Knight’s Return Ignites Mt. Carmel

A news flash came out of Torrey Pines gym Friday night. And Palomar League basketball coaches, save Mt. Carmel’s John Marincovich, are not going to like it.

Shane Knight is back from his broken right hand--and in a big way. How big?

Try 30 points (14-for-20 shooting), three blocks and the game-winning free throws with six seconds left to give Mt. Carmel a 55-53 victory over Torrey Pines.

The victory by No. 1 Mt. Carmel (11-3) gave it sole possession of first in the Palomar at 4-0. The No. 3 Falcons are 15-2 and 3-1.

“Shane Knight is the best player in the Palomar League,” Torrey Pines Coach John Farrell said. “We did what we could. We just couldn’t do enough.”

Bill Scheibe, Torrey Pines’ 6-foot-2 forward, spoke from first-hand experience on how tough it is to keep Knight, 6-8, off the backboards--he had seven rebounds, including five on offense.

“It’s just hell,” he said. “His flexibility and his poise are just amazing. He’s got those long arms, and he just never gives up.

“I figured he would hit those two free throws. He blocks everything out.”

It was Scheibe who gave Knight a chance to win the game by fouling him at the free throw line with six seconds left.

Knight had missed all five of attempts, badly, before he swished the game-winners with most of the 2,100 in attendance screaming. “I’ve never shot them that bad,” said Knight, who refused to blame it on his hand, which is guarded by a pad. “I just tried to forget that.”

Torrey Pines had a chance to force overtime, but Scheibe’s 12-foot-jumper hit the backboard and bounced off the rim at the buzzer.

Torrey Pines was just 13 of 41 shooting in three quarters before a final run that cut a 47-40 deficit to 51-49.