MCDERMITT — The McDermitt High School girls basketball team used a quick start and a strong finish to claim its first win of the season against Crane, Ore., on Tuesday night in McDermitt.
The Lady Bulldogs began the contest with a 7-0 run and then outscored the Mustangs 16-9 in the final eight minutes to earn the 51-45 victory.
The duo of Precious Masters and Krissy Long combined for the first seven points. Masters, a sophomore, had three free throws, while the veteran senior, Long put back two missed shots off rebounds. Crane went scoreless for the firs three minutes of the contest, before knocking down a 3-point shot. That was quickly countered by back-to-back 3-point field goals by Jasmine Northrup and Masters to push the advantage to double figures at 13-3.
Crane closed the gap to 15-10 at the end of the first quarter, with seven points in the final 1:34 of the period. Morissa Bitt started the second quarter with a layup, but McDermitt went scoreless in the final four minutes of the first half. The Mustangs ended the second quarter on a 13-2 run to lead 23-21 at halftime.
The Lady Bulldogs came out of the break with six points, including a layup from Long and a steal and a basket by Masters in a 10-second span. McDermitt’s four point lead quickly went away, as Crane countered with six straight points to go back in front 29-27.
Masters and Long pushed the Lady Bulldogs back in front on a couple occasions late in the third quarter, but the Mustangs still held a 26-35 lead going into the fourth quarter. Masters and Long accounted for all 14 McDermitt points in the third quarter.
A layup by Northrup gave McDermitt the lead for good at 39-38 early in the fourth quarter, but a 5-point play sealed the win. Smart was fouled as she made a basket, but missed the free throw. However, the junior collected her own rebound and knocked down a 3-point shot moments later to give the Lady Bulldogs a 44-38 lead with 5:37 to play.
Crane closed the gap to within three points at 46-23 with 2:45 to play, only to see Masters bank in a 3-point field goal on McDermitt’s next possession. The Lady Bulldogs had a chance to put the contest away earlier, but were 0-for-10 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter.
Masters led McDermitt with 20 points, Long added 15 points and Smart had seven. Northrup contributed five points and Megan Sam and Bitt had two points apiece.
Lady Bulldogs fall in opener
McDermitt opened its season on Wednesday, Nov. 30, in Jordan Valley, Ore., and lost 54-45. Jordan Valley held McDermitt to just on field goal in the first quarter and raced out to a 14-3 lead. Smart had all three points in the first eight minutes for the Lady Bulldogs.
McDermitt started to find its offense in the second quarter, but still trailed 26-13 at halftime. Jordan Valley led by as many as 16 points in the fourth quarter, before McDermitt closed the game on a 21-16 run.
Masters and Northrup paced the Lady Bulldogs with 16 and 10 points, respectively. Smart added nine points, Bitt six, Sam three and Shania Lenior one.
McDermitt is finishing up play in the Comstock Classic on Saturday and is scheduled to host Pyramid Lake on Tuesday at 3 p.m.