Pirates Beat Sky Pointe, Lose To Chaparral

By DAVE BELCHER

Moapa Valley Progress

The Moapa Valley High School Boys Basketball team finished with a 1-1 record in league play last week as they hosted both Sky Pointe and Chaparral.

On Wednesday, the Pirates beat Sky Pointe 69-33 to help their league record reach 3-0. It was steady, solid play throughout the game that took them to victory.

Sky Pointe started with the first basket of the game. Moapa Valley could not score from the outside to start with as the shots were missing. Strong offensive rebounding helped them with easy baskets under the rim before a Eagle turnover ignited the Pirate fast break and a layup.

The Pirates led 8-6 with 3:20 to play in the first half. Then they started to pull away, pushing the ball inside to Pirate senior, Josh Cox on the low post where he hit short jumpers. Moapa Valley had a 12-6 lead with a minute to play in the first quarter. Sky Pointe would make a long 3-pointer at the buzzer for a 14-9 Pirate lead.

It was the same for the second quarter as the Pirates pushed to an 11-point lead by halftime.

Lucas Walker, who led the Pirates scoring with 22-points of his own, helped push the team’s lead in the third quarter. Moapa Valley went on a 25-9 run burying the Eagles. The Pirates finally finished with a 15-6 run in the fourth. Houston Neilson scored 13 while Cox added 12.

On Friday night the Pirates were beaten by the Chaparral Cowboys, 63-55. The Cowboys blew out to a 20-11 lead in the first quarter.

But Moapa scored the first basket with a Kashten Frei layup. Chaparral would tie the game, then take the lead 3-2 with a free throw. They would extend the lead with an open three on the next trip down the floor. They would add a three for an 11-2 lead midway through the first.

Chaparral was getting offensive rebounds and converting.
The second half slowed down for the Cowboys as they struggled on offense. The Pirates would out-score the Cowboys 12-8 to cut the lead to five points by halftime.
Chap came out in the second half and dominated the Pirates with a 24-5 quarter. Moapa Valley tried to come back in the fourth as they made a run 27-11 but fell short with the final score of 63-55.

Derek Reese was the leading scorer for the Pirates with 14-points. Lucas Walker scored 13 and Cameron Reese added 10. Chaparral’s Sameal Anderson led everyone with 17-points while Delonte Allen scored 14.

The Pirates will host Sunrise Mountain on Thursday.