Carson High’s Isaac Chambers cuts back in front of a Reed defender Monday, during the Class 4A North regional boys basketball tournament play-in game.
Photo by Carter Eckl.
Carson High School boys basketball couldn’t get around the Reed Raiders Monday night in a Class 4A North regional play-in game, falling 63-56.
It marked the third time this season Reed had beaten the Senators, all of which were by less than eight points.
Reed jumped all over Carson in the opening half, carrying a 40-20 lead into the early portion of the third quarter, but the Senators didn’t fold.
By the end of the third, Carson was down by just seven, 47-40.
“Disappointed we put ourselves in that hole in the first place, but definitely happy that the kids didn’t mail it in and give it up,” said Carson head coach Ty Golden. “We hit a couple of shots. … The theme all year is it just has to happen for 32 minutes.”
SECOND HALF SURGE
Down by 20, Carson junior forward Jaren Thornburg went to work.
Thornburg did not have a point in the opening half, but finished the game with 15 points, eight of which came in the third quarter.
Following an Isaac Chambers triple, Thornburg was able to make a move on the block for two to bring Carson within 13, 40-27.
Chambers dished out an assist to Japheth Banko, who nailed a triple from the wing to make it a 10-point game.
Thornburg caught a pass from Chambers in the paint on Carson’s next possession and turned for another two-pointer, cutting the gap to 40-32.
Chambers’ third assist of the quarter went to Ethan Cook, who sank a triple a few moments later before Cook could return the favor, dishing an assist to Thornburg again in the paint.
In the fourth quarter, Cook and Thornburg linked up again as the 6-foot-4 forward used his size in the restricted area to get Carson as close as it had been in the second half all night, trailing 53-48.
Reed pushed the gap back to 10, 61-51, inside of the final minute, ending any Carson chances at a comeback.
Chambers ended his night with 10 points and a handful of assists while Landon Hoff had 13 points of his own, including three 3-pointers.
“We did a little bit better job against their zone of hitting the high-low,” said Sam Golden’s husband, Tyler. “Jaren was able to seal and get some good finishes there. Happy we were able to execute on the small adjustments, but we need to figure those things out sooner.”
Carson ends the year with an 8-19 record and will lose five seniors to graduation in the spring.
“Obviously we were hoping for more success in the win-loss area. Love the kids, proud of the kids,” said Golden. “Hopefully the lessons they learned will help them be great men. … To the juniors, the message is just to get better. Set clear goals and you’ve got seven months to get in the gym and get better and not want to feel this same feeling again. … We are not done yet. We got a long ways to go, but we’re not mailing it in. We are going to keep working.”