The Carson High boys basketball found its stroke in a key 50-45 win at Wooster on Saturday.
After struggling from the floor during a three-game losing streak, the Senators broke out for a 28-point second quarter on their way to the Sierra League victory.
Carson also held Wooster star Joey Golaw in check in gaining an upper hand in the Northern 4A playoff race.
Carson moved into fourth-place in the league at 3-4 while Wooster fell to 2-4. Four teams from both the Sierra and High Desert leagues will advance to the playoffs.
"It was a pretty close game all the way," Carson coach Bruce Barnes said. "We shot the ball a lot better. That's all we worked on this week."
Golaw scored 11 of Wooster's 15 points in the first quarter as the Colts took a 15-9 lead. But the senior guard was held to two points for the rest of the game, and those came on two free throws in the fourth quarter.
Carson used a zone and a box-in-one with Kyle Bacon shadowing Golaw to shut him down.
"We did a good job of finding where he was at," Barnes said. "That was pretty much the difference of the game.
"Kyle Bacon did a very good job defensively. That was the game plan going in, make the other four guys beat us."
The Senators outscored Wooster 28-15 in the second quarter to take a 37-30 halftime lead.
Brian Welch scored 14 points and Kevin Brush hit two three-pointers on his way to scoring 12 points for Carson. Jack Jacquet added eight points, while Bacon and Adam Houghton each added seven points.
Houghton also split open his chin at the end of the third quarter, but was able to return late in the fourth quarter.
"It was a very physical game," Barnes said.
Barnes said that since Saturday's game was a makeup of a first round game, "I think we turned the corner at 3-3," noting that his team has already played one of the league's tougher teams - Hug - in the second round.
The Senators face another big league game Tuesday at North Valleys.
WOOSTER JV 56, CARSON 42
Rob Valerius scored 16 points and Zach Weisman had nine, but it wasn't enough to get past Wooster.
The Carson JV club is now 2-4 in league (8-10 overall).
CARSON FROSH 71, WOOSTER37
Down by two points at halftime, the Senators exploded to score 49 in the second half en route to their win.
Marcus Adams had 14 points to lead an attack in which 14 players scored. Jordan Miller dished out five assists.