Lowry's Maite Avalos dribbles down the floor on a fast break during Saturday's preseason game with Pyramid Lake in Winnemucca.
There was a ton of hardware and success on Pat Hart Court on Saturday afternoon, as the three-time reigning 3A state champion, Lowry Buckaroos hit the floor for the first time this season.
On the other side, Pyramid Lake made the trip to Winnemucca for the second time in three years.
The Lakers have dominant on the court as well, winning the last two 1A state championships.
Lowry has a different look this season in many ways, as five girls — including four starters — graduated in June.
In addition, even though the Lady Bucks have won the last three 3A state titles, the squad begins the 204-25 season with a third coach in four years.
Alyssa Jones, who coached the Lowry JV team, has taken over for Chelsea Cabatbat, who coached the last two seasons.
Lowry's Britain Backus grabs a loose ball under the basket in Saturday's match-up against Pyramid Lake.
Lowry started hot in the first quarter, as senior Natalee Formby knocked down three straight 3-pointers to give the Lady Bucks a five-point lead but the Lakers rallied late in the second quarter with a run and went on to win 52-45.
Formby and Britain Backus, a University of Nevada commit, scored all 14 of the Lady Bucks’ points in the opening eight minutes of play, as Lowry led 14-12.
Backus began the second quarter with a bucket to push the advantage to four, when the Buckaroo offense went quiet.
Pyramid Lake rallied with a 9-0 run to lead 21-16, when Backus stopped the run with a 3-pointer.
Backus scored all seven of Lowry’s points in the second quarter, as the Lakers led 26-21 at the break.
Khlloe Shorey tried to give Lowry the early momentum in the third quarter, with a steal and layup in the opening seconds but Pyramid Lake quickly pushed the advantage back to 32-25.
The advantage grew to as many as nine points at 37-28, when the Lady Bucks got buckets from Backus, Audry Mason and Formby to cut the deficit to 39-35 with 1:22 left in the third quarter.
Lowry's Matti DeLong defends a Pyramid Lake player.
That was as close as Lowry got, as Pyramid Lake held the lead for the final eight minutes of the contest.
Backus and Formby paced Lowry with 25 and 11 points, respectfully. Natalya Guizar added three points and Allison Green, Shorey and Mason each had two points.
The schedule stays tough, as Lowry faces three of the top teams in the Northern 4A this weekend at the Spanish Springs Tournament in Sparks.
Lowry is scheduled to play Douglas on Thursday at 6 p.m.; Bishop Manogue on Friday at 6 p.m. and Spanish Springs on Saturday at 5 p.m.
Bishop Manogue beat Spanish Springs in the 4A state championship this past February and Douglas was in the semifinals of the Northern 4A Regional Tournament.