Boys Basketball: Short-handed Leo edges out Mount Carmel

Updated: December 16, 2011 10:33PM

A short-handed Leo squad held Mount Carmel scoreless the final 3:52 of a 44-39 win at home Friday on the South Side.

Missing leading scorer Russell Woods, who was held out for unspecified reasons, the Lions outscored the Caravan 7-0 in the final four minutes of the Catholic League South contest.

The go-ahead basket was scored by sophomore Martez Hampton on lay-up with 2:22 left to give Leo a 40-39 lead.

“We gained experience,” said Lions coach Noah Cannon. “We’re playing without three of our top seven players.”

Leo (4-3, 2-1) appeared to be in control of the game early in the second half when they had a 28-20 lead and held Mount Carmel scoreless for the first 5:14 of the third quarter. But then the Caravan staged a comeback.

Terrence Turner scored five of his nine points during a 9-2 run that gave Mount Carmel a 31-30 lead.

Alex Austin, who scored a game-high 18 points, contributed a three pointer to that stretch.

Mount Carmel (2-6, 1-2) scored its last points of the game on a pair of free throws by Turner to give the Caravan a 39-37 lead with 3:52 left.

“We’re still making too many mistakes,” said Mount Carmel coach Mike Flaherty. “We put ourselves in a bad situation.”

Leo had 10 steals and held a 26-21 advantage on the boards.

Kerron Braggs scored 11 points and 10 rebounds for Leo and Tybias Scott added seven points and six steals.

Prior to the game, Leo alumnus Jack Fitzgerald, who coached Dwyane Wade at Richards, was honored.

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