WINNEMUCCA - There was a little less weight on the backs of the McDermitt High School boys basketball team after returning back home from Elko as the Northern 1A champions.
The Bulldogs (22-6) had been eliminated from the regional playoffs the last two seasons by Smith Valley, but that was not going to happen again this season. McDermitt threw the 600-pound gorilla off its back on Thursday, Feb. 16, routing Smith Valley 66-29 and erasing the bad memories of the past.
"We had to get that Smith Valley game off our back," said MHS head coach Lowell Egan. "There was a feeling of relief after the game, even though it was just the quarterfinal game, because that team has caused us so much pain in the past. We gained control early and our bench came in and didn't miss a beat."
McDermitt continued that momentum into the weekend and earned a trip to the state tournament with a 74-60 win over Coleville (Calif.), the No. 2 seed from the Western 1A on Friday, Feb. 17. The Bulldogs capped off the tournament in style with a come-from-behind 78-64 win over long-time rival Owyhee in the championship game on Saturday. The Braves upset Virginia City, the top-seeded team out of the Western 1A, setting up a fourth meeting with the Bulldogs.
McDermitt held Smith Valley to seven points or less in the first three quarters in building a 48-19 advantage, leaving no doubt there would be no upset this year. McDermitt had eight different players score, including three in double figures, and was dominant in the rebounding category with 60 (26 offensive).
Smith Valley finally reached double figures in a quarter in the fourth, but McDermitt continued to pull away in the final eight minutes.
Justin Fettic posted a double-double with 14 points and 14 rebounds to go with five steals, two assists and two blocks. LeRon Tom added 14 points, four assists and three steals. Frankie Hill was the last McDermitt player in double figures, scoring 13, which included three 3-point shots. The Bulldogs were on fire from the 3-point line, going 8-for-13 (62 percent) on the day.
Sonny Crutcher picked up seven points and three steals, Ian Hinkey six points and seven rebounds and Victor Gomez and Josh Harrer five points each. Tyler Coble scored just two points but did his damage on the boards with 18 rebounds (six offensive).
After getting through the first round, McDermitt still needed to pick up one more win to punch its ticket to the state tournament. The Wolves came in with a 10-2 record in league play and led by a point after a quarter of play, but it was all Bulldogs after that.
"Coleville has some good athletes, but we were fired up with a trip to state on the line," Egan said. "It's tough for our opponents to key on one or two guys because we help each other get open looks."
Trailing 16-15 after eight minutes of play, McDermitt scored 21 points in each of the next two quarters to stretch out its advantage to 15 points at 57-42. The Wolves came back to outscore the Bulldogs by a point in the fourth period but it was not enough, as McDermitt sealed the win. The Bulldogs earned the trip to the state tournament for the first time since 2002, when the Bulldogs won the 1A championship and Egan was a player.
"Our key on defense was to turn Coleville into a jump-shooting team," said the coach. "They made a few, but we liked our chances if they had to shoot contested long two's every time down."
Fettic and Tom led the Bulldogs with 24 and 21 points, respectively, while Harrer joined his teammates in double figures with 13. Gomez added seven, Hill four and Coble three. Fettic finished with a double-double, adding 14 rebounds, and Tom contributed five steals.
Owyhee has shown at times this season that it can become a dangerous team when it shoots well from the field, especially from behind the 3-point line. That is what happened when the Bulldogs met their rival for a fourth time this year.
McDermitt held a four-point advantage, 21-17, after the first quarter, but Owyhee took the lead going into the fourth period. The Braves led by six points at one time in the final quarter before the Bulldogs ended the game on a 25-5 run.
"We felt like Owyhee played as well as they possibly could have," added the coach. "They nearly played perfect through the first three quarters. Their shooting was better than usual, so we had to make an adjustment. Once we made the adjustment and tightened up on their shooters, we finished the game on a 25-5 run."
Behind five 3-point field goals from Tom, the senior paced the Bulldogs with 26 points to go along with five assists, three steals and a block. McDermitt made 11 3-point shots on the night.
Fettic collected 15 points and nine rebounds, while Harrer and Hill scored 12 and 11, respectively. Hinkey added nine points, Coble and Gomez two each and Ellison Tom one.
McDermitt will face Pahranagat Valley, the defending 1A state champions, today at 4 p.m. at Lawlor Events Center in Reno in the semifinals of the NIAA 1A State Basketball Championships presented by the Las Vegas Review-Journal and Farmers Insurance.
Spring Mountain upset Pahranagat Valley 49-47 to win the Southern 1A championship last Saturday at Durango High School in Las Vegas. Spring Mountain faces Owyhee today at 12:40 p.m. at Lawlor Events Center.
The state championship is set for Saturday at 12:45 p.m.
"Our teams play such different styles, we'll see who can dictate the tempo of the game," Egan said of Pahranagat Valley. "They are the defending champs and we know we will be put to the test. We must limit our turnovers and attack the basket. If we settle for too many jump shots, it could be a long night."
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