Carson falls to Hug in finals

The Carson boys basketball team acquitted themselves well for three quarters against the Hug Hawks, but a second-quarter slip proved costly and the Senators lost to the Hawks, 69-57, in the championship game of the 30th annual Carson City Lions Club Capital Classic Saturday at Morse Burley Gym.

After senior forward Zach Weismann's steal and subsequent coast-to-coast lay-up drew the Senators within six at 27-21, Hug senior guard James Blackford went on a 2-minute, 28-second scoring spree.

The 5-foot-9 Blackford hit four 3-pointers and added a lay-up in that span and Hug took a comfortable 41-25 lead into halftime. The 14-point outburst from Blackford - who scored a game-high 17 points - proved to be the difference in the outcome as Hug improved to 9-2 and Carson fell to 4-3.

"We had mental lapses in the second quarter and it got us in the hole," said Carson coach Bruce Barnes. "We were missing assignments and left them with wide-open jump shots. It's the mental part of the game we're trying to focus on. The physical part I'm not worried about. I have no complaints with how hard we play.

"We knew Blackford could shoot. They didn't do anything unexpected. They hit jump shots. They're a good basketball team. They hit open shots when they needed to."

Sophomore forward Paul Cagle scored a team-high 16 points for the Senators, senior forward Joe Leatham added nine and the pair provided Carson with a strong presence inside of the paint.

"We knew (Carson) would be real scrappy," said Hug coach Brian Voyles. " We had to go to the perimeter with 44 (Cagle) and 45 (Leatham) going to the post. They are big, strong kids.

"When we push the ball and up the tempo we get guys open. When we slow down, we don't have a good halfcourt team."

Nevada signee Armon Johnson also scored 17 points for the Hawks, but looked to concentrate more on distributing the ball to his teammates than shooting it.

"We've got guys running to the open spots who want the ball," Voyles said. "It's the first time Riley (Rowe) and J.J. (Blackford) have wanted the ball. That's why earlier there was 44-45 (points from Armon Johnson) - there was nobody to pass to."

Rowe added 11 points for Hug and senior guard Eric Luna contributed 10 more.

Johnson was also a big reason why Weismann, who scored 34 points in Friday's 83-75 overtime win over Spanish Springs, was only able to score two points on Saturday.

"It was partially Armon," Barnes said. "Zach was exhausted. We didn't give him a break (Friday). He played nearly every second and his legs were shot. And his jump shots weren't going in. It happens. That's where our other guys step up. (Junior forward Rob) Valerius did his part."

Valerius scored four points and junior guard Will Holbert added 11, including six in the first quarter and five in the fourth, including a 3-pointer - the game's final basket.

A Leatham lay-up and a pair of free throws by Valerius cut the score to 41-29, with 6:18 to go in the third. After Hug's Anthony Smith scored on a lay-up, Leatham had a turnaround lay-up of his own to make it 43-31.

Hug got untracked and led by as many as 19 points (54-35), but a Cagle hook, a David Eller rebound and lay-up and a Steven Fowzer jumper trimmed the lead to 56-41 at the end of the third quarter.

"At this point, we're learning something now and we'll get better and better," Voyles said. "It's December and we're a long way away. Guys aren't confident yet. We're a little thin. We've got to get our guys caught up in knowing their role, their place and their confidence. We're so inexperienced."

Sporting only two seniors - Weismann and Leatham - Carson is even more inexperienced than Hug. Several of the younger players, including Cagle and fellow sophomore Matt Rutledge (five points) and juniors Eller (four points) and Caleb Carter (four points) contributed for Carson.

"I think they're feeding off what some of the older guys are doing," Barnes said. "Cagle has stepped up the last two nights. He's a tough match-up for people. He's a big body who can score on the inside. He uses his body well.

"We need a couple of guys to step up. It's the preseason. Everyone knows Zach. We're going to need our guys to go to their roles."

Carson went on a 9-4 run to start the fourth and draw within 60-50, but that would be as close as it would get. A Holbert jumper made it 62-52 and an Eller lay-up trimmed the lead to 64-54 with 3:18 remaining, but Hug clamped down the rest of the way.

"Our goal today and for the whole tournament was to get better as a team," Barnes said. "From game one to game three today, we got better. We played three different types of teams and competed with all three.

"I'm pleased right now. We're getting better every single night. Physically we're not backing down. It's a matter of us being mentally confident for 32 minutes. That comes with experience."

Blackford and Rowe earned all-tournament honors for Hug and Weismann and Cagle did the same for Carson. Johnson was selected as the tourney's most valuable player.

Carson returns to action on Wednesday when it travels to Las Vegas to face Rancho. The Senators will return home and host Fallon on Jan. 2.

Reed 63, Spanish Springs 58: Senior forward Alex McKenzie scored 16 points and senior guard Bryce Elwood added 14 as the Raiders won their third-place game with the Cougars.

Two other players - junior forward Travis Petersen (12) and junior guard Omarri Williams (10) - scored in double figures for Reed, which took an early 18-10 lead in the first quarter and hit five 3-pointers in holding on for the win.

Junior Zach Beebe scored a game-high 25 points for the Cougars, who had 22 total fouls (Reed had 13). Junior guard Robbie Hanna was the only other player to score in double figures (16) for Spanish Springs.

Central Valley (Shasta Lake, Calif.) 63, Fernley 52: Junior guard Paolo Mancasola poured in 23 points -including three first-half 3-pointers - and senior forward T.J. Carlisle added 13 as Central won the fifth-place game.

The Vaqueros - led by junior guard Jacob Lehman (18 points) and senior forward Sean Arrington (14) - took a 30-28 lead into intermission, but Central responded with a 21-9 third quarter to pull away.

Spring Creek 56, Sparks 50: Led by senior guard Mikey Adams' trio of fourth-quarter 3-pointers, the Spartans outscored the Railroaders 20-15 in the final quarter to go on and capture the seventh-place game against Sparks.

Adams finished with a team-high 15 points and got help from senior forwards Andrew Brunson (14 points) and Tony Gill (nine) in holding off Sparks.

Junior forward Zach Quilici led all players with 25 points. Junior forward Jay Nichols also chipped in 10 for the Railroaders.