MCDERMITT - There's an old saying: it's not how you start, but how you finish. Those words came true for the McDermitt High School boys basketball team on Friday night against Jordan Valley.
The Bulldogs struggled on their home floor, scoring just 16 points in the first half and trailing their rival opponent from Oregon. However, McDermitt flipped on the switch in the second half to come back and win 49-43.
"I wasn't happy with how we came out and played in the first half," said MHS coach Jack Smith. "We just came in slow and I knew we were going to have trouble after the break. Jordan Valley is a quick team and we changed some things up in the second half. It was a quality win for us. We need to find a way to play four quarters."
After falling behind 4-0, Jordan Valley came back with a 9-0 run and led throughout the first half. The Mustangs led by as many as nine points in the first half, when Ellison Tom put back a basket to cut the deficit to seven points. The momentum began to shift when Edgar Reyes hit a 3-pointer at the halftime buzzer to bring the Bulldogs within five points at 21-16.
"We are starting to find our way and I knew it would take some time," Smith said. "The guys are buying in and learning to run the system. Tonight was not as clean as I wanted to be, but it was still a win. The first time we played Jordan Valley was making a lot of shots; they didn't do that tonight. We are doing a lot more with the run and jump press and the guys are running it well. We had to play a lot of zone defense our first few games and I am not one that likes to play zone."
Sonny Crutcher scored the first five points of the second half for McDermitt, but Jordan Valley answered itself to keep the lead at eight points at 29-21. The Bulldogs cut the margin to four points after back-to-back-baskets by Tom and Crutcher.
Saul Lopez cut the Mustangs' lead to 35-32 at the end of the third quarter and McDermitt (6-5) scored the first six points of the fourth quarter to go in front 38-35, and the Bulldogs did not trail again.
Tom scored 14 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter and the senior had 17 of those points in the second half.
"He was the spark we needed," Smith said. "He is capable of doing that. We were running a give-and-go and Jordan Valley could not stop it. We just kept on going to him and he had the hot hand."
Crutcher was also in double figures with 14 points and Lopez netted six. Reyes scored five, TJ Smith four and Alex Rincon one.
The winning ways continued on Saturday as McDermitt went on the road and beat Smith Valley 70-26. The game was played with a running clock in the second half as part of the NIAA 40-point mercy rule.
McDermitt will be back at home tonight to play Pyramid Lake at 7:30 p.m. The Bulldogs won the previous meeting 51-45 in overtime.
"That was the game that turned around our season," Smith said. "That was a good win for us in a tough place to play. It's going to be a good atmosphere to play in."
The Bulldogs begin league play on the road this weekend, beginning with Wells on Friday at 7:30 p.m. McDermitt plays Jackpot on Saturday at 4 p.m.
"From where we have started to where we are now, I am happy with how we have progressed," Smith said. "The guys have got a taste of what they can do and know they can win."
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