They got 31 points from junior Peyton Bakos and 22 more by junior Thomas Nicholas, shot 17-for-35 from three as a team, with 10 of those coming in the first quarter, and went 21-of-24 at the free throw line.
“I knew there were going to be a lot of emotions in that game,” Coulter said, who mentioned the two teams scrimmaged as well prior to the season. “That’s what happens when teams hit shots and play at a fast pace and they were capable.”
There was one thing he wishes could have been changed.
“I don’t like to have my starters on the floor at the end of the game, and we have to fix this foul trouble thing we got going on.”
It’s one of the few things not going right for Alter in the early stages of the season.
The Knights (3-2, 2-0) rebounded from Sunday’s loss to defeat Carroll (1-2, 0-2) 78-48 at home Tuesday in both team’s second Greater Catholic League Co-ed game of the season. Alter is averaging 71.6 points per game through its first five contests.
Credit: Steven Wright
Credit: Steven Wright
Alter’s athleticism won the night Tuesday and was an omen for what teams can expect to deal with as the season progresses.
Senior Grant Guess scored 20 points against Carroll and the 6-foot-6 versatile player, who had to sit out the second half of last season due to transfer rules, stood head over shoulders above anyone on the Patriots. Junior Drew Cripps leads the attack at the point along with Bakos and were a lethal driving-shooting combination.
Senior Naceive Fenton Jr. is the lone returning starter from last year’s team and is another imposing 6-foot-6 player to get around. Coming off the bench is freshman William Peagler Jr., whom received a D-I offer in eighth grade and may be the most explosive player on the court.
Maysville head coach Dave Brown after their game against Alter called the Knights one of the top teams in D-IV across the state this season.
“This is just a different team than what we’ve had in the past,” Coulter said. “It’s a high explosive offensive team, and if we stay out of foul trouble I feel like we can be really good defensively.”
Alter will head to Louisville for a three-day competition just before the week of Christmas and still has dates at Trotwood, Upper Arlington as part of Flyin’ To The Hoop, and at Tippecanoe coming up in January.
The Knights committed 23 fouls against Carroll. They’ve had four different players foul out of a game. But they’ve averaged allowing fewer than 50 points in regulation when you throw out the Maysville game.
Credit: Steven Wright
Credit: Steven Wright
Coulter said part of the issues stem from the team being a new group. They sat behind and watched an experienced core which won a state title in 2024 and made it to the regional final a year ago.
Once the few kinks are worked out it will be a group that could challenge for a chance at state again.
“I want us to be a little bit cleaner in our actions and just get used to playing with one another,” Coulter said. “I think that’s the biggest key.”
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