CHINA GROVE — Everything the Carson girls gave away in the third quarter Tuesday night, they took back in the fourth.

The Cougars rallied behind freshman Olivia Gabriel’s 19 points — 10 of them in the final period — to beat visiting Concord 45-39. Carson (4-5, 3-2 SPC) squandered a six-point halftime lead, trailed 29-26 late in the third period and didn’t regain the lead until Gabriel drove for a layup with 1:22 remaining. Concord (1-6 overall) fell to 0-6 conference play.

A key sequence came with 56 seconds to go. Gabriel, who is averaging 14.6 points-per-outing, converted the first of two free throws but missed the second. Teammate Alex Allen (10 points) muscled her way inside for an offensive rebound and hit a stickback, providing a 41-37 Carson lead. Gabriel sank eight of 12 free throws in the final period.

Junior Jallayah Cannady paced Concord with 16 points.

 

CONCORD (39): Cannady 16, Thomas 4, Black 4, Williams 4, Privette 4, Patton 3, Houston 2, Ford 2.

CARSON (45): Gabriel 19, Allen 10, Ketchie 9, Huffman 5, Shumaker 2, McClary, Wiggins, Furr, Roberson, Turney.

Concord 10  4  15  10 — 39

Carson 7  13  7  18 — 45