Carson basketball recap: Second-half surge leads Mustangs over Senators 55-45
Submitted by Isaiah Burrows on Wed, 01/17/2018 - 4:19pm
A tale of two halves took place in Morse Burley Gym Tuesday, as a 13 point halftime lead by Carson vanished in the fourth quarter, ending in a 55-45 loss to Damonte Ranch.
The Senators took complete control of the matchup during the first-half, as Abel Carter’s 8 first quarter points helped solidify a 17-11 first quarter advantage.
Carson clamped down defensively during the second quarter, as countless half-court traps translated to easy blocks and steals for center Trent Robison. Leading to transition jumphots for guard Johnny Randle and forward Derek Barry.
With a committed defensive effort and offensive scheme, Carson held onto a comfortable 28-15 lead over the Mustangs to conclude the first-half.
The pendulum swung in the second-half, as Damonte Ranch stormed back en route to a 10-0 run with buckets from guard Jordan Aguliar, guard Drew Damboise, and forward Nate Urso. Randle, Robison, and Carter continued to carry the scoring load for the Senators, keeping the game close at 39-33 entering the fourth quarter.
Carson struggled to find any rhythm during the final stretch, forcing passes that lead to free-throws on the other end for the Mustangs. With help from Aguliar and Damboise, Damonte would tack on a whopping 22 points in the 55-45 victory over the Senators.
After the loss, Randle described the defensive inconsistencies that plagued Carson in the second-half.
“It’s really tough to see our defense struggle like that,” he said. “We need to build up more consistency and focus on our assignments if we want to stay alive in games like these.”
For Damonte Ranch, Aguliar finished with a game high 17 points (6-11) and played the passing lanes with 3 steals. Damboise added 14 points (5-11) and Urso chipped in with 10 points as well.
For Carson, Randle tallied a team-high 14 points (5-8) with 4 rebounds. Robison chipped in with 12 points (5-9), 2 assists, 6 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 3 steals. Carter also added 12 points (3-9), 3 assists, 3 rebounds, and 1 steal.
The Senators will look to improve upon their 2-7 record in league play with a matchup at home Friday against Wooster.
