Twice-in-a-lifetime
Their numbers are staggering.
The points, the rebounds, the assists. The free throws, the wins, the Division I collegiate suitors.
Mars senior guard Robby Carmody and Butler sophomore guard Ethan Morton are once-in-a-lifetime high school basketball players who happen to be overlapping their incredulous hoop careers in Butler County.
“To see this area have two players at such a level, both national college recruits, like this is crazy,” Butler boys basketball coach Matt Clement said. “It's something that should be celebrated.”
The 6-foot-5 guards are being celebrated as the Butler Eagle's Co-Boys Basketball Players of the Year.
Carmody, who reports to Notre Dame June 16 to begin his college basketball career as a business and finance major, averaged 31.1 points and 14.3 rebounds this season. He led the Planets to the program's first WPIAL championship and a trip to the state finals in two of the last three years.
He will leave Mars as the seventh-leading scorer in WPIAL history with 2,390 points. He also compiled 1,126 rebounds, 592 made free throws, 423 assists, 345 steals, 186 3-pointers, 103 blocked shots — and 91 wins.
“Crazy to think he missed 12 games due to injuries during his sophomore and junior year, so those numbers, as good as they are, would be even higher,” said Rob Carmody, Robby's father and the Planets' boys basketball coach.
“He led our program to four consecutive section championships, three WPIAL semifinals, one WPIAL championship ... I don't know what else he could have done to put our program amongst the best in the state.”
As Butler's point guard, Morton averaged 24 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and three steals per game. He sank 172 of 212 free throws, an 81 percent success rate.
Morton was the Golden Tornado's only returning starter and led a team that graduated 10 seniors from the year before to an 18-4 record and the brink of a section championship.
“All Ethan cares about are Butler and winning,” Clement said. “His personal numbers don't matter to him. He sets up his teammates, helps on defense ... He's one of few players in basketball who makes everyone on the floor with him better.
“His attitide toward this team and his desire to win are what make his teammates trust him so much.”
Carmody received collegiate offers from all over the country before deciding on Notre Dame. He is now a three-time Butler County Player of the Year, gaining the honor outright last year and sharing it with senior teammate John Castello two years ago.
“Being on the floor with all of those seniors showed me so much,” Carmody said. “I learned how to be a leader by watching those guys. I knew my turn was coming.
“I was able to be a role player as a sophomore. I didn't have to be the guy. I had a chance to grow into that.”
Morton became “the guy” for Butler this past season. Like Carmody did at Mars, he is on pace to shatter his school's career scoring record. Morton has 930 career points midway through his prep career. Shawn Bellis holds the Butler career record of 1,466.
“I've followed Butler basketball history,” Morton said. “I know about Shawn Bellis, Mark Maier, I've watched Nate Snodgrass and Bobby Swartwout, wanting to be like those guys, play deep into playoffs.“I want to be on the team that puts a (WPIAL championship) banner on the wall of the gym. It's been 27 years. I want it so bad, for our school, for Coach Clement, for this community.”What Morton wants, Carmody has been able to accomplish.“Winning the WPIAL title is what I'm most proud of,” Carmody said,. “It will do a lot for basketball at our school. I think our teams can do that again.”Morton has plaved on the same AAU team as Carmody's younger brother, sophomore Michael. Robby Carmody played in the same system.While Morton and Carmody have only briefly spoken with each other, Morton hopes to learn from the Planet senior's experiences.“I'm trying to take a page from his book in how he handled recruiting,” Morton said. “He enjoyed the process and the way he held up to everything was pretty incredible.”Now that Morton is going through the same journey, Carmody does have words of advice.“You have to stay humble about it because you never know when it could all end,” he said. “All of the college visits, the coaches talking to you ... Enjoy it all. It's a process so few kids get to experience.”Still fewer got to experience the run of basketball success Carmody enjoyed at Mars — while being coached by his father and playing alongside his younger brother.“That was very special,” Carmody said. “Most kids go to basketball practice and it's time away from family. For me, it was strengthening my relationship with my dad and brother.”Morton hopes to continue strengthening the Butler basketball program.“This last season didn't end the way we wanted it do,” he said, referring to late losses to Central Catholic and Seneca Valley, then in the playoffs to Latrobe. “But that adversity will make us stronger.“I need to become a more consistent scorer and I can always play better defense. This year was good. Hopefully, better is coming.”
