RALEIGH — Sanderson coach Glenn Frazier wasn’t sure of the final score after the Spartans opened the regular season with a win Monday, but he knew his team shot poorly from the free throw line.

The Spartans jumped out to 16-6 halftime lead and used a huge third quarter to top Cary 45-24 at home, but Frazier was focused on one number -- 37 -- the Spartans’ free throw shooting percentage.

“Overall, I’m OK,” he said. “There’s obviously some work we have to do, especially when it comes to free throws. We left (24) points on the floor, and we can’t do that, especially with some of the players we have. They’re going to go to the basket and they’re going to be fouled.”

Six-foot-one sophomore Bria Gibson led the Spartans with 13 points, and senior Derricka Lewis added 10.

Gibson and Lewis are expected to be big components for Sanderson this year, Frazier said, but the Spartans have a number of players stepping up and filling holes.

“That’s the kind of effort we need to have every night,” Frazier said. “Everyone wants to start the season with a win, and any time you can hold a team to (25) points, you feel good about that.”

The Spartans outscored Cary 20-2 coming out of halftime, but the Imps did not let up, putting up 16 of those points in the fourth quarter to Sanderson’s nine. The Imps were also missing 6-foot-4 junior Azura Stevens, who is out for four to six weeks with a broken fibula.

“Of course Cary is missing a big piece over there and Coach (Patrick) Daly is going to have a good team once he gets that piece back,” Frazier said. “They’re a scrappy team. They don’t lay down for anybody and they’re going to be tough. We had to play. I couldn’t take a break out there and I respect them.”

Turning back to the free throw column on the stat sheet, Frazier said he would take the blame for not spending as much time on free throw shooting leading up to the season. It’s something that could easily change the outcome of a game, but he took solace though in the fact that the problem was one that could be fixed.

“Overall, I thought the ladies put forth a good effort,” Frazier said, “but free throws is something I’ll be harping on for the next few days.”

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