Price delivers knockout for Carson

His 3-point play powers CHS to 2-OT slugfest win

RENO — The dream is still alive.

Carson High, thanks to a key three-point play from Cameron Price and two free throws by Jayden DeJoseph, grabbed a 49-45 double-overtime win over Bishop Manogue Tuesday night in a critical Sierra League boys basketball game.

Carson improved to 12-3 and Manogue fell to 10-5. Carson, which hasn’t won a league title since 2003, closes out its season at home Friday against Douglas, while co-leader Galena plays Damonte. If Carson wins, it can gain the No. 1 seed via the NIAA tie-breaker rule if Manogue knocks off Wooster, or if Galena loses to Damonte Ranch. By virtue of the win, Carson did clinch at no worse a No. 2 seed and a first-round home playoff game next Tuesday.

This one was a classic. Carson never led in the fourth quarter or first overtime, yet managed to scratch out the win.

“This was like a heavyweight fight, Foreman and Ali,” Carson coach Carlos Mendeguia said after congratulating his team. “I knew coming in we’d be up against it. They (Manogue) wanted second place and needed the win tonight to get it.”

No more than four points separated the teams the entire night. It was a chess match throughout with Mendeguia and Manogue’s Ralph Fields matching wits.

Manogue had a chance to win in regulation, but came up empty, and Carson had a chance to win it at the end of the first overtime, but Kyle Steele’s shot was off the iron, leaving the teams deadlocked at 38. Mendeguia said the Miners took away his first option at the end of the first overtime, which forced Steele to hoist up a 20-footer.

Carson led twice in the second overtime, but each time the Senators went ahead, the Miners answered. The second one was tough to swallow, as Derek Novsek was able to follow in his own missed shot to tie the game at 43 with 2:03 left in the second OT.

Price came up with his three-point play, which put the Senators ahead to stay, 46-43, with 1:36 remaining.

“I don’t remember the play that well,” Price said. “I just found an opening.”

“They were playing a 1-2-2,” Mendeguia said. “I knew they would jump it after Jayden’s shot (3-pointer). We ran a slip screen to Cameron.. That’s why we waited until the second time through, and we wanted to take it to the basket.”

On the ensuing possession, Novsek forced up a 3-pointer, hoping to draw foul. The airball gave Carson possession back. The Senators worked the clock down to 24.3 when DeJoseph was fouled. He made one of two to make it 47-43. After Zack Teats missed from the right corner, Price was fouled. The Senators’ star forward missed the front end of a one-and-one, giving the Miners some life. Manogue missed twice on the next possession, but Elijah Taylor followed in the second miss to make it 47-45 with 5 seconds left.

Carson inbounded the ball to DeJoseph, who was promptly fouled. The 6-4 sophomore calmly drained both shots to ice the contest. He admitted to some nerves after the game.

“A little bit,” he said. “We had to win to keep first place.

“We were trying to play smart basketball and not turn the ball over.”

Price and Asa Carter carried the team offensively through the first three quarters. Carter had all 17 of his points in that span, while Price had 10 of his 16. Manogue led by one after one quarter (15-14) and trailed 21-19 at the half.

The game was tied at 31 after three quarters.

Novsek, who scored 13, got loose for a 3-pointer at the outset of the fourth quarter to give the Miners a 34-31 lead.

After Price hit one of two at the line, Just DeGeus scored on a layup to make it 36-32 with 4:54 left in regulation. Carson fought back to tie the game at 36 on two Price free throws and Carter’s tear drop. Manogue worked the clock down to 9.6, but was unable to win the game.

Teats gave the Miners a 38-36 lead in the first overtime, but Tez Allen (9 points) evened the game with a nice left-handed shot in the lane. After a Manogue turnover, Carson had a chance to win on Steele’s shot which went off the rim.