MCDERMITT - It wasn't as easy as it was the first time around, but the McDermitt High School girls basketball team will gladly take a sweep over rival Pyramid Lake.
The Lady Bulldogs (9-3) used an 18-0 run in the first half to erase a two-point deficit, only to see the Lakers hang around in the second half on the strength of a full-court press. Pyramid Lake closed within seven points in the fourth quarter, but it was not enough as McDermitt won 54-44.
"We just got complacent in the second half," said MHS coach Jaimi Wilkinson. "We did not break the press very well and panicked. I wanted to take a timeout a couple times, but I wanted to see how the girls would react and if they could play through it. If it was a league, I probably would have called time out."
Pyramid Lake grabbed a 6-4 advantage in the first quarter, but went without a field goal for more than 10 minutes in the first half. Trailing by two points, McDermitt scored the next 18 points in a stretch that went in to the second period.
Va Draunidalo began the spurt with a 17-foot jump shot and Andrea Smart added the next six points, three on free throws and three more on a long-range shot. Smart finished the night with 14 points.
"Andrea is playing well right now," Wilkinson said. "She stepped up tonight. She is tough to stop when she is hitting that outside shot. It's a nice luxury to have, when there are five girls that can score in double figures. If one is having an off game, another girl steps up."
The Lady Bulldogs finished the opening eight minutes on a 10-0 run to lead 14-6. McDermitt then added the first eight points of the second quarter, with five of those coming from Lydia Northrup. The Lakers stopped the run with a free throw and made their first field goal of the second quarter with 2:11 remaining to play. McDermitt eventually led 26-13 at the break.
"I thought we played well in the first half," said the coach. "We did a good job of not letting Pyramid Lake get in to their stuff."
McDermitt led by 16 points in the third quarter on two different occasions, the last at 35-19 off a bucket by Smart. However, the Lakers put on a full-court press that forced McDermitt in to a handful of turnovers. Pyramid Lake closed the gap to within eight points at the start of the fourth quarter, but could not get any closer.
"It wasn't the way I wanted to see us end the game, but its still a 10-point win," Wilkinson said. "I still have to look at it and say that we beat one of the better teams in the West (Division) twice this season."
Deandra Dave and Northrup led McDermitt with 15 points each and Draunidalo had two. Adrie Smart and Krissy Long contributed two points apiece.
McDermitt opens league on the road this weekend, starting at Wells tonight at 6 p.m. The Lady Bulldogs travel to Jackpot on Saturday for a 2:30 p.m. tip.
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