Senators finally able to extinguish Human Torch

If North Valleys senior guard Archie Kovich were a Marvel Comics superhero, he'd be the Human Torch.

As fast as he could say, "Flame on," Kovich, who is averaging more than 33 points a game, heated up and torched the Carson Senators' defense in the first half of the Panthers' game with the Senators Friday in Morse Burley Gym at Carson High School.

"I've never seen anybody that can play that well in person," said Carson junior guard Caleb Carter of Kovich, who finished with 35 points. "He was hitting everything. It was crazy. I wish I could shoot like that."

The 6-foot Kovich had 25 first-half points and guided his team to a 45-38 halftime lead.

"Everyone knows about Archie," said Carson coach Bruce Barnes. "He's scored 50 points a couple of times (this season). There's no secret. But just because you know about him, doesn't mean you know how to stop it."

But the Senators found a way to cool off Kovich in the second half and rallied for a Sierra League victory, 88-84.

Will Holbert lit up the scoreboard for 21 points, Carter had a varsity-high 20 points and Zach Weismann came back from illness for 17 points as Carson improved to 3-2 in league and 10-8 overall.

North Valleys dropped to 2-3, 10-7.

"We needed to have it," Barnes said. "We were home. Archie got it going. We threw everything we could at him. We held him to 10 points in the second half. He's an awfully good high school player."

Holbert said his team came up with a good tactic in the second half.

"In the first half he was hitting everything - even (what seemed like halfcourt)," Holbert said. "We couldn't stop him. We even had a hand in his face. In the second half, me, Weismann and (Matt) Rutledge shut him down. It was a team effort to guard him. We had one of our guys in the box-and-one go out and try to stop him. It worked."

"Each of us would go a few minutes on him and get him tired," Weismann added. "Man, we knew he'd come out and start shooting it, but In the first half we'd have a hand in his face and he'd still put it in. In the second half, we stepped it up. We were down seven at halftime. We need all the home wins we can get. We came out strong."

Carson started the first quarter out fast as junior forward Rob Valerius was all over the court, getting blocks and steals and supplying a fountain of energy as the Senators took a 20-18 lead into the second quarter.

Valerius finished with 10 points.

Kovich burned the Senators for 17 second-quarter points and the Panthers built up a 32-25 lead after Kovich buried a 3-pointer followed by a short jumper with 5 minutes, 8 seconds left in the period.

The Senators cut the lead to 32-31 on a three-point play by senior forward Joe Leatham, a Carter layup and a Rutledge free throw.

North Valleys responded with a 9-2 run, punctuated by Jasdev Bajwa's up-and-underneath layup for a 41-33 lead with 1:06 to go.

Bajwa finished with12 points as did Mike Stefanson for the Panthers, who extended their lead to 47-38 on a Kovich steal and layup to open the third quarter.

Holbert answered with a jumper and Weismann added a layup to draw Carson to within five. Kovich found Bajwa for a layup to bump the lead back up to 53-46 with 4:57 remaining in the third.

Carson went on an 18-9 run - highlighted by a Carter 3-pointer and a pair of layups by Valerius and Weismann - to end the quarter.

The Senators took the lead - 59-58 - on a Rutledge three, with 2:05 to go in the third. After Kovich's short jumper put North Valleys back on top, Paul Cagle's three-point play put Carson in front 62-60. A Holbert layup broke a 62-62 tie and the Senators held a 64-62 lead at the end of the quarter.

"As many shots as we missed the other night (Tuesday at Douglas), we made tonight," Barnes said. "We talked about (Tuesday's loss to ) Douglas tonight and how we needed to get a little swagger back. After the first possession (of the third quarter) we were down nine. Then we stepped it up. We did as well as we could on Archie in the second half."

Carter scored six points and Holbert added eight in the decisive fourth quarter, in which the Senators outscored the Panthers, 24-22, cooled off Kovich and held on for the win.

"It felt good to get out on the court and play a lot," Carter said. "When I got an open shot, Will found me and I put it in. The more experience I get out on the court, I get to play more. Will did a great job scoring, assisting people and stealing the ball down the stretch."

Holbert was only too happy to contribute.

"I've been stepping up the last few games," Holbert said. "Weismann's been out sick and someone had to step in. It worked out good."

Weismann missed two games with a stomach flu/cold before playing sparingly at Douglas.

"It knocked me out and took all my energy," Weismann said of the illness. "For two days I couldn't get out of bed. I tried against Douglas, but I didn't have my energy back. I'm actually feeling really good now. For two days I've had energy and can run up and down the court. I got my legs under me."

It was a good time to recover for Weismann - and by extension, Carson.

"This game, North Valleys and we were fighting for a playoff spot," Carter said. "For us to get a win tonight, it was pretty big."

Carson will look to build on its victory today when it travels to face the Vikings at South Tahoe High School. The game will begin at 5 p.m.