close in the third quarter. But climbing back from a 19-point deficit to close within four points on two occasions took a lot of energy entering the fourth quarter. By then, it was clear the game belonged to Peterson, who hit four threes, got to the basket and made 7 of 8 free-throw attempts.
“My scouting report going in was to protect the paint and my players listened to that and it just so happened they shot the ball very well,” Mount Carmel coach Trevor Quinn said. “So I can’t fault my players really – they did what I asked them to do and Spalding did what they were supposed to do. We tried to fight back, we cut it to four and it took a lot of energy.”
AS – Peterson 47, Whitmore 15, Pennick 7, Scott 10, Rivers 15, Washington 2. Totals: 35 10-13 96
MC — Perry 26, Kalu 3, Dixon 11, WIlliams 2, Sinigoj 10, Mordi 5, Bamgboye 16, Carter 1. Totals: 29 10-15 74
Half: S, 51-32
