Going in style: Mikes send Williams off with emotional 64-57 OT win over C-H
Carmichaels coach Don Williams (right) barks instructions to his players during a timeout in against Chartiers-Houston at Carmichaels on Feb. 8, 2019. The Mikes won, 64-57, in overtime, giving Williams his 512th and final win of his career. (Photo by Rob Burchianti)
Rob Burchianti | 缅北禁地
Rob Burchianti | 缅北禁地
Carmichaels coach Don Williams directs his team against Chartiers-Houston during his final game as head coach on Feb. 8, 2019, at Carmichaels. The Mikes won, 64-57, in overtime, giving Williams career win No. 512.
Carmichaels coach Don Williams tries to get his team's attention during Friday night's game against Chartiers-Houston at Carmichaels. It was Williams' final game, capping a 44-year career as coach of the Mikes, who won in overtime, 64-57.
Carmichaels' Dylan Wilson (4) puts up a jump shot against Chartiers-Houston during Friday night's game at Carmichaels. Wilson scored 16 points in the Mikes' 64-57 overtime victory.
Carmichaels coach Don Williams hugs senior Matt Barrish after the Mikes defeated Chartiers-Houston, 64-57 in overtime, Friday night at Carmichaels. Barrish scored 11 points, including two free throws with seven seconds left in regulation to force the extra frame.
Carmichaels coach Don Williams reacts during Friday night's game against Chariters-Houston at Carmichaels.
Carmichaels' Garrett Ponick (15) contests a jump shot by Chartiers-Houston's Christian Berry (31) as Dylan Wilson (4) looks on during Friday night's game at Carmichaels.
Carmichaels coach Don Williams gives some advice to Drake Long during Friday night's game against Chartiers-Houston at Carmichaels.
Carmichaels coach Don Williams signals a play to his team during Friday night's game against Chartiers-Houston at Carmichaels.
Carmichaels' Matt Barrish (11) whips a pass to a teammate during Friday night's game against Chartiers-Houston in Carmichaels. Barrish scored 11 points in the Mikes' 64-57 overtime victory, including two free throws with seven seconds left in regulation to force the extra frame.
Carmichaels coach Don Williams and assistant coach Tim Jones show off the nets they cut down during a ceremony following the Mikes鈥檚 64-57 overtime win over Chartiers-Houston in Carmichaels on Feb. 8,2019. It was the final game for Williams after 44 years as the Mikes鈥� head coach and for Jones who served 28 years as his assistant. (Photo by Rob Burchianti)
Carmichaels head coach Don Williams (middle left) and assistant coach Tim Jones pose with their players after the Mikes' 64-57 overtime win over Chartiers-Houston Friday night at Carmichaels. It was the final game for Williams, after 44 years, and Jones, after 28 years, with the Mikes.
Carmichaels' Al Cree (25) pressures Chartiers-Houston's Anthony Tomassetti (22) into missing a shot as Chris Barrish (3) looks on during Friday night's game at Carmichaels. Cree scored a game-high 21 points, including 20 in the second half and overtime, as the Mikes defeated the Bucs, 64-57.
Carmichaels head coach Don Williams (left) and assistant coach Tim Jones talk to their players during a timeout in a game against Chartiers-Houston at Carmichaels. (Photo by Rob Burchianti)
Carmichaels coach Don Williams takes in the action during a game against Chartiers-Houston at Carmichaels on Feb. 8, 2019. Williams is the career leader in high school basketball wins in Greene County. (Photo by Rob Burchianti)
Carmichaels coach Don Williams complains about a call during Friday night's game against Chartiers-Houston in Carmichaels. Official Tommy Sankovich and Bucs coach Eugene Briggs look on in the background
Carmichaels head coach Don Williams (top), junior varsity coach Sean Smoggie (middle) and assistant coach Tim Jones (bottom) react to a play during Friday night's game against Chartiers-Houston at Carmichaels.
CARMICHAELS 鈥� Don Williams couldn鈥檛 have written a better script to cap his career.
The longtime Carmichaels boys basketball coach, who recently decided to step down after 44 years, walked over to the bench once last time last Friday night for a Section 2-AA game against Chartiers-Houston.
His players sent him off in style as the Mikes rallied from a 10-point deficit in the fourth period and defeated the Bucs in overtime, 64-57, in front of a large, noisy crowd at Carmichaels Area Senior High School.
Carmichaels trailed by 13 at halftime and was still down eight with three minutes left before closing the fourth period on an 8-0 run. The Mikes鈥� Al Cree made two free throws with 13.1 seconds left to pull the hosts within two, and, after a Chartiers-Houston turnover, Carmichaels鈥� Matt Barrish was fouled and sank two free throws with seven seconds remaining to tie it, 55-55.
The Bucs badly missed a halfcourt shot in the finals seconds, sending the game into overtime, where the Mikes dominated, outscoring C-H 9-2.
鈥淚t means a lot to go out this way,鈥� Williams said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 been my whole career, teams never quit, they always play with a lot of heart and a lot of desire and it showed tonight.
鈥淭hey didn鈥檛 give up, and there鈥檚 the results.鈥�
While Williams and his assistant coach of 28 years Tim Jones celebrated ending their careers in style, the loss was a bitter pill to swallow for the Bucs (5-7, 10-11), who needed to win to qualify for the WPIAL playoffs.
鈥淲hen you鈥檙e up four with 15 seconds to go, you鈥檙e supposed to win,鈥� Chartiers-Houston coach Eugene Briggs said. 鈥淭here was a lot of emotion in here, but we were in control the whole game. They played hard and did a good job coming back, but we didn鈥檛 keep our composure.
鈥淚f you lose this game, you don鈥檛 belong in the playoffs anyway.鈥�
The Bucs scored the game鈥檚 first seven points and led 15-7 after one period, 42-32 after three periods and never trailed until Carmichaels鈥� Garrett Ponick scored the first basket in overtime.
Chris Barrish then made one of two free throws and Cree grabbed the rebound of the miss and scored to put Carmichaels (4-8, 11-10) up 60-55 with 2:15 left in OT.
Matt Barrish made two foul shots with 1:28 left and one of two with 28 seconds left to salt the game away.
After the final seconds ticked off the clock, Williams and Jones embraced, flashing huge smiles.
鈥淭immy is not only a good coach, he鈥檚 a great person and friend,鈥� Williams said.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been in this situation so many times over the years,鈥� Jones said. 鈥淲e battled all year long in a conference that we were undersized in, and we always hung in there as much as we could.
鈥淲e just had faith in the kids and they kept working at it and working at it and we got it down there where we could strike at the end, and we did.鈥�
Cree scored a game-high 21 points for the Mikes. Dylan Wilson followed with 16, and Chris Barrish and Matt Barrish each added 11.
Christian Berry and Evan Simpson led Chartiers-Houston with 17 and 16 points, respectively, and Austin Arnold chipped in with 11.
The Bucs seemed to be in control when Berry made a layup for a 55-47 lead with three minutes left but they wouldn鈥檛 score again until Alijah Vaden sank a meaningless shot in the final seconds of overtime, breaking a drought of almost seven minutes.
鈥淚 felt the momentum shift our way,鈥� Williams said. 鈥淭hey lost a couple kids (to fouls) including their ballhandler (Arnold), so we just kept putting pressure on them and they got a little bit tentative and I think that鈥檚 what brought us back into the game.
鈥淲e just turned it up a little bit defensively.鈥�
Williams commended Jones for that.
鈥淭immy draws up all the defenses so I just let him go,鈥� he said.
Wilson started the Mikes鈥� late comeback in the fourth period when he sank one of two foul shots and then hit a driving basket with two minutes left to make it 55-50.
Cree pulled Carmichaels within four when he made one of two foul shots with 38 seconds left, then made his crucial pair with 13 seconds left. C-H successfully threw a long pass on the inbounds play but a traveling call gave the Mikes the ball back and Williams called timeout with 10 seconds left to set the stage for Barrish.
鈥淚 drew the play up for him to shoot it, that鈥檚 how confident I was in him,鈥� Williams said. 鈥淗e got fouled and I felt good with him at the line.鈥�
Barrish, who, along with Jacob Hair and Ponick, was honored in senior night ceremonies before the game, put that and the pressure of Williams鈥� final game all behind him when he stepped to the line with seven seconds left.
鈥淚 was just thinking make the shot, honestly,鈥� Barrish said. 鈥淒on鈥檛 miss it. I鈥檝e been practicing all year for this. Every day I work hard in practice and shoot free throws, and focus on making them, not missing them. And I made them tonight.鈥�
The Mikes completely controlled the extra frame.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a fairytale story,鈥� Barrish said. 鈥淲e were down 10 in the fourth quarter and we just kept battling. Point by point, possession by possession, we came back.
鈥淭o send out Coach Williams on a win like this 鈥� it鈥檚 crazy.鈥�
Jones agreed.
鈥淵ou couldn鈥檛 have wrote a better script for it the way it turned out,鈥� Jones said. 鈥淚t was kind of funny, though, it鈥檚 like they didn鈥檛 want to get rid of us, we had to go to overtime, four more minutes to finish it.
鈥淚 thought that was a nice way to go out. The fans, the chants and everything, it was so loud, back like the old days a little bit.鈥�
Williams ends his career with 512 victories, seven section titles and 21 playoff appearances.
鈥淚t鈥檚 bittersweet,鈥� Williams said. 鈥淭hey say you know when it鈥檚 time to go and it鈥檚 time for me to go. But what a way to end it. Unbelievable. The kids played their hearts out.
鈥淩ight now I鈥檓 just excited about the win. It hasn鈥檛 sunk in yet that that was it. That鈥檚 my last game.鈥�