By GANNON HANEVOLD
Moapa Valley Progress
Since their season opening victory against Yakima, it’s been an up and down year for the TBL’s Mesquite Desert Dogs. Luckily for the Dogs, they’ve encountered more ups than downs. They stand in fourth place in the league. Holding a previously undefeated home record, Mesquite looked forward to last week’s three game home stand.
On Wednesday, Mesquite hosted the visiting San Diego Waves at Virgin Valley High School. The game was close from the beginning, as the Dogs trailed 28-26 going into the second period. The Waves began pulling away in the second quarter, leading 52-33 with just under five minutes left. It was 60-42 at halftime.
An 8-0 run in the third quarter, capped by a triple by Stephen McCall, brought the game back into contention for the Dogs. They trailed 75-69 going into the fourth quarter.
With eight minutes remaining in regulation, Dushone “Shoney” Brown Jr. of the Desert Dogs scored to tie the game at 79 each. But before Mesquite could call it a comeback, San Diego pulled away. The Waves handed the Desert Dogs their first home loss of the season 103-92. Loyd finished with 28 points, while McCall added 20.
In their second home game of the week, the Desert Dogs played host to the visiting Owensboro Thoroughbreds. In this one, the Dogs outmatched the Thoroughbreds from start to finish. Just four minutes in, Mesquite led 21-3, and carried that momentum for four quarters, totaling 40 points in the first period alone. The final score rounded out at 120-68.
Once again Loyd had a big game. He finished with a triple double, totaling 24 points, ten assists, and twelve rebounds. Meanwhile, University of Nevada alum Tyron Criswell led the team with 27 points and Don Muepo scored 22.
The game of the week came on a Sunday afternoon contest against the number one team in the TBL standings: the Kansas City Tornadoes. Early on, the Tornadoes showed up as advertised. In just the first four minutes, they made five consecutive threes to take a 15-5 lead on the Desert Dogs.
However, Johnathan Loyd’s presence was relentless – picking up hustle plays, reliable mid-range jumpers, and chasing long rebounds.
Loyd, one of the clear fan favorites, took the wheel on offense. He carved space for his own jumpshots while finding teammates for open layups. The Desert Dogs scored twenty unanswered points on an unstoppable run in the first quarter capped off by a Darius Stewart alley oop dunk to make it 25-15.
In the second period, Mesquite simply couldn’t miss. Brandon Mitchell and Tyron Criswell began heating up, while Johnathan Loyd remained unconquered. At halftime, Loyd was one assist shy of his second triple double of the week, and the team led 65-43.
Despite being hobbled by a laundry list of lower body injuries, Loyd was leagues above his opponents in the second half. The Las Vegas native made a three to make it 80-51, and then forward Don Muepo made one of his own to extend the lead to the game-high 32.
Early on in the fourth, Kansas City wasn’t going away. But Shoney Brown drove down the lane for a tomahawk slam to silence the Tornadoes’ final period comeback hopes and spark a short run.
Two possessions later, Johnathan Loyd forced a turnover and ricocheted the ball off of the backboard towards Brandon Mitchell for the play of the game. Mitchell confidently slammed it with two hands and sent the Mesquite crowd into fifteen seconds of brief anarchy.
The Desert Dogs then coasted to a 122-108 victory over the top team in the league, and Loyd claimed 33 points, 15 rebounds, and 13 assists.
The Mesquite Desert Dogs bring a flashy yet effortless brand of basketball to Southern Nevada that is like nothing fans have seen before. Leading the league in points per game and steals per game, a visit to a Desert Dogs game is guaranteed to showcase creative defense, an intimate fan experience, and high-flying highlights for the camcorder too.
Their next home game falls on February 28 at 7:00 PM against the San Diego Waves.
