The Humboldt County Rural Basketball League concluded its regular season last week.
A Division II contest between McDermitt Blue and the Paradise Panthers kicked off the day’s events. Cayden Crutcher scored three points for Blue in the first quarter with a free throw and a 2-point shot.
Cooper Hoagland made 4 points and Jaxson Morgan scored 2 to conclude the first quarter, with the Panthers leading 6-3.
In the second quarter, McDermitt Blue did not score, while Morgan scored another shot, bringing Paradise’s score to eight at the half. In the third quarter, Crutcher made a shot for two more points and Niyla Willow made her second free throw for one.
Hoagland added a shot for two points, although a lot of shots were put up by both teams, nothing seemed to go in. At the end of third quarter Paradise had 10 and Blue 6.
In the fourth quarter, McDermitt Blue did not score again, but Hoagland made three more shots for six points and Morgan made a shot for two, giving the 18-6 win.
Up next was a Division I contest as McDermitt played against Denio/Fields.
In the first quarter, McDermitt’s Reign Crutcher put six points on the board (two shots and two free throws). Reese Wilkinson also made two shots and a free throw for five and Eli Northrup made a shot for two more points.
Denio/Fields’ Emmalee Estrada made a free throw for one point, as McDermitt had strong 13-1 1ead. In the second quarter, AJ Farmer made two shots for points as did Northrup. Both Crutcher and Jeremiah Horn made a shot for four more points. It was evident that the whole team was trying to get the ball to Joe Choate, so he could score. Their comradeship was a site to behold.. Good job coaches, Daphne Smart and Ryan Smart.
Estrada made three free throws for Denio/Fields, as McDermitt was in foul trouble before the half. However, at the half McDermitt led 25-4.
In the third quarter, Warrick Crutcher made 2 points and Farmer made a free throw. The Outlaws’ Lars Hagbom and Blake Powers both scored 2-point shots for four points, wrapping up third quarter with McDermitt up 28-8. In the fourth quarter, Horn sank a 3-point shot for McDermitt. Akota Smart, AJ Farmer, Reign Crutcher, and Northrup all made 2-point shots for eight more.
At the buzzer Joe Choate was fouled and as his team stood by cheering he shot two free throws; neither of them went in, but it was still awesome. Denio/Fields picked up 5 more points, as Billy Delong scored two and Blake Powers three with a shot and free throw. McDermitt took the victory 39-13.
The Denio/Fields Division II then played against McDermitt White. This was a much closer game.
In the first quarter, Thaddius Downs and Oscar Maley both scored 2-point shots for four points and Bergen Hagbom made a free throw for one more. McDermitt White’s Legacy Scott and Dylan Palmer both made a shot for a total of four points.
In the second quarter, Hagbom made three more shots for six points and Maley scored another shot for two. Palmer also made three more shots for six points and Treal Scott made two shots for four points. At the half Denio/Fields had 13 and McDemitt White 14.
It looked like McDermitt White was going to pull ahead for the win in the third quarter.
Hagbom made two more shots for four points. McDermitt White’s Palmer made three shots and a free throw for seven points and both Layton Dick and Treal Scott made a shot for four more. Now, the score was 25-17 McDermitt.
In the fourth quarter, Hagbom made five more points with two shots and a free throw. Maley also netted two shots for four points. McDermitt White’s Palmer missed four free throws, but made a 2-point shot. Legacy Scott made a free throw. And in the end McDemitt White won 26-25, but it was a nail biter.
In the last game of the season before the championship bracket this weekend was Kings River versus Orovada in a Division I game.
Kings River won 48 to 27. The majority of Kings River’s points were put on the board by Cody Allen and Nate Thompson.
However, both Colton Allen and Isaac Warner made a free and Yarlet Calderon made a shot for two points Orovada’s Walker Smith finished the game with 15 points.
Robert Depaoli scored seven, Ava Frey made two points, both from consecutive free throws and Colton Elam had three points with a free throw and 2-point shot.
The championship games will be Saturday in Orovada. The first game will be at 9 a.m., with (4) Orovada Eagles vs.(5) Paradise Panthers, Division I. At 10:15 a.m. Division II, (2)White vs. (3) Denio/Fields. It should be a great end to the season.
