By Dave Belcher
Moapa Valley Progreess
The Boys basketball team endured a long week in which they played a total of six games; two on Saturday, the last being against arch-rival Virgin Valley. The team finished the week going three and three.
The first challenge started at Chaparral High School in Las Vegas on Monday night. The Cowboys are supported by 6’8” center Kirschblam who scored 24 points against the smaller Pirates. The final was 61-45.
Chaparral jumped out to an 11 point first quarter lead as they scored 23 points in the quarter to Moapa’s 12. They extended the lead by four more by the half at 36-21. Moapa scored 8 in the third to Chap’s 15 Then Chap coasted to the 61-45 final.
Hayden Cooper lead the team in scoring with 10 points. Josh Thompson, Casen Lewis and Milas Sendlein each had 7. Shane Terril, Geof Hilton and Danny Kincade each had 4.
On Tuesday night the Pirates returned to Las Vegas where they played at Silverado High School and were beaten again 63-54. Again the Pirates started slow as they scored 10 points to Silverado’s 19 in the first quarter. Hayden Cooper scored over half of the total points for the Pirates as he scored 29. Moapa stayed even with the Skyhawks the rest of the game. If it hadn’t been for a first quarter slow start this one could have had a different outcome.
On Thursday night the Pirates played their only home game of the week when they took on the Sunrise Mountain Miners the newest 4A school in Vegas.
Moapa took a 15-11 lead in the first quarter. Lewis, Thompson and Terril each connected on “3”s in the quarter.
Moapa then scored 18 in the second to increase their lead to 12 by the half. Then continued to extend it to 20 at the 2:39-2:41 when Cooper’s layup rolled around the rim two and a half times before falling though. Moapa concluded the third by out-scoring the miners 17-10 lead by Coopers eight points in the quarter.
In the fourth, no one coasted as each team scored 21 points. At one time the Moapa lead was 23 before they finished at 19 with a 71-52 victory. This was the best performance by the Pirate team this season that carried through the whole game.
Lewis led the Pirates this time with 18 points followed by Cooper’s 15, Thompson and Terril each had 11.
Friday night the Pirates travelled to Mesquite for the Bulldog Invitational where their first opponent was Mojave High School also from Vegas. Mojave won a close battle 57-53. The Rattlers took a 16-11 lead after the first.
In each loss up until then the Pirates have been out scored in the first. Huh.
Moapa came back in the second to trail by one at 24-23 at the half. Then trailed by four after the third quarter 39-35. Cooper lead the Pirates for the game with 15 while Lewis scored 13. Sendlein had 7 while Weiss and Thompson each had 5.
An evenly scored fourth quarter gave the Rattlers their victory 57-53.
On Saturday the Pirates went back to Mesquite to play a double header. The first was against Enterprise Utah which the Pirates handled fairly well.
After a first quarter 13-8 lead, Moapa scored 24 in the third to the Wolves 10 which was the difference in the outcome a 65-51 Pirate victory.
It was Josh Thompson leading Moapa with 16 points. Casen Lewis had 15 while Hayden Cooper chipped in 12 as the Pirates earned the right to face Virgin Valley for fifth place.
This match didn’t mean too much as far as the league standings are concerned, but it meant a lot for the pride and bragging rights for all Pirates in the world.
Moapa busted out on top with a 14-12 first quarter lead. Then only three points for the second quarter doomed the Pirates as Virgin Valley scored 13. Moapa couldn’t make up the difference in scoring. 12 and 15 the final two quarters to Virgin Valley’s 13 and 11.
The Dawgs won the first battle 49-44 and fifth place in the Bulldog Invitational.
Thompson again led the Pirates in scoring with 12. Cooper had 9 while Lewis finished with 7.
The rest of the tournament finished like this: Basic won the thing with a 46-45 win over Desert Oasis. Shadow ridge beat Mohave 54-51 for third.
