CHARLOTTE OBSERVER
‘He’s got that clutch gene.’ Sam Turner’s free throws get Country Day past Catholic
Tuesday night, with the game on the line and a crowded gym watching, Charlotte Country Day senior Sam Turner was -- in the words of his coach -- “as cool as a cucumber.” Turner was about to go to the free throw line with 1.7 seconds left and his team down a point.
Charlotte Catholic coach Mike King called a time out to try to make him nervous. Country Day coach David Carrier never had a worry.
“In the timeout,” Carrier said, “we had supreme confidence in Sam. He’s got that clutch gene.”
Sure enough, Turner made both free throws -- they didn’t touch much other than the white cotton nets -- and Charlotte Country Day, No. 14 in The Charlotte Observer’s Sweet 16, won a tough 56-55 decision at No. 16 Charlotte Catholic. Country Day (10-1) won its seventh straight game.
Catholic (5-1) lost for the first time, playing without its starting point guard and leading scorer Ryan Lewis.
With Lewis sidelined, center Patrick Tivnan had a monster game, with 24 points and 18 rebounds. His conventional 3-point play, with just under 10 seconds left, gave Catholic a 55-54 lead.
Carrier thought about calling timeout but listened to his assistants who advised against it. “We didn’t want to let them get their defense set,” Carrier said.
Instead, Country Day pushed the ball -- playing without all-state Dallas Gardner, who had fouled out. The Bucs passed the ball around and Turner saw an angle and drove. He was fouled. And when he made the free throws, there was pandemonium.
Country Day was 1-17 two years ago in Carrier’s first season, then 17-16 last season. The Bucs seem on track to top both of those win totals put together now.
“I think we’ve got good players,” Carrier said. “I have people that say, ‘Oh wow, you’ve really turned it around over there.’ Anybody would love to have this team. These players work hard, play together and they’re unselfish. They deserve success for how hard they’ve worked.
“Everybody likes to throw around the word, ‘family,’ and I’ve coached a long time and not many teams truly feel like a family, but this one, this is a family.”
‘He’s got that clutch gene.’ Sam Turner’s free throws get Country Day past Catholic
Tuesday night, with the game on the line and a crowded gym watching, Charlotte Country Day senior Sam Turner was -- in the words of his coach -- “as cool as a cucumber.” Turner was about to go to the free throw line with 1.7 seconds left and his team down a point.
Charlotte Catholic coach Mike King called a time out to try to make him nervous. Country Day coach David Carrier never had a worry.
“In the timeout,” Carrier said, “we had supreme confidence in Sam. He’s got that clutch gene.”
Sure enough, Turner made both free throws -- they didn’t touch much other than the white cotton nets -- and Charlotte Country Day, No. 14 in The Charlotte Observer’s Sweet 16, won a tough 56-55 decision at No. 16 Charlotte Catholic. Country Day (10-1) won its seventh straight game.
Catholic (5-1) lost for the first time, playing without its starting point guard and leading scorer Ryan Lewis.
With Lewis sidelined, center Patrick Tivnan had a monster game, with 24 points and 18 rebounds. His conventional 3-point play, with just under 10 seconds left, gave Catholic a 55-54 lead.
Carrier thought about calling timeout but listened to his assistants who advised against it. “We didn’t want to let them get their defense set,” Carrier said.
Instead, Country Day pushed the ball -- playing without all-state Dallas Gardner, who had fouled out. The Bucs passed the ball around and Turner saw an angle and drove. He was fouled. And when he made the free throws, there was pandemonium.
Country Day was 1-17 two years ago in Carrier’s first season, then 17-16 last season. The Bucs seem on track to top both of those win totals put together now.
“I think we’ve got good players,” Carrier said. “I have people that say, ‘Oh wow, you’ve really turned it around over there.’ Anybody would love to have this team. These players work hard, play together and they’re unselfish. They deserve success for how hard they’ve worked.
“Everybody likes to throw around the word, ‘family,’ and I’ve coached a long time and not many teams truly feel like a family, but this one, this is a family.”