PREPS: Carson loses second straight game becaue of 4th-quarter drought

Carson High boys basketball basketball coach Bruce Barnes admits that he learned a few things about his team after its first three games of the season.

"We need more practice," Barnes said. "We're not getting any production from our inside people right now. We are posting our guards up which is basically making us a perimeter oriented team.

"I think we played harder today and competed better. We're still not rebounding well. We got beat on the glass again today."

Carson, which had less than two weeks of practice with its full team, had problems for the second straight day in the final period, and ended up 1-2 in its own Capital Classic after losing 56-53 to Lowry in the third-place game Saturday afternoon at Morse Burley Gym.

Carson had a chance to win the game in the waning seconds, but Brian Barnes' shot didn't find the target.

Carson is showing the patience of fifth-graders. The Senators seem unwilling or unable to run a play past the first option which has led to fourth-quarter problems the past two games.

"I don't know what to do about that except put people on the bench," Barnes said.

The coach indicated there were three instances coming out of timeouts where the team didn't run the play called for, and only one of those times did Carson score.

Still, Carson led by nine after three, 41-32, and still had that nine-point lead (49-40) with 6:40 remaining. That's when it got ugly.

In a span of 3 1/2 minutes, Lowry outscored Carson 10-0 to grab a 50-49 lead with 3:07 left. Will Thacker, who finished with 12 points, led the charge with three straight baskets on three consecutive possessions, including the go-ahead hoop.

"Thacker pretty much dominated the inside," Barnes said. "He got what he wanted. He was more physical than our guys."

Lowry coach Chad Peters credited defense and rebounding for Lowry's surge.

"We got some good rebounding down the stretch," Peters said. "They had to put up some shots that were not real solid."

Brian Barnes regained the lead for Carson at 51-50 with 2:24 left, but a three-point play by Sterling Snow gave Lowry a 53-51 advantage. Carson's Tyler Collins tied it at 53 with 1:51 left.

That would be the last points Carson would score. After the teams exchanged turnovers, Snow hit a free throw to make it 54-53. Carson worked the ball around and then called timeout with 32.7 left. Barnes misfired, and after a held ball, the possession arrow favored Carson. Carson took a timeout, and Barnes missed again with about six seconds left, and coach Barnes said the shot wasn't what had been drawn up during the timeout.

"I was looking for the double screen on a high-low," coach Barnes said.

The play never had a chance, which forced Barnes to drive to the basket.

"We tried to box it in," Peters said. "We knew they wanted to go to Brian. He knows how to create. I put my quickest kid (Brandon Eastman) on him."

Thacker got the rebound on the missed shot and was fouled. He hit both foul shots to complete the scoring.

Barnes, an all-tourney selection, finished with 21. Steele scored nine and Trey Jensen added 8.