Staff report

KANNAPOLIS — Carson’s boys basketball team swished 15 3-pointers on Tuesday, but the Cougars may have been even better on the defensive end.

They shut down A.L. Brown for long stretches with an active 2-3 zone and blew out the Wonders 77-41.

The Wonders (6-4), third-place finishers in the recent Dale’s Sporting Goods Sam Moir Christmas Classic, were missing some key personnel, including Nazir Reaves and Derick Brazil.

Carson freshmen CP Perry, Jacob Mills and Drew Neve have turned heads in recent weeks, but this non-conference rout was keyed by juniors Colin Ball and Jonah Drye.

Ball was a lethal wing shooter in the first half, when the game was decided. Drye was the guy getting the ball to the man with the hot hand.

A.L. Brown played well early. After Ball made two left-wing 3-pointers for a 6-0 lead, the Wonders answered with nine points in a row.

Drye made the 3-pointer that tied it at 9-all. Mills, with Drye assisting, drilled the 3-ball that put Carson ahead to stay.

Ball’s fourth 3-pointer gave the Cougars an 18-13 edge at the end of the first quarter. Carson’s first 18 points came from the 3-point line.

Neve began the second quarter with a personal 7-0 run that bumped the lead to 25-13 in a hurry. Ball made his fifth and sixth 3s for 31-13.

After Drye fed Mills for a 2 and a 3, it was 36-15, and there no longer was any doubt that Carson was going to pound the Wonders for the second time. Carson had won 77-43 in China Grove early in the season. Carson outscored the Wonders 20-2 in the second quarter and led 38-15 at halftime.

Perry is still sore from a hard fall in the Christmas tourney, but he did play because this game possibly could impact whether or not Carson makes the state playoffs. Perry had seven points, seven assists and seven rebounds, with most of his production coming in the second half. Like Mills, who had 14 points and eight rebounds, Perry’s boards were mostly on the offensive end and provided second chances to score.

Ball, who found his outside stroke on the second day of the Christmas tournament, scored a season-high 22. Drye’s nine points came on three triples. He had six assists.

Neve, Maverick Walters and Corbin Hales contributed one 3-pointer each. DJ Williams was an energetic defender.

Chasen Hall and Tristen McBride got late buckets. Hall and Jay McGruder, who successfully battled much taller Wonders inside, had five rebounds each.

Masiah Bennermon and TR Brewer scored 10 each from the Wonders.

Carson              18    20     13     26   — 77

A.L. Brown      13     2       15     11    — 41

CARSON — Ball 22, Mills 16, Drye 9, Neve 9, Perry 7, McGruder 4, Hales 3, Walters 3, Hall 2, McBride 2.

A.L. BROWN — Bennermon 10, Brewer 10, K. Williams 6, Ford 5, Stevenson 4, Ross 2, Adams 2, Hancock 2.