By Marny Hendrick

sports@salisburypost.com

CHINA GROVE — A hot start turned into a disappointing finish for the Carson High School Cougars Friday night as visiting Central Cabarrus roared back in the second half to claim a 77-71 South Piedmont Conference win.

After leading by as many as 17 points in the second quarter, the Cougars (8-8, 4-6 SPC) went stone cold from the field and ultimately had no answer for Viking guard Kyran McClure. The 6-1 senior notched 39 points for the game, including a remarkable 23 of 28 free throws, as Central (7-7, 4-6 SPC) was able to hold off several threats down the stretch.

“I know I have a bunch of resilient guys,” said winning coach Kenyan Weaks, “and they keep playing for me the whole game … McClure is an outstanding player and that is what he does, is take over games at the end.”

Carson blew out to a quick, 17-6 lead in the contest as Cam Prugh and Owen White hits some 3-pointers and Brendan Westbrook controlled the inside. The margin reached 30-17 with just under four minutes left in the first half, when the Vikings started to show signs of life. McClure hit four free throws and a lay-up, then Joe Dorton nailed a long 3-pointer to cut the Cougar lead to 37-30 at halftime.

Central roared out the gate with 12 quick points in the third quarter to surge ahead, 42-37. McClure hit four more fouls shots in the rally while guard Jake Rowden (17 points) exploded for a pair of three-pointers and a lay-up. While the Vikings were piling up points, the Cougars were playing as if the basket had a lid on it. During one sequence in the third period, Carson came up empty on nine straight trips to the basket.

“We were getting good looks and attacking the basket,” Carson coach Brian Perry stated, “but we just could not get our shots to fall with any consistency. We also could not keep up with McClure or keep him off the foul line and that was a big part of the game.”

Despite losing the lead, Carson still kept themselves within striking distance, cutting the lead to two twice during the third period and within three on a couple of occasions in the final quarter. The key sequence came in the final minute of the game when a three-point play by White and a drive by Westbrook cut the margin to 72-69, with about 30 seconds to play.

The Cougars fouled but the clock kept running down to 22 seconds. In the ensuing protest about the remaining time, Carson was whistled for a technical foul and McClure made them pay by dropping in three of four foul shots.

“It is always disappointing to lose,” Perry said. “Like a lot of teams, we play better when we shoot the ball well. We started out good but couldn’t keep it going.”

Five Cougars scored in double figures in the losing effort, led by Westbrook with 15 points and 12 rebounds. White scored 13 points, Prugh and Malon Cutherbertson-Herron had 12 each and Jamarius Hairston added 11.

The Cougars are home again on Tuesday, against East Rowan.

C. Cabarrus (77) — McClure 39, Rowden 17, Dorton 7, Stanley 6, Taylor English 4, Roseboro 2, Atkins 2, Roller, Smith, Whittle, Tyler English, Faulkner.

Carson (71) — Westbrook 15, White, 13, Prugh 12, Herron-Cutherbertson 12, Hairston 11, Williams 6, Bearden 2, Banks.

C. Cabarrus    6  24  24  23 — 77

Carson   17   20  13  21 — 71