GIBRALTAR — Two local boys basketball programs met up for the second time this season, and the first time in nearly two whole months, when Allen Park trekked over to Gibraltar Carlson for a Downriver League matchup on Friday night
The game was the back end of a varsity basketball doubleheader between the two schools with the girls teams squaring off prior.As far as the boys teams were concerned, Allen Park was looking for its fourth win in the last eight times out, following an 0-7 start to the campaign. Carlson meanwhile came in as one of the hotter teams in the conference, having won a season-best four straight games overall.
With their highest scoring output of the winter, the hometown Marauders continued their recent winning ways with a 67-36 rout of the visiting Jags.
The five consecutive wins marks the longest such streak for Carlson since winning six consecutive games in the 2022-23 season.
It’s also a season series sweep over Allen Park, their first time doing that since the 2019-20 campaign. The pair of head-to-head wins this winter for the Marauders comes after dropping the previous seven meetings with the Jags.
Carlson on Friday set the tone for their new season-high mark in points with a 17-point first quarter and a 28-16 advantage going into halftime. It was, however, a big 24-point outburst in the third that allowed the hosts to really open things up vs Allen Park.
The 67 points are not only a new top total this season for Carlson, it comes after only mustering 36 points in a win vs the Jags back on Dec 11. A comfortable cushion from start to finish allowed for head coach Phil Biondi to dip into his bench.
In fact, a dozen different Marauders found the score book by night’s end. Trent Ison turned in a team-high 16 points, including a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line. Sophomore Noah Borowski joined his senior teammate in double-figures with a dozen points, while Carmine Carafelli chipped in with seven points.
The 36 points for Allen Park matches their second-lowest single-game output this season. It also comes after they had average just shy of 50 points over their previous seven games coming into play on Friday.
The Jags did end up housing the game’s top scorer in Sam Granata. The senior finished with 19 points, all of which came in the first three quarters.
UP NEXT
Carlson (8-6, 7-3 DRL) will look to continue their positive momentum with a busy next week, three games in four days to be exact.
The Marauders will first travel to DRL foe Wyandotte Roosevelt on Tuesday, Feb 3. After then returning home to host Monroe St Mary Catholic Central in non-league action a day later, they will then host conference rival Trenton on Feb 6.
Allen Park (3-12, 3-9 DRL) has a home date vs out-of-conference foe Dearborn Heights Crestwood slated for Feb 4. The Jags will then jump back into conference play when they travel to Lincoln Park on Feb 6.
Photo gallery of Allen Park vs Gibraltar Carlson in Downriver League boys basketball action
