ELKO — A year after missing out on the playoffs, the McDermitt High School boys basketball team put together a fairy tale season that saw it win the regular season championship in the Eastern 1A at 11-1.
The Bulldogs were looking to continue their Cinderella story this past weekend at the Northern 1A Regional Championship in Elko. However, the thoughts of advancing to the state tournament for the first time since 2012, ended on Thursday night as Sierra Lutheran upset McDermitt 55-46 at Elko High School.
Cauy Crutcher scored the first six points of the game for McDermitt, as the Bulldogs held a slim 6-4 advantage. Sierra Lutheran countered with the next six points in the opening eight minutes and did not trail again. The Falcons closed out the first quarter on a 13-6 run to lead 17-12. Crutcher and Troy McKee combined for all 12 of McDermitt’s points in the first quarter.
The Bulldogs (18-9) stayed within striking distance to start the second quarter, with a bucket by Duane Horse and a 3-pointer by Crutcher to cut the Falcon lead to 18-17.
The long-distant shot by Crutcher was the last for McDermitt in the first half. They went scoreless in the final six minutes. Sierra Lutheran answered with the final 15 points of the first half, including a 3-pointer at the buzzer to go up 33-17.
The Falcons increased the margin to 39-19 three minutes into the third quarter, forcing the Bulldogs to call a timeout to stop the momentum. McKee netted six points and Edgar Reyes added a basket after the break in the action to cut the deficit to 41-29. However, Sierra Lutheran took the momentum away with a 30-foot shot at the third quarter buzzer to go back up 15 points at 44-29.
Back-to-back baskets by Diego Navarro and Reyes brought McDermitt within 15 points at 49-33, but Sierra Lutheran countered with a 7-2 run to take its biggest lead of the night at 55-35 with just over three minutes to play.
The Bulldogs scored the final 11 points of the contest, but it was not enough to prevent the upset.
Crutcher and McKee each scored 15 points to pace the Bulldogs. Reyes added eight points — all in the second half. Dominique Finley netted three points and Horse and Navarro each had two points. Reyes and McKee are the two graduating seniors for McDermitt.
