Bachmann leads Carson to win

Coach Nate Tolbert has been looking for other players to step up and complement Savannah Smith at the offensive end of the court.

On Tuesday, Carly Bachmann answered the call.

Bachmann scored all 14 of her points in the first 13 minutes of the game to spark Carson to an early eight-point lead, and the Senators coasted to a 65-37 win over McQueen in a Division I crossover game at Morse Burley Gym.

Carson improved to 3-2 in Division I play and evened its overall record at 7-7 heading into Friday’s (5:15 start) game at Damonte Ranch.

“I’ve been saying all along that we need other girls to score besides Savannah,” Tolbert said. “I think almost everybody that played scored tonight. That was good to see. We need other people to be offensive threats.

“Carly can score. She’s always been more of a distributor; trying to set up her teammates. She is too selfless.”

Bachmann scored 14 of Carson’s first 17 points of the contest, staking the Senators to a 17-9 advantage. Carson’s only other points in that stretch came from Smith (field goal) and Madison Preston.

“That’s just how I was,” Bachmann said. “I’ve always been defense first. When we were down in Southern California, I saw what other players (on other teams) were doing. I was always afraid of getting my shot blocked. The coaches have been telling me to take more shots. Savannah has been banged up, so I knew I had to step up a little more.”

Carson watched McQueen cut the lead to 28-22 with 6:16 left in the third quarter, as Bachmann picked up her fourth foul. Bachmann and Gina Peacock were plagued by foul trouble throughout the contest.

The Senators answered with an 18-2 run over the next four-plus minutes to grab a 46-24 lead. McQueen went 0-for-3 and turned the ball over three times during the Carson barrage.

Smith, who tied Bachmann for high scoring honors with 14, started the surge with two quick baskets. Lindy Lehman and Michelle Perry started with layups, and McQueen ended the 8-0 run with two free throws by Haley Webbert (13 points).

Carson bounced right back with a 10-0 run, as Natali Salas contributed a basket and two free throws, while Smith, Lehman and Kayla Aikins contributed a basket apiece.

McQueen went on a 7-0 run to make it 46-31 before Perry buried a buzzer-beating triple to give CHS a 49-31 lead after three periods.

The Senators used an 8-1 run to stretch their lead to 25, 57-32, midway through the final period. Smith had six of the points and Abi Greene chipped in two free throws. Greene gave CHS its biggest lead of the night (28 points) with her only basket of the game.

Carson did turn the ball over 21 times.

“We made a commitment to run the offense, but we didn’t always run it through,” Tolbert said. “Basketball is a game of ups and down and run. It’s not practical that you’re going to play the whole game without a letdown although we try.”

NOTES: Of the 12 players suited up, nine scored. Perry finished with nine, while Salas and Preston added eight apiece. Preston had missed the last six games with an ankle injury suffered before Carson trip to Southern California ... The Senators shot a respectable 43 percent from the field.