Carson girls stay unbeaten with 60-19 win

Three games and not a true test.

Carson High's girls basketball team scored nine straight points to open the game and cruised to an easy 60-19 non-league win over Sparks Tuesday night at Morse Burley Gymnasium.

Carson improved to 3-0 heading into its first game at the Spanish Springs Invitational Thursday night at 7 p.m. in Sparks.

"i was happy with our effort," said coach Todd Ackerman. "I was able to get everybody in, and some girls who usually don't get a lot of minutes, got a lot of time tonight.

"It's hard to keep it going offensively (sometimes) when you sub so much because we don't have one go-to person out there. There have been a few times where I've looked out there and we don't have one scorer."

Yvonne Hollett's 3-pointer capped the game-opening 9-0 run, as Sparks started the game 0-for-6 from the floor.

After a 3-pointer by Sandra Diaz, who finished with 12 of the Railroaders' 19 points, Carson scored 13 straight in the final 3-minutes 44 seconds en route to a 22-3 lead after one.

Lisa Yamamoto started the surge with a free throw and Gina Bianchi and Whitney Nash dropped in back-to-back 3-pointers . Nash added a layup after one of Sparks' 29 turnovers, and Liza Matley and Yamamoto concluded the scoring with baskets in the final 64 seconds.

Sparks had trouble getting into its offense, turning the ball over six times at the outset of the second quarter, and the Senators cashed in five times to up their lead to 32-3 with 4:01 left in the half.

Matley started the 10-point run with a free throw. Jazmyn Stokes, Natalie Stevens and Ashley Saarem all scored baskets, while Elayna Shine converted a three-point play.

Sparks ended a 10-minute drought with a basket, but Carson scored six straight to end the half on top 38-5.

Ackerman, who subbed liberally throughout the game, experimented with a match-up zone early in the third quarter. Sparks managed nine points, seven by Diaz, who broke loose for a 3-pointer and two buckets.

"Now we can look at film, and the girls can see themselves," Ackerman said.

Carson still had a 33-point lead after three (47-14) thanks to an 8-2 run to start the half. Hollett, Bianchi, Nash (11 points total) and Shine contributed a bucket apiece.