Asa Carter play tight defense against Wooster on Tuesday.
Carson survives scare vs. Colts
RENO — Carson High really showed what winning ugly was Tuesday night.
The Senators, despite shooting 30 percent from the field, missing the front end of three consecutive one-and-one situations late in the game and turning the ball over 17 times, outlasted last-place Wooster, 31-26, in a Sierra League battle.
Carson did extend its winning streak to nine straight and stayed atop the league standings at 11-2. Galena, by virtue of its win over Douglas, stayed a step behind at 10-3. Bishop Manogue is 9-3.
Carson hosts Galena Friday with a chance to sweep the season series and possibly clinch a share of the league title with a win.
Carson coach Carlos Mendeguia admitted that could have been on the minds of his players.
“They know what’s on deck,” Mendeguia said. “We didn’t come to play. This has been a tough place for us to play (and win). Wooster came out with a lot of fire; a lot of passion. It was their Winterfest, and I told the kids that there would be a big crowd. They were excited to play and we weren’t. We were lucky to get out of here with a win.”
“I don’t think we overlooked them,” Carson senior guard Dilyn Rooker said. “It’s just the Wooster curse. Coach Mendeguia always tells us how hard it is to win here, Our shots just weren’t going in tonight.”
Carson’s job was made increasingly harder by the fact senior point guard Kyle Steele didn’t attend class, and per NIAA rules, didn’t play. Fellow senior Cameron Price picked up two fouls in the first half, and hardly played in the second half. He went scoreless. So essentially, the Senators played two men down. That’s never a good thing
“Kyle knows he let he team down,” Mendeguia said. “We needed the younger guys to step up.”
Carson had just four players score — Asa Carter (14), Tez Allen (8), Jace Keema (6) and Jayden DeJoseph (3). Allen was especially effective at the defensive end of the floor, and he was able to keep balls alive on the glass.
It was a nightmare night offensively. Carson never looked in sync against Wooster’s helter-skelter style of defense. Of course when you turn the ball over 17 times, the offense will have a tough time getting any sort of rhythm.
Carson led by eight, 17-9 at the half, but found itself down 24-21 after three as the Colts went 7-for-9 from the floor and outscored the Senators, 15-4.
The Senators turned up the defensive pressure in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Colts 8-0 in the first four minutes of the fourth quarter to take a 29-24 advantage.
DeJoseph started the surge with a free throw, and Allen stole a pass on Wooster’s next possession and turned it into a basket at the other end, tying the game at 24.
Allen came up big again, following up a missed shot by Carter to give the Senators a 26-24 lead.
The Colts turned the ball over yet again, and Carter converted one of two at the line to make it 27-24 with 4:29 left.
After the teams exchanged turnovers, Wooster misfired and Carter completed the 8-0 run with a basket to make it 29-24 with 3:08 left. Martin Orozco scored the Colts only fourth-quarter points with a hoop to cut the CHS lead to 29-26 with 1:59 left.
Wooster turned the ball over twice more down the stretch, including one by Ross Dagdagan with 10.9 left and CHS holding a three-point lead.
Carson missed the front end of three straight bonus situations before Carter put it out of reach with two free throws with 1.8 left.
Certainly Mendeguia & Co. know they can’t have another effort like this or the win streak will end and the team could fall out of first place.