Girls basketball: Gabriel sparks Cougars’ rally
Published 12:21 am Wednesday, December 17, 2014
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