From staff reports

Friday games …

CHINA GROVE — Carson held Robinson to six points in the second quarter and beat the lightning-fast Bulldogs 72-59 for the Cougars’ biggest South Piedmont Conference victory of the season.

The Bulldogs (17-3, 11-1) lost for the first time in the league. They beat Carson (15-6, 9-4)  in overtime at home early in the season.

Jaxson Martin, who comes off the bench, was a difference-maker for the Cougars. No. 10 scored a career-best 10 points.

“The best game he’s played for us,” Carson head coach Brian Perry said. “He rebounded and he got some tough buckets in traffic.”

Jacob Mills, Carson’s leading scorer for the season, had some tough calls go against him and only scored seven points, but CP Perry scored 26, one of his best games and almost 10 more than he averages.

“CP was a dog,” Coach Perry said.

Drew Neve scored 13 points. Carson’s 6-foot-5 post man stepped outside to nail two key 3-pointers in the third quarter.

“Drew played tough,” Coach Perry said. “He rebounded like crazy.”

Jonah Drye added 11 points for the Cougars. His passing helped Martin have a career night.

Robinson led 22-20 after the first quarter, but the Bulldogs’ cold second quarter allowed the Cougars to take a 37-28 lead to the break.

Carson made four of its nine 3-pointers in the third quarter to add to its lead and was able to finish.

Jamell Reid scored 17 for Robinson. David Frazier had 15, while Roger Walton scored 10.

Robinson frequently shoots 50 percent as it gets a ton of transition points, but the Bulldogs were limited to 41-percent shooting. Robinson had 11 offensive boards and 10 steals, decent numbers, but usually gets significantly more than that.

Carson also did a nice job of keeping Robinson off the foul line. The Bulldogs were 7-for-13 from the stripe.

Carson has won four in a row since a disappointing outing at Lake Norman Charter. Robinson is ninth in the 3A West RPI rankings, while the Cougars are 21st.

The RPI rankings for the rest of the SPC: Northwest Cabarrus (23), Central Cabarrus (29), Concord (30), Lake Norman Charter (34), West Rowan (42), East Rowan (55), South Rowan (56). There are 59 teams in 3A West.

Robinson   22    6     14    17   — 59

Carson       20    17     18   17   — 72

CARSON scoring — Perry 26, Nieve 13, Drye 11, Martin 10, Mills 7, Walters 5.

•••

MOUNT ULLA — Concord got off to a super start and won 71-56 at West Rowan for a South Piedmont Conference victory.

The Spiders led 22-10 after a quarter. West (5-13, 3-9) played its best ball in the second quarter and closed the gap to 34-27 at halftime, but Concord finished off the win.

Concord (13-7, 8-4) is in the fight for third place in the SPC and completed a season sweep of the seventh-place Falcons. The Spiders won 79-51 at home in December.

The bright spot for West was Evan Kennedy, who made five 3-pointers and tied his career high with 26 points. Ja’mih Tucker added 10 points. Brant Graham made two 3s during the Falcons’ surge in the second quarter.

Concord    22     12     20        17    — 71

West          10       17       15      14    — 56

WEST scoring — Kennedy 26, Tucker 10, Graham 7, Moten 7, Neely 6.

•••

LANDIS — South Rowan played OK in a 71-43 South Piedmont Conference loss to Central Cabarrus.

This wasn’t one of those running-clock blowouts. Seven Raiders scored. Central (10-10, 8-4), one of the teams fighting for third place in the league, grabbed the lead with a solid first quarter, but the middle two quarters were very competitive before South wore down a bit at the end.

“I thought we played very well and was proud of the effort,” South interim head coach Justin Pauley said. “We took our time. We ran the offense.”

Carter Rohletter made three 3-pointers and scored 15 for the Raiders (1-18, 0-12). Mason Long scored seven.

Infinite Morrow scored 18 to lead the Vikings. Cayden Smith made three 3-pointers and scored 15.

Central Cabarrus     20   13   15   23   — 71

South Rowan           8      11   13    11    — 48

SOUTH scoring — Rohletter 15, Long 7, King 6, Moore 6, Overcash 4, Goodman 3, Litteljohn 2.