MCDERMITT - Despite playing shorthanded with just one regular starter on the floor, the McDermitt High School boys basketball team battled with Crane, Ore., in its season opener on Wednesday night.
The Bulldogs led 22-19 at halftime, but ran in to foul trouble in the second half, scoring just 12 points as the Mustangs went on to claim the 47-34 victory. McDermitt was missing a handful of players due to disciplinary issues.
"We were playing with a young team out there," said MHS coach Jack Smith. "We had just one starter out there. The kids played tough. We got in to big foul trouble and had some injuries at the end. It was nice that those guys got minutes."
McDermitt fell behind 4-0 in the first two minutes of the game, but answered with seven straight points, beginning with a steal and layup by Kyon Egan. Sonny Crutcher followed with an old-fashioned 3-point play and Egan closed out the spurt with a jump shot to give the Bulldogs a 7-4 advantage.
Crane turned the tables on McDermitt and countered with an 8-0 run to go back in front, when Egan provided McDermitt with a spark with a 3-point shot with seven seconds left in the quarter to cut the margin to 12-10.
Crutcher began the second quarter with a 3-point field goal to put the Bulldogs back up 13-12. Both clubs traded buckets for much of the period, when Crutcher knocked down a 3-pointer late in the first half to give McDermitt a 22-18 lead.
Neither team could pull away in the third quarter, with the two schools trading baskets once again. Edgar Reyes hit a running jump shot to put McDermitt in front 25-23, but Crane came back with four straight points to go up by two points. Crutcher hit a short jumper to tie the game at 27, but the Bulldogs' foul trouble began to add up, shortly afterward. Reyes fouled out with 51 seconds left in the third quarter.
Crane led 30-29 after three quarters of play and didn't give the advantage the rest of the way. The Mustangs opened a nine-point lead at 39-30, when Duane Horse countered with a basket, but seconds later Crutcher fouled out of the game with 3:01 left to play. Also hampering the Bulldogs was Egan missing time in the final eight minutes with a cramp in his leg and Troy Mckee had to leave the game with a leg injury as well.
McDermitt scored just two points in the final three minutes, as Crane closed out the night with an 8-2 run.
"Between foul trouble and injuries, we were running out of guys to put out there," Smith said. "We were running out of steam at the end. I got to get them in better shape. Tonight was what I expected. I thought we did a good job."
Crutcher paced McDermitt with 15 points and Egan added nine, all of those in the first half, including seven in the first quarter. Horse added four points, Reyes two and Alec Dave and McKee had one point each.
McDermitt traveled to Jordan Valley, Ore., on Thursday for its first road game of the year and results were not available at press time.
The Bulldogs travel to Virginia City next week for the Comstock Classic, beginning on Thursday. McDermitt is scheduled to play Virginia City, Round Mountain, Pahranagat Valley and Coleville, Calif.
McDermitt will have its full lineup for the Comstock Classic.
"We will get them on the floor and it will make a difference for us," Smith said. "It might take them a little time to get going at the pace that they can play."[[In-content Ad]]
