The Battle Mountain High School boys basketball team split a pair of games in its return to the floor after Christmas break, beating Wells 64-41 on Tuesday, Jan. 4, and losing to Incline 71-48 on Saturday afternoon in Battle Mountain.
In the non-conference win at Wells, Battle Mountain had three players score in double figures. Dennis Wahl led the way with 16 points, Jr Vazquez and Terrance Fetterly added 10 points apiece. Aydan Samuelson netted eight points, Marcos Jimenez six, Jonathan Narramore five, Evan Gonzalez and Boden Machado three each and Sage Holt one.
Battle Mountain was back on its home floor for just the second time this season, when it hosted Incline on Saturday afternoon.
The Longhorns gave the top team in the Northern 2A a fight for much of the first half and led 23-21 late in the first half before the Highlanders pulled away for the victory.
Incline scored five of the first seven points of the night, but a 3-pointer by Machado and a layup by Wahl tied the game at 9-9 midway through the first period. Fetterly added a late basket to cut the Incline lead to 12-11 and Battle Mountain had another chance to tie the game at 14, but missed three free throws with just seconds left in the period.
Machado scored the first eight points of the second quarter for Battle Mountain, which included two 3-pointers, as Battle Mountain tied the game at 19-19.
The Longhorns took their first lead at 23-21 after a layup by Fetterly, but went scoreless the final 1:51 of the first half. The Highlanders closed out the second quarter on a 9-0 run and led 30-23.
An early basket by Vazquez in the third quarter kept Battle Mountain within seven points at 32-25, but Incline answered with a 12-0 run, which was stopped by a 3-pointer from Machado. The Highlanders remained hot from the field and increased its lead to 52-33 with eight minutes to play.
Two baskets by Sean Bengoa in the fourth quarter closed the gap to 15 points, but Incline used a 14-4 run to pull away and avoid the upset.
On the strength of four 3-pointers, Machado led Battle Mountain with 16 points. Fetterly netted eight points, Narramore six, Bengoa five, Samuelson three and Wahl, Vazquez, Sage Holte and Jimenez two each.
Battle Mountain is back on the road this weekend to play Pershing County on Friday in Lovelock at 7:30 p.m. and Coral Academy in Reno on Saturday.
