The Battle Mountain High School boys basketball team left its heart in Reno after giving Democracy Prep everything it had to give in the 2A state title game.
The Blue Knights defeated the Longhorns 72-48 to claim the 2A state championship trophy before moving to 3A next season.
On Saturday, the Longhorns entered Lawlor Events Center on the University of Nevada, Reno campus and home to the Nevada Wolf Pack basketball team. The Longhorns, ready to fight for every basket, hoped to slow down the Blue Knights' offensive attack.
Battle Mountain started off wanting to establish a low post presence and jumped out to an early 7-2 lead. The Blue Knights, not to be held down for too long, realized they would struggle to drive into the lane with the Longhorns taking four charges in the game. However, Democracy Prep started to attack the Battle Mountain defense with precision 3-point shots.
Blue Knight shooting guard Akeemis Williams made nine 3-point field goals in the contest. Most of the shots were contested by Gabe Naveran and Danny Diaz. The Longhorns kept the score close through the first quarter and trailed by only seven with the score at 23-16. The nine 3-pointers by Williams was a new state tournament record.
In the second quarter, the Longhorns clamped down on the Blue Knights, holding them to only eight points in the quarter. That was their lowest total for the entire season. Unfortunately, the Longhorns struggled shooting in the quarter as well and scored just five points and trailed 31-21 at halftime.
“We battled right from the start, showing that we belonged in the title game,” said BMHS head coach Roger Wallock. “However, Agassi's shooting proved way too lethal hitting 14-of-28 threes, most with our guys contesting with a hand in their face. In a game against an outstanding team, you have to hope a little that they have an off shooting night and that didn't happen today.”
The Longhorns’ Chris Figueroa battled with the Blue Knights big men and led the team with 11 points and seven rebounds. Miles Piramide also added 11 points to the total and led the Longhorns with six assists. Piramide and Diaz each grabbed a steal.
In the third quarter, the Blue Knights were able to extend their lead to 17 points after outscoring the Longhorns 20-13. Williams continued to knock down shots despite the hands blocking his view.
The Longhorns, running out of gas, fought through their fatigue to make the Blue Knights earn every basket in the game but lost the game, being outscored by seven in the fourth quarter.
The Battle Mountain season came to an end with the Longhorns holding the state runner-up trophy — the first of head coach Wallock's career.
“What can I say about this season? We worked so hard as a team and pulled out so many victories,” Wallock said. “We didn't play great until we had to in the postseason. You don't get a 26-6 record without having a lot of confidence and making a lot of crucial plays. This season has been so special to me, and I love these guys and will miss working with them.”
The Longhorns' season indeed was exceptional and the playoff run showcased the talent and teamwork the kids possessed. The Longhorn boys finished with a 26-6 record, going 11-3 in the northern 2A and finished 4-1 in postseason games losing in the state championship game.
Democracy Prep, a private school in Las Vegas, will not play in the 2A league next season as they will move up to the 3A league having maintained 3A school numbers (670) the last two years.
Longhorns outlast
Mustangs in double OT
Battle Mountain defeated Needles, Calif., 68-67 on Friday night at Sparks High School in a double overtime thriller to advance to the state championship game.
The Mustangs started of quickly, jumping out to an early 8-2 lead. Battle Mountain began to get their game going after Piramide hit a 3-point shot, leading to the Longhorns' 13-4 run. Battle Mountain, leading 15-12 with only seconds left on the clock, watched as the Mustangs’ Irving Juarez hit a half-court shot to tie the game at the end of the first quarter.
The Longhorns, led by Piramide’s 18 points, continued to score at a high rate but the Mustangs would not falter. Needles stayed active with their hands and forced Battle Mountain into 24 turnovers. That stat would usually spell doom for a team. Instead, the Longhorns continued to fight through the mistakes and dominate the low block.
Senior big men Figueroa and Reese Artz dominated down low with Figueroa scoring 12 points with 10 rebounds, six blocks in the game, while Artz scored 13 points with seven rebounds.
Battle Mountain maintained a slim lead through most of the game. At the end of the first half, the Longhorns led 28-26. The back-and-forth battle continued in the third quarter with each team exchanging buckets. The third quarter ended with Battle Mountain still holding onto their two-point lead at 44-42.
The fourth quarter, fueled by a loud crowd from both Needles and Longhorns fans, did not disappoint as the two teams fought until the very last second of the contest.
With only minutes to go, the Longhorns looked out of it down 54-52 when Figueroa got the ball and scored a two-point field goal to tie the game with seconds left on the clock. Regulation ended with the teams tied at 54 and needed overtime to decide the winner.
The Longhorns started the first overtime quickly with Artz scoring five straight points. Wallock was forced to take a risk and play Piramide and Mason Fuller with four fouls in the extra period. The gamble paid off as the two senior class students showed their experience playing tough defense without fouling out of the game.
With under a minute to go the Longhorns trailed 62-59, then Fuller a lot like he did earlier in the season against the Yerington Lions, hit a difficult 3-point shot to tie the game. Fullers shot sent the Longhorns and Mustangs into double overtime.
In the second overtime, the Longhorns kept the advantage due to their excellent free throw shooting. Battle Mountain scored all their points from the free throw line in the second overtime.
With the game tied at 67 with only 3.3 seconds left in the game, Naveran made a free throw to give the Longhorns the lead 68-67. The Mustangs quickly got the ball and made it all the way to the Longhorns 3-point line where Artz blocked the game-winning shot by the Mustangs leading to the Longhorns victory.
“What a thrilling and exhausting game,” Wallock said. “This was how it should be, a battle for a chance to play for a title and like all year we found a way to win a big game. We had way too many turnovers during the game, maybe some nerves, but we played through them to stay in the game and have a chance to win. Mason and Miles played a lot of minutes in the end with four fouls each, showing their experience and maturity. Very proud of how resilient this team has been all year.”
*Disclaimer Travis Masterson was an assistant coach for the Battle Mountain Longhorns.
