The Battle Mountain junior varsity (JV) teams overcame early struggles to capture three out of four victories this past weekend.
The Longhorns JV boys pulled out two last second three-point victories, earning their 15th win of the season.
On Friday, Jan. 26, the JV teams took the court against the Silver Stage Nighthawks.
The JV girls were up first and found themselves locked in a defensive battle, as both sides struggled to score. Ultimately, the Lady Longhorns squeaked out a 27-20 victory.
The JV boys also struggled with shooting inside the Silver Stage gym, going 2-for-25 from the 3-point line. Although the Longhorns struggled to score, they played strong defense and forced the Nighthawks into some tough shots.
Going into the final seconds of the game, the Longhorns held a 27-26 lead and had control of the ball.
Team captain Jace Clark tossed the ball over the Nighthawk defense into the waiting hands of fellow team captain D.J. Martinez. The Nighthawks intentionally fouled Martinez but he made both his free throws, to cap off the Longhorn victory at 29-26.
Martinez led the Longhorns in scoring, with 11 points, while freshman Aldo Castellanos brought down eight rebounds in the contest.
On Saturday, the JV teams took the court against the Yerington Lions.
The girls struggled against the post size of the Lions and lost the rebounding battle. Kira Smith did her best to keep the game within reach but the girls ultimately fell short, losing to the Lions 42-27.
The JV boys shot much better against the Lions following the horrendous shooting performance from the night before.
Martinez played one his best games of the year. He finished with 24 points off 9-of-16 shooting. Martinez also led the team with seven rebounds and four steals against the Lions.
Once again, the Longhorn boys were locked in a tight battle with the Lions. At the end of the first half, the Longhorns led the Lions by a score of 19-13.
During the second half, the Lions pressed and were able to rattle the Longhorns enough to capture the lead going into the fourth quarter, at 30-27.
In the fourth quarter, the Longhorns settled down and started to rerun their offense, after breaking the Yerington press.
The Longhorns outscored Yerington 19-13 in the fourth quarter and finished off Yerington by hitting just enough free throws at the end of the game. The Longhorn JV boys won 46-43.
On Tuesday, Jan. 23, Battle Mountain hosted rival Pershing County.
The Lady Longhorns scored a 40-27 victory, while the Longhorns boys provided a strong defensive effort in a 35-23 win.
The JV boys brought their record to 15-6 overall and 7-4 in league play this season, winning their last four league games.
*Disclaimer Travis Masterson is the Longhorn JV head coach.
