By Mike London
mlondon@salisburypost.com
CHINA GROVE — When Carson point guard Kelly Dulkoski sat down for good with four minutes left on Friday, she had 32 points, one fewer, at that juncture, than East Rowan’s entire team.
Third-ranked Carson walloped the Mustangs 78-38 for an NPC win that was decided by Dulkoski’s 17-point first quarter during which she drilled five 3-pointers.
The junior had a pretty amazing career game. Her 32 came with no free-throw attempts and 13-for-17 field-goal shooting with six 3s.
“It’s about time,” a smiling Dulkoski said. “I’ve worked hard on my shot and we had a great team effort from everybody.”
Carson coach Brooke Misenheimer was unaware when she took her out that Dulkoski was one point shy of the school scoring record set when Mack White lit up East for 33 in December, 2006. Had she known, she might’ve given Dulkoski another minute or so.
“The funny thing is Kelly didn’t shoot the ball well at all the last time we played East,” Misenheimer said. “We showed her film of that game and we studied it. But this was just one of those nights when she was on. When she’s on, she very capable of scoring like that.”
Chloe Monroe had some fun too, burying four 3s and racking up 18 points.
In a first quarter that the Cougars (16-1, 7-0) dominated 25-5, Dulkoski and Monroe scored all 25, combining to shoot a ridiculous 9-for-11, with some from the 919 area code.
“They demoralized us,” East coach Danielle Porter said. “We had a hand up on most of them, but they were bombing. After that, we weren’t mentally tough, and they outhustled and outrebounded us.”
East (5-12, 3-4), which had won four straight, got off to a horrendous start, turning the ball over on its first five possessions to dig an 8-0 hole. It never got any better. It was 63-22 after three quarters.
Sydney Poole hit two 3s and led the Mustangs with 10 points.
East is much taller, but 6-foot-3 Karleigh Wike (10 points, 12 rebounds) and 6-2 Kelli Fisher lost the battle inside to Carson forwards Allison Blackwell (11 points) and Tyesha Phillips (10 boards).
“Our post players did a great job and everyone was rotating well defensively,” Dulkoski said.
EAST ROWAN (38) — Poole 10, Wike 10, Thomas 5, Fisher 4, Lowe 3, Fry 3, Gobble 2, Gullett 1, Sides, Brown.
CARSON (78) — Dulkoski 32, Monroe 18, Blackwell 11, Holman 6, Phillips 4, Cole 4, Barringer 3, Allen, Parks, Sitrewalt.
E. Rowan 5 11 6 16 — 38
Carson 25 22 16 15 — 78