BATTLE MOUNTAIN - The Battle Mountain High School junior varsity boys basketball team started slowly Friday at home against Pershing County and could not recover, as the Mustangs won 49-19.
The Longhorns scored just six points in the first half, as the Mustangs built a 21-6 advantage at the break. David DeAndreis tied the game at 2-2 for Battle Mountain, but Pershing County scored the final five points of the opening period to lead 7-2.
The Longhorns cut the deficit to 9-4 on free throws by DeAndreis and Damion Wilson before the Mustangs countered with a 3-point field goal. Ismael Encinas trimmed the deficit to 12-6 with 3:30 left in the half, but that was the final points for the Longhorns in the first half.
Pershing County answered with the final nine points of the half and the first three points of the third quarter to build a 24-6 lead.
Jacob Johnson and DeAndreis followed with back-to-back baskets to cut the deficit to 14 points at 24-10, but that was as close as Battle Mountain got the rest of the night.
Pershing County came back with a 15-0 run to go up 39-10, but a basket by Jesse Jones stopped the spurt.
The Mustang advantage grew to 47-14 late in the fourth quarter, before Hunter Naveran gave the Longhorns their first field goal of the period on a 3-point shot.
Jones led Battle Mountain with six points, while DeAndreis added four and Naveran three. Encinas and Johnson each scored two and Worth Nelson and Damion Wilson one apiece.
The Longhorns traveled to Silver Springs on Saturday to take on Silver Stage. They were scheduled to open Ruby Mountain League play on Tuesday in Elko. Results were not available for either game at press time.
The Longhorns play host to Lowry on Friday and travel to Spring Creek on Tuesday for a pair of 4:30 p.m. games.
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