The Carlmont varsity boys basketball team fell short to Sacred Heart Preparatory, 62-60, in overtime at home on Saturday, Jan. 24. The Gators rallied late in the fourth quarter to erase the Scots’ lead and finish the comeback in overtime.
Carlmont controlled much of the game, holding a lead through the first three quarters, but Sacred Heart Prep’s late adjustments, switching up their point guard for five guards, was unexpected. The fourth quarter quickly became a tense back-and-forth as both teams traded baskets before going into overtime.
Carlmont started the game strong, controlling the pace and building an early lead. Junior Jordan Rice scored the first points for Carlmont, and the team played tight defense, limiting Sacred Heart Prep. By the end of the first quarter, Carlmont led 12-8, despite both teams racking up fouls early in the game.
In the second quarter, Carlmont swiftly made a layup, and Sacred Heart Prep responded with a 3-pointer, cutting into the Scots’ lead and closing the gap to 14-11. Both teams struggled to find consistent scoring after that, with Carlmont putting up just 11 points and Sacred Heart scoring 12 for the period. Junior Alex Fischer from the opposing team contributed his only point of the game with a 2-point shot, keeping the Scots within striking distance. Both sides were neck to neck, with neither team able to create a clear advantage. The period ended with the buzzer, leaving the Scots ahead 23-20.
In the third quarter, Carlmont controlled the ball really well, making eight free throws, with the Scots leading 38-27 at the end of the quarter. Both teams had four fouls each, and Carlmont relied on aggressive offense and solid defensive rotations. Sacred Heart’s coach Jeff Wulbrun made a strategic adjustment late in the quarter, taking out the point guard and inserting five guards to stretch the Carlmont defense.
“We knew we needed to make some changes to shake up their defense,” Wulbrun said. “Taking out our point guard and putting more guards on the floor helped us spread the Scots out and created more scoring opportunities.”
In the fourth quarter, the Gators’ late surge erased Carlmont’s lead, with Alex Fischer and Alex Ford stepping up after limited playing time earlier this season. The Gators’ persistent scoring and clutch shooting tied the game at 52-52, sending it into overtime. Rice missed two critical free throws shortly after the Gators scored a layup, pushing both Carlmont and Sacred Heart into overtime. Junior point guard Michael Brunshteyn had worked to set up plays for his teammates, but the team had still struggled with turnovers.
“When things didn’t go our way, we kind of crumbled,” Brunshteyn said.
In overtime, the Gators’ composure proved decisive, as they edged out the Scots, 62-60.
“We were proud of our effort,” said head coach Suhail Mohammadi. “Our team played hard, stayed connected, and that effort is something we’ll build on going forward.”
The overtime thriller highlighted the intensity of high school basketball, with fans from both schools cheering their teams.
Carlmont is now 8-9 overall, they will play against the Panthers at Burlingame on Tuesday, Jan. 27. Burlingame comes in with a 12-5 record, fresh off a 51-48 league win over Terra Nova.
“Going forward, our plan is to win every game by staying prepared, playing hard, and focusing on teamwork and strong defense,” Mohammadi said.
