BATTLE MOUNTAIN - The Battle Mountain High School varsity boys basketball team could not overcome two slow starts this past weekend, leading to a pair of home losses to Lahontan League schools.
The Longhorns (9-5) lost to Yerington 52-45 on Friday and to Rite of Passage 62-57 on Saturday afternoon.
"Both games can be summed up this way - we played a horrible first quarter, getting down big - then a furious comeback bid in the second half to fall just short at the end," said BMHS head coach Roger Wallock. "We absolutely need to do something different before games to get us ready to play in the first quarter."
Yerington scored the first six points on Friday before Kyle Bryant gave Battle Mountain its first points of the night two minutes into the game. The Lions used back-to-back 3-point field goals to go on a 12-0 run and lead 18-2. The Longhorns cut into the deficit with baskets by Marco Rangel and Bryant in the final 25 seconds of the opening period.
Battle Mountain's zone defense gave Yerington troubles, as the Lions continued to shoot 3-point field goals for most of the night while missing a majority of them.
The Longhorns finished off a 7-0 run at the start of the second quarter on a free throw by James Willingham and a put back by Ryan Salazar to close the gap to 18-9. Yerington did not give up on the 3-point shot, making three more in the second quarter to go quickly back to a 30-13 advantage with 1:10 left in the first half.
Battle Mountain trailed by 15 points at halftime but slowly crept back into the game with a 10-2 run to start the third quarter. Jeremy Price started the second half with a 3-point field goal and scored the Longhorns' first seven points to trim the Lions' lead to 34-27.
Yerington answered back with the final four points of the third period and opened the fourth quarter with a 3-point field goal to up the lead to 41-27. That was the first of three consecutive 3-point shots for the teams, as Salazar came back down the floor to hit one for the Longhorns. The Lions came right back with another long-distance shot of their own to lead 44-30.
Price hit two more 3-point field goals to cut the Yerington lead to 47-40 with 3:08 to play, while Bryant and Salazar followed with baskets to cut the deficit to 49-44. That was as close as the Longhorns got, as the Lions made 3-of-4 free throws in the closing seconds to hold on for the win.
Marco Rangel posted a double-double for Battle Mountain with 11 points and 14 rebounds. The senior also added four steals and four blocks.
Price led the Longhorns with 16 points; Bryant added seven, Salazar five, Dwight Douglas three, Daniel Itza two and Willingham one. Bryant and Price had four and three assists, respectively.
"Marco Rangel was absolutely tough in both games and seems to be getting a feel for scoring on the low post," Wallock said.
Saturday was a carbon copy of the night before as Rite of Passage started off quickly in the first quarter with a 17-7 lead before Battle Mountain came back in the second half.
The Rams led 32-22 at halftime, but the Longhorns used a 19-9 run in the third quarter to tie the game at 41-41 entering the final eight minutes of play.
Rite of Passage was able to grab control in the fourth quarter and handed Battle Mountain its third consecutive loss.
Rangel finished with another double-double with 20 points and 14 rebounds to go with four blocks.
Price and Salazar were also in double figures with 16 and 11 points, respectively. Itza finished with seven points and four assists, Willingham two points and Bryant one point. Price was scoreless in the contest but had five assists and two steals.
Battle Mountain plays host to Pershing County on Friday at 7:30 p.m. and travels to Silver Stage on Saturday for a 4:30 p.m. tip. The Longhorns open Ruby Mountain League play on Tuesday at Elko beginning at 7:30 p.m.
"Our schedule from here on out is too tough to give any of our opponents a double-digit head start," Wallock said. "On a positive note, I think the second halves of both games were the best basketball, with the most intensity that we have played all year."
[[In-content Ad]]
