The Lowry High School girls basketball team prepares for its game with Damonte Ranch this past Saturday afternoon in Winnemucca. Lowry won 59-49.
It was a rollercoaster of the day for the three-time reigning 3A state champion Lowry girls basketball team.
Damonte Ranch made a visit to Winnemucca this past Saturday and the scrappy Mustangs gave the Lady Bucks everything they wanted and more. Damonte Ranch, who came into the game winless at 0-10, led throughout the second and third quarters, when Lowry rallied for a 59-49 win.
The Lady Bucks improved to 6-4 overall, with Northern 3A East play beginning this Saturday,
The contest was tied at 10 late in the first quarter, when Lowry scored the final eight points to lead 18-10 after eight minutes of play.
Maite Avalos had a couple early buckets and Britain Backus scored 10 of her game-high 34 points in the opening quarter.
Lowry's Britain Backus (22), Natalee Formby (14), Natalya Guizar (2) and Khlloe Shorey (12) play defense in the fourth quarter of Saturday's home win against Damonte Ranch.
As good as it was for Lowry at the end of the first period, it was equally bad throughout the second quarter. The Lady Bucks had trouble getting their offense scoring, as the Mustangs scored the first 10 points of the second quarter to go in front.
A basket by Backus with 90 seconds left in the first half stopped the run, as Lowry tied the game at 20-20.
Backus later added a 3-pointer but Damonte Ranch led 26-23 at halftime.
The Lady Bucks shook off the struggles of the second quarter and used a pair of 3-pointers from senior Natalee Formby and eight points from Backus to put Lowry back in front.
Lowry's Marua Braatz chases down a loose ball, late in Saturday's 10-point win over Damonte Ranch.
Khlloe Shorey and Maura Braatz also added buckets to give the Lady Bucks a 42-36 lead going into the fourth quarter.
Damonte Ranch did not go away, tying the game in the fourth quarter, when Lowry pulled away late. Backus was 5-for-5 from the foul line in the final eight minutes and baskets by Natalya Guizar, Shorey and Formby gave Lowry the cushion it needed.
Formby joined Backus in double figures with 10, Shorey added seven points, Avalos four and Guizar and Braatz two each.
In a change to the schedule, Lowry will now begin Northern 3A East play on Saturday, Jan. 4, in Elko with a 1 p.m. tip.
The Lady Bucks were scheduled to play Spring Creek on Friday, Jan. 3, but that game has been moved to Tuesday, Jan. 7, at 6 p.m. The move was due to a lack of officials on Friday night.