University of Redlands 6-7 junior Carson Sofro from Ketchum was named tournament Most Valuable Player as the Bulldogs (9-2) won their second annual holiday tournament 172-107 over La Sierra University Thursday night at Currier Gym in Redlands, Ca.
Sofro, a 2001 Community School graduate, scored a career-high 34 points on 12-for-20 field goal shooting including 10 3-pointers. Sofro added a team-best 7 rebounds for the game, and did it all in just 13 minutes of action for the deep Bulldogs, who had 21 players see action.
His 10 3-pointers were good for second place on the all-time Redlands single-game men's basketball scoring list, tied with a relative, Jeff Sofro.
One of three players in the modified post position for Redlands, Sofro in 11 games is averaging 13.8 ppg, second-best for the Bulldogs. His field goal average is 42%, and Sofro is shooting 42-107 from 3-point range for a 39% rate. He averages 15 minutes a game.
Last year for the 14-12 Bulldogs, Sofro knocked down 38 3-pointers and averaged over 5.0 ppg. This year, Sofro (5.6 rebounds per game) is the leading Redlands rebounder with 62—36 on the offensive boards.
Up-tempo Redlands is averaging 147.2 points per and yielding 132.2 ppg for 34th-year coach Gary Smith. Its offensive attack is based around the 3-pointer. They've made 280 3-pointers (25.5 per game) and taken 820 3-pointers in just 11 games. In contrast, opposing teams are 49-164 from the arc.
In another words, Redlands attempts an average 75 3-pointers each game.
The real test for Redlands will come starting today, Wednesday, when the Bulldogs open their 2005 SCIAC league schedule against Pomona-Pitzer at Currier Gym.
Sofro scored 388 points for a school-record 18.5 ppg for the Cutthroats his senior year at the Sun Valley high school. He only made 18 3-pointers that season, but since has developed his outside shooting touch.