McDermitt knocked off by Pahranagat Valley
RENO — The McDermitt High School girls basketball team had its season end in the opening round of the NIAA 1A State Championships, with a 32-29 loss to Pahranagat Valley last Thursday at North Valleys High School in Reno.
The Lady Bulldogs, which has no seniors on the squad, finished the year at 20-7. It’s the first 20-win season since 2017-18.
The team featured six freshmen, three sophomores and two juniors.
McDermitt opened the contest on a hot streak, scoring the first eight points, as Reign Crutcher knocked down a 3-pointer to start the night.
Nicolette Northrup and Alexis Scott added baskets as well in the early run.
The Panthers did not get on the scoreboard until 2:06 left in the first quarter.
The Lady Bulldogs stretched the advantage to 10-2 but scored just four points in the last 10 minutes of the first half.
A basket by Riata Palmer gave McDermitt a 14-9 lead in the second quarter but Pahranagat Valley scored the final six points of the half to lead 15-14 at the break.
The run extended to 10-0, as the Panthers netted the first two baskets of the second half, when Northrup got the Lady Bulldogs back on the scoreboard.
After a free throw by Vina Tom, Pahranagat Valley hit a 3-pointer to make the score 22-17.
Moments later, Crutcher went to the bench with four fouls with 2:23 left in the third quarter.
Kiarra Crutcher and Northrup stepped up and netted baskets to cut the deficit to 22-21 at the start of the fourth quarter.
McDermitt grabbed a 25-22 lead in the fourth quarter after baskets by Scott and Sadie Hinkey.
The Panthers finally got back on the board with 3:41 left to play and then added two more buckets to lead 28-25 with 2:49 to go.
Pahranagat Valley dropped a pair of free throws with 2:11 left to go to extend the advantage to 30-25, when Northrup made a layup for McDermitt.
The Panthers went to the free throw line and missed the first shot and the Lady Bulldogs converted with a basket by Scott to trim the Pahranagat Valley lead to 30-29 with 47 seconds to play.
Forced to foul again, the Panthers made two free throws to move the advanatge to 32-29.
The Lady Bulldogs turned the ball over on their next possession but still had a chance after the Panthers missed two free throws with 22 seconds to play.
McDermitt never got a look at a game-tying shot, as the ball was knocked out of bounds as time expired.
Northrup paced McDermitt with eight points, Scott added seven, Palmer and Hinkey four each, Reign Crutcher three, Kiarra Crutcher two and Tom one.