This past weekend marked the fourth week of rural basketball. The games were held in Paradise Valley and the support of their PTO with concessions was greatly appreciated as people munched chorizos, pulled pork, and nachos. Lacey Thompson started off the day singing the Star Spangled Banner and Natalie Mori led the crowd in the pledge of allegiance.. Jeff Thompson and Sean Millikan officiated the games. McDermitt Blue versus McDermitt White started off the days action. In the first quarter, Malissa Hunter and Bryson Hunter both scored a 2-point shot for McDermitt Blue. McDermitt White’s Layton Dick and Treal Scott both scored a shot for four points, Dylan Palmer scored two 2-point shots and Stephen Brown made a shot and free throw for three points. At the end of the first quarter White was ahead 11-4. In the second quarter, Blue’s Trevor Smart scored a shot for two points, while White’s Dylan Palmer made yet another shot and Desmund Crutcher mad a shot for four more points. It was 15-6 White in the lead at halftime. In the third quarter, Ebony Crutcher for Blue made a shot, was fouled and made the additional free throw. Cayden Crutcher also made a shot and his second of two free throws for three more points. White’s Palmer put four more points on the board, D. Crutcher made a shot for two points, Layton Dick made his first of two free throws for one points and Treal Scott made his second of two free throws and a 2-point shot for 3. With six more points on the board for Blue and 10 more for White the third quarter ended with White up, 25-12. In the fourth quarter, Blue’s Samuel Crutcher made two shots for four points, while Cayden Crutcher made a shot followed by a free throw and White’s Palmer made six shots for 12 points and Scott made three shots for six. At the end of the game White beat Blue 27-21. At 10 a.m., Kings River took on McDermitt. The first quarter saw all three of Kings River’s points come from free throws by N. Thompson and Cody Allen 1. 42 Reign Crutcher and Warrick Crutcher both scored two shots for a combined total of 8 and Reese Wilkinson made a shot for two more points, giving McDermitt a 10-3 lead after the first quarter. In the second quarter, Nathan Thompson made a 2-point shot and a free throw. For McDermitt, Jeremiah Horn, Joe Choate and Kiarra Crutcher all scored a 2-point shot for six more points. At the half, McDermitt led 16-6. In the third quarter, Yarlet Calderon for Kings River made a free throw shot, but the buzzer went off and it was not counted, so she shot two more shots and made one for one. David Cardenas made a 2-oint shot for and Nate Thompson continued to put in free throws for two more points. McDermitt’s No. 42 and No. 35 each made two shots for eight and Warrick Crutcher made a shot for two more. At the end of third quarter McDermitt pulled farther ahead at 26-11. In the fourth quarter, Calderon made a shot for two points, Allen made a free throw for and Thompson scored a 2-point shot and another free throw for three points. McDermitt’s Horn, Wilkinson and Eli Northrup all made a shot for a total of 6 in the fourth quarter as McDermitt won 32-17. Paradise Valley’s Division II team and McDermitt Blue had a doubleheader this week. First up was Paradise versus Denio/Fields and the first half of the game was close. In the first quarter, Cooper Hoagland scored three shots for six points and Jaxson Morgan made a shot for two. The Outlaws’ Margie Adamson and Maddox Norris each made a shot for four points and Bergen Hagbom made free throw and another shot for three. At the end of first quarter Paradise was down 9-8. In the second quarter, Morgan made another shot for two points and C. Hoagland made two shots for four. Norris and Oscar Maley each made a shot for four points. At the half Paradise was now in the lead 14-13. The third quarter defense was tough and there were quite a few shots missed. The only points put on the board was a 2-point shot by Hoagland. Paradise now had a 16-13 lead. In the fourth quarter, Morgan made two more shots and No. 16 made a shot for two points, bringing the Panthers’ score up to 22. Denio/Fields’ Norris made yet another shot as did Maley, but in the end the home team took the victory, 24-19. Next the Panthers’ Division I team played against the Denio/Fields Outlaws. The first quarter ended in a tie, as Natalie Mori made a 2-point shot and two free throws for the Panthers. Emmalee Estrada and Blake Powers both scored for four points, ending first quarter 4-4. In the second quarter, the older Hoagland sibling (no longer cheering his brother on from the sideline), Kolby, made two shots for four points. Natalie Mori made free throw and two shots. The Outlaws answered back with two points from both Eli Maley and B. Powers, but now they were down, as Paradise had the lead 20-14. In the fourth quarter, Paradise’s Kolby Hoagland made two more. No. 17 had a lot of hustle and some great rebounds on top of scoring two shots and a free throw for. However, once again the home team took the win 25-24. The last game of the day, may have been the most intense. Both teams had already played earlier in the day and they were ready to go. In the first quarter, both Jaxson Morgan and Cooper Hoagland made two shots each for eight points. From McDermitt Blue, Cayden Crutcher answered with two shots of his own for four points and Samuel Crutcher added two more for a total of six. At the end of first quarter Paradise led 8–6. In the second quarter the lead switched hands. Morgan made a shot for the Panthers for two points. McDermitt’s Samuel Crutcher made three shots and Trevor Smart made a shot for two more to give McDermitt a 14-10 lead. In the third quarter, both Kaleb Roberts and Cooper Hoagland each made a shot and a free throw. Jaxson Morgan also made a shot for two points. McDermitt Blue’s Cayden Crutcher made a shot for and Paradise was ahead 18-16 after three quarters of play. In the fourth quarter, the Blue team got into foul trouble, but of the 15 foul shots the Panthers took, they only made one. Jaxson Morgan made a shot for and Cooper Hoagland made a shot and a free throw for three points. Cayden Crutcher made two shots for and Malissa Hunter, before fouling out, made a shot for two more. The game ended with Paradise 23 and McDermitt Blue 22. It was a tough loss, but a great game. Thanks for the sportsmanship and for making this a fun learning experience for all the youth involved. Next week’s games will be held in Kings River and this year’s championship games will be hosted in Orovada.
