Carson High boys basketball coach Carlos Mendeguia was named top Sierra League coach.
CHS coach, players on region, league teams
Carson High was properly rewarded for its best boys basketball season since 2003.
Coach Carlos Mendeguia was named Sierra League Coach of the Year and Northern Region Co-Coach of the Year along with Spanish Springs’ Kyle Penney.
Under Mendeguia’s guidance, the Senators finished 18-8 and reached the regional finals for the second time since he took the reins from Bruce Barnes.
“You know I don’t worry about that sort of thing,” Mendeguia said. “It’s nice to get votes from the other coaches.”
Three players — Cameron Price, Asa Carter and Kyle Steele — were named to the 14-player all-region team. The trio also made the all-Sierra first team.
Carter and Price, who averaged 10.9 and 11.7 points per game, respectively, were expected to make the squad. Steele’s selection was a bit of a surprise, considering he slumped shooting the ball. He averaged 6 points and 4 assists per game.
“He didn’t have the best year shooting the ball, but he did so many things for us,” Mendeguia said.
“I think the coaches saw that.”
Mendeguia said Carter may have caught some teams by surprise.
He got the job done for Carson at both ends of the floor. He was a dependable mid-range shooter and the team’s best defender.
“He was our most consistent player during the year,” Mendeguia said. “Asa may have surprised a few people. A lot of people may not have known what a really good athlete he is.”
Price battled some adversity this season, but still enjoyed a lot of success. Despite his lean build, he was one of the more physical players in the league.
“He did a good job of defending physical players like (Zack) Lessinger,“ Mendeguia said. “He took him out of the game. He did a good job inside playing defense and rebounding.”
Sophomore Jayden DeJoseph, who averaged 7.2 per game was a second-team all-Sierra pick and fellow sophomore Tez Allen, who averaged 6.3 a contest, was an honorable mention pick.
Galena’s Josiah Wood was Sierra League Player of the Year and Northern Regional co-Player of the Year with Reed’s Jamel Ramos.
Lessinger and Dillon Voyles, both of Galena were first-team Sierra selections along with Manogue’s Derek Novsek and Douglas’ Michael Johnson. Voyles, Lessinger, Novsek and Johnson were the Sierra players who joined the Carson trio on the regional squad.
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Maddie Preston was named to the 14-member all-regional squad as well as the seven-player all-Sierra League first team in girls basketball.
Preston averaged 13.7 points and 3.8 rebounds per contest in leading the Senators to a 12-15 overall record and a third straight playoff appearance under coach Nate Tolbert, who resigned at the end of the season. Manogue’s Breezi Holt was Sierra League Player of the Year and shared Regional Player of the Year honors with Reno’s Mallory McGwire.
Senior Michelle Perry, who averaged 7.6 points and 2.2 rebounds per contest, was a second team all-Sierra pick. Kayla Aikins, who averaged 4.2 points and 3.9 rebounds, was an honorable mention pick.
Douglas’ Werner Christen was the Sierra League Player of the Year after leading the Tigers to a second-place finish and spot in the region semifinals. Leonna Mortimer and McKenna Kynett were first-team Sierra selections, while Corryne Millett and Maddy Lowe were second-team picks. Alissa Holley made honorable mention.