By Jordan Honeycutt
sports@salisburypost.com
CHINA GROVE ó The Carson girls basketball team could have not scored a single point after the first quarter Monday nightńńand they still would not have lost.
Carson led 27-12 at the first intermission and only floored the gas pedal from there.
The 85-27 rout of Statesville was spearheaded by a trademark press defense and three-point shooting.
It would have taken a magnifying glass or microscope to find a blemish on Carsonís performanceńńbut Brooke Misenheimer found one.
ěAs a coach I think you always nitpick at little things in every game,î Misenheimer said.
ěIt doesnít matter who you are playing or what the score is, you always want to find something that can be done better or improved upon and tonight it was our defense, which was terrible in the first half.î
Be that as it may, Statesville did not help its own cause. The hounds struggled mightily against the press with sloppy ballhandling and erratic shooting.
The Cougars also spread the wealth Monday, as five ladies scored in double figures.
Junior Tyesha Phillips led the way with 14 points, while being decked to the floor on seemingly every one of her drives.
Sarrah Holman added 13, Allison Blackwell 12, Kelly Dulkoski 12 and sniper Chloe Monroe drained her obligatory four treys to register 12 points as well.
Another bright spot for the Cougars was the play of the bench.
The reserves, led by Suzanna Stirewaltís seven and Alex Allenís six, scored 20 points most of which were in the fourth quarter.
ěThose girls (reserves) really work hard in practice and they all want to get out there and help any way they can and Iím very proud of them tonight,î Misenheimer said.
To see the discrepancy between the two schools, you really need to look no farther than age.
Carson is junior and senior ladened with many girls who have a on of game experience , while Statesville is a remade squad mostly consisting of freshmen and sophomores as well as new head coach Adrienne Long.
ěWe have so many young girls and we are just trying to rebuild right now and we realize it will take some time, but we will just take from this what we can work on better and hopefully learn from it,î Long said.
Carson now gets ready for an ever-important conference battle with crosstown rival South Rowan on Wednesday.
STATESVILLE (27) ó Wright 12, Hairston 7, Padgett 3, Turner 3, Elliott 2, Hardig, McKinney, Harrison, Lewis, Walls.
CARSON (85) ó Phillips 14, Holman 13, Blackwell 12, Dulkoski 12, Monroe 12, Stirewalt 7, Allen 6, Cole 4, Barringer 3, Parks.
Statesville 12 09 01 05 ó 27
Carson 27 23 21 14 ó 85