ELKO — After more than three weeks of practice without a game, the Lowry High School boys basketball team hit the floor for the first time this season last weekend at the Elko Invitational.
The Buckaroos played three games in two days and came away with one victory in the three contests. Lowry opened up with Hunter (West Valley City, Utah) on Friday and suffered a 70-53 loss. Lowry took on Reno Saturday morning and was defeated 69-37 and finished the tournament with a 66-54 win over Hug.
In the loss over Hunter, Lowry was within three points of the Wolverines at the end of the first quarter, when the Utah school outscored the Buckaroos 2-0 in the second quarter.
“We came out and played aggressive,” said LHS head coach Chad Peters. “We struggled a little bit on offense. We played like it was our first game. We played a little timid and didn’t play as we should have.”
Lowry had five different players score in the first quarter, with JJ Backus scoring five and Alex Ruiz hitting a 3-pointer. Klay Garner paced Lowry with 13 points, scoring in each quarter.
“Klay had a real nice game,” Peters said. "He played really well and I was proud of him. JJ had a good game.”
Kobe Stoker joined Garner in double figured with 11, Backus netted nine and Ruiz six.
Against Reno on Saturday morning, Lowry started off the contest with a 3-pointer from Backus and the two teams trade buckets for much of the first eight minutes of play. However, Garner found himself in foul trouble, with two fouls with 3:30 left in the first quarter.
Reno led 11-9 late in the quarter, when Lowry netted six straight points, including two buckets from Stoker and a steal and layup by Backus. The Buckaroos eventually led 15-13 after the first quarter.
Backus opened the second quarter with a 3-pointer to push the Buckaroos’ advantage to 18-13, but the Huskies used an 11-2 run to go in front 24-20. Backus’ third 3-pointer of the day stopped the run and cut the deficit to 24-23.
In the final minute of the first half, Lowry had a chance to keep the deficit at a point, but missed the front end of a 1-and-1 at the free throw line. Reno got the rebound and knocked down a 3-pointer. The shooter was fouled and missed the free throw. However, the Huskies got the rebound and converted a 3-point play to go up 33-24. Preston Snow ended the spurt with a basket at the buzzer.
“That’s how quickly it could change,” Peters said. “I had Kobe and Klay in foul trouble and we went to a weird lineup, because we don’t have any other back up big guys used to that yet. We got in crazy situation where we were down seven points in seconds.”
Lowry trailed 33-28 after Garner made two free throws to start the third period, but Snow, Garner picked up their third foul less than two minutes into the third quarter and Stoker had four fouls. Reno ended the third quarter on a 13-2 run to lead 48-32.
With a second game to play on the day, Peters used different lineups in the second half, resting players as much as he could.
“You take away that final minute in the first half, we played pretty well,” said the coach. “In the second half, we got in foul trouble and things happened. With two games in day, you have to make a decision. We gave some guys some experience and let them play. I wasn’t worried about the score at the end.”
Backus had 11 points for the Buckaroos, Stoker added nine and Garner seven.
In the tournament finale, Lowry jumped out to a 19-11 lead in the firs quarter and held on for the double-digit victory, its first of the year.
“It was roller coaster ride,” Peters said. “We did some really good things, did some really bad things. It was an ugly game. We controlled the pace and tempo the whole way. The outcome was really never in doubt. We tried some different things with different groups. The biggest thing right now is figuring out who we got. We have to figure out what we are going to when Klay and Kobe get in foul trouble and what our options are. I kept 11 guards and two post players.”
Lowry's largest lead of the game was at 26-14 in the second quarter after a basket by Anthony Gildone.
Backus, Garner and Stoker each had 12 points for Lowry, while Snow added nine points. Anthony Hemp had five points, Michael Casalez four and Max Mavity and Gildone three each.
Lowry opens Northern 3A play at home against Fernley at 7:30 p.m.
“The only thing we are trying to do right now is get ready for Fernley,” Peters said. “That is the only game that matters. We have to ready to play and beat Fernley. I thought we progressed in all three games. These guys have to learn to play together. I am happy with the effort.”
