By DAVE BELCHER
Moapa Valley Progress
The Moapa Valley High School Boys Basketball team is getting into gear to start its season this week. Head Coach Dallas Larsen is excited about his team as they embark on a season without Desert Pines in the Sunrise.
“With Desert Pines in the other side (of the league) it opens the Sunrise so that anyone can win a championship,” Larsen said.
The Pirates should be right in the mix for a playoff berth; something they have missed out on the last few years. The team has four experienced players returning for this season including Dalyn Leavitt, Chase Cruz, Nathaniel Thompson and Cameron Larsen to give the Pirates a good base to build upon.
“We need to beat Virgin Valley, Boulder City and Vo-Tech, then we will see what happens with Chaparral and Del Sol,” Larsen said. “Our goal is to qualify for the playoffs as one of the top four if each league will make it. If we do well in the regional and make state anything can happen.”
Last year the Pirates finished the season 7-19 overall and 4-10 in league play.
The team had a head start to the practice season this year. Customarily the football season for the Pirates continues right up until the State game. But this year’s football team ended its season for the first time in a decade a few days before the start of the basketball season giving them more time for practice and to get the team together.
The Pirates lost last year’s top scorers in Jay Mortensen who averaged 10 points a game, Nate Cox and his 8 points a game. Kolby Frei also graduated taking his 7 points a game with him. The Pirates lost six total from last year’s team.
The Pirates have a busy start to the season as they will have at least six games in the first eleven days. The season starts on Wednesday night at 5:00 pm when the Spring Creek Spartans come to Moapa Valley from the north.
Spring Creek played in the state football championship game a week and a half ago.
The Pirates will then travel to Las Vegas to play in the Lake Mead Holiday Classic on Thursday December 1 and into the weekend. The Moapa team will then host Pahranagat Valley and Rancho on December 6 and 7. On Dec 10 and 11 the Pirates will play in the Bulldog Invitational in Virgin Valley.
This year is going to be exciting as the Pirates return to the hardwood. Go Pirates!
Varsity Basketball Season Schedule
Nov 26 6:30 PM MVHS Alumni
Nov 30 5:00 PM Spring Creek
Dec 01 TBA Lake Mead Christian Tourney
Dec 02 TBA LM Tourney
Dec 03 TBA LM Tourney
Dec 06 7:30 PM Pahranagat
Dec 07 6:30 PM Rancho
Dec 09 TBA Bulldog Invitat.
Dec 10 TBA Bulldog Invitat.
Dec 14 6:30 PM Sunrise Mountain
Dec 16 5:00 PM Mountain View
Dec 26-29 Vegas Invitational
Jan 04 6:30 PM Chaparral
Jan 06 6:30 PM Del Sol
Jan 10 6:30 PM Beaver Dam
Jan 13 6:30 PM Boulder City
Jan 20 7:30 PM Virgin Valley
Jan 23 6:30 PM SECTA
Jan 25 6:30 PM Chaparral
Jan 31 6:30 PM Del Sol
Feb 03 6:30 PM Virgin Valley
Feb 08 6:30 PM SECTA
Feb 10 6:30 PM Boulder City
Feb 14-16 NIAA Regionals
Feb 23-25 NIAA State
Home games in bold
Schedule subject to change without notice
JV Basketball Season Schedule
Dec 07 3:30 PM Rancho
Dec 14 3:30 PM Sunrise Mountain
Dec 16 2:00 PM Mountain View
Jan 04 3:30 PM Chaparral
Jan 06 3:30 PM Del Sol
Jan 10 3:30 PM Beaver Dam
Jan 13 3:30 PM Boulder City
Jan 20 4:30 PM Virgin Valley
Jan 23 5:00 PM SECTA
Jan 25 3:30 PM Chaparral
Jan 31 3:30 PM Del Sol
Feb 03 3:30 PM Virgin Valley
Feb 08 5:00 PM SECTA
Feb 10 3:30 PM Boulder City
Home games in bold
Schedule subject to change without notice
Freshman Basketball Season Schedule
Dec 06 4:30 PM Pahranagat
Dec 07 5:00 PM Rancho
Dec 14 5:00 PM Sunrise Mountain
Jan 04 5:00 PM Chaparral
Jan 06 5:00 PM Del Sol
Jan 13 5:00 PM Boulder City
Jan 20 5:30 PM Virgin Valley
Jan 23 3:30 PM SECTA
Jan 25 5:00 PM Chaparral
Jan 31 5:00 PM Del Sol
Feb 03 5:00 PM Virgin Valley
Feb 08 3:30 PM SECTA
Feb 10 5:00 PM Boulder City
Home games in bold
Schedule subject to change without notice
