Sanderson boys basketball
Click here for highlights from Sanderson's 84-66 win over Panther Creek.
Spartans pummel Panther Creek
Carter drops in 30 points against Catamounts; James adds 20
It's hard to think of a better way for the Sanderson boys basketball team to head into this week's Cap-7 Conference opener with Wakefield than Monday's 84-66 romp of Panther Creek.
Led by a the lengthy duo of Chris Carter and Matt James, who combined to scored 50 points — 30 and 20, respectively — the Spartans looked very much like a conference contender.
They were especially dominant in the second half, abusing the Catamounts for 24 points in the third quarter and another 24 in the fourth. Carter cashed in 21 points in the final half, converting several easy buckets in transition.
The Spartans' set the pace, getting up and down the court at break-neck speed, and seemingly grew stronger as the game went on.
But Sanderson head coach Mike Shaw quickly put his squad in place following the victory, explaining in the locker room "our season begins tomorrow in practice."
With the victory, the Spartans improve 5-1 this season, and Sanderson has already corrected its lone blemish, knocking off Southeast Raleigh in their rematch.
However, those are non-conference results, and Thursday's league game at Wakefield is for keeps.
Shaw later offered some perspective on how far the Spartans have grown in a single year.
"Last year we only won six games, and only two at home," he recalled. "This year, we already have three wins here."
What's the different — well, besides the obvious play of James and Carter together?
Shaw explained it's the squad's team-oriented approach.
"A lot of it is just chemistry and guys enjoy being around each other. And it hasn't always been like that around here," he said. "I think these guys appreciate each other and it doesn't really matter to them who gets the spotlight and who gets the credit as long as they're winning, they're happy."
In fact, prior to Monday's practice, Carter explained the Spartans feel very much like brothers.
The Spartans' togetherness might explain why when the Catamounts jumped ahead by seven points, 13-6, early in the first quarter, they didn't panic.
And it was the Sanderson supporting cast which came through in the tight spot.
Gloire Bongo stepped off the bench to hit two treys — his only points of the game — and the Spartans closed out the quarter on a 10-2 run, never trailing again.
Panther Creek hung close in the second quarter, but as the first half came to an end, Sanderson's strength on the boards came into play. Three times in the final two minutes — twice James, and once Carter — the Spartans rebounded a miss and converted a point-blank lay-up.
When Carter added his putback just before the halftime buzzer, Sanderson took a 36-32 advantage heading into intermission.
In the third, the Spartans opened the game wide-open, attacking the rim at will. Carter scored 11 points in the third alone, and Franklin Wolfe tacked on two three-pointers, pushing the Spartans' lead to 60-51.
Midway through the fourth, the game's outcome had been decided, with the help of a Kevin Black three-pointer and a three-point play.
While two players scored 58 percent of Sanderson's points, the Spartans' performance wasn't just James and Carter. (Though the tandem planned well off one another with James often driving toward the bucket, drawing defenders and kicking it to a wide-open Carter.
Check out our highlight reel to see what it looks like up close.)
Wolfe finished with 11, Black tacked on eight and Bongo and Chris Lampkins added six points apiece.
Powered by a solid shooting performance, Javonte Rankin led the Catamounts with 17 points. Karim Sako added 11.
The Spartans have two days off before heading to 6-1 Wakefield Thursday, Dec. 10. Tip off is slated for 7 p.m.
