The McDermitt High School girls basketball team finished second at the 2024 1A NIAA State Championships this past Saturday at the Virginia Street Gym in Reno.
RENO — After a tough exit in the first round of the 2023 state championships, the McDermitt High School girls basketball team came back with vengeance on its way to the 1A state title game this season.
The Lady Bulldogs came in as a young team this year, with just one senior on the roster in Nicolette Northrup.
McDermitt collected a tournament win over Christmas break in Reno with four wins over 4A JV schools, including Bishop Manogue, who’s varsity team won the 2024 state championship.
McDermitt's Vina Tom battles for a loose ball against Coleville.
McDermitt, who finished the season at 21-5, knocked off Eureka in the 1A East Championship to set itself up in a good spot in the state tournament.
McDermitt began its state tournament last Thursday with a 61-36 win over Indian Springs. The Lady Bulldogs trailed for much of their semifinal game on Friday but came back to beat Coleville 57-52.
McDermitt had the tough task of playing Pyramid Lake in the championship on Saturday at the Virginia Street Gym.
The Lakers, the reigning state champion, made it back-to-back titles with a 73-35 win.
McDermitt's Reign Crutcher fights for a rebound against Pyramid Lake.
McDermitt 61, Indian Springs 23
The Lady Bulldogs and no trouble knocking off the Thunderbirds with a 14-4 start in the first quarter. However, the victory came with a price, as Vina Tom suffered an injury just two plays into the game. Later in the contest, Sadie Hinkey left the game with a concussion.
McDermitt increased the advantage to 27-11 at halftime and were up 44-22 after three quarters of play.
Riata Palmer sets herself for a shot against Coleville.
McDermitt 57, Coleville 52
McDermitt came into the semifinal game with Coleville, minus Hinkey and Tom with limited minutes.
Both offenses struggled to find its rhythm in the first half, as Coleville scored five of the first seven points of the contest. Riata Palmer tied the game at 5-5, with the first of her two 3-pointers, when the Wolves scored the next five points.
The Lady Bulldogs bounced back with the last five points of the opening quarter on baskets by Cierra Smart and Kiarra Crutcher.
McDermitt High School's Kiarra Crutcher fends off a Coleville defender in the 1A state semifinals on Friday.
Coleville continued to hold the advantage in much of the second quarter and led by as much as six points at 20-14.
Brianna Sherburn started a 6-0 run to end the half with a bucket and Crutcher and Tom knocked down 3-pointers to tie the game at 20 at halftime.
As it was the case through the first half of the game, the Wolves continued to lead but could not put away the Lady Bulldogs. Coleville led 39-34 in the third quarter, when Laeloni Tobey closed the gap to 39-36 going into the final eight minutes.
Trailing 43-40 early in the fourth quarter, McDermitt took over, as Reign Crutcher dropped a 3-pointer to tie the game and Alexis Scott followed with a basket and she was fouled.
Scott missed the free throw but Kiarra Crutcher got the rebound and was fouled as she went up for the shot.
The sophomore made 1-of-2 free throws to give McDermitt a 46-43 lead. Scott followed with two more baskets to push the advantage to 50-43 and the Lady Bulldogs held on for the win.
Kiarra Crutcher paced McDermitt with 15 points, Scott added 11, Palmer 10, Reign Crutcher and Tom seven each, Sherburn four and Smart and Tobey two each.
Pyramid Lake 73, McDermitt 35
In the championship game, Pyramid Lake jumped out to a 12-2 lead in the first quarter but McDermitt rallied to close the gap to 16-9 after eight minutes of play.
The Lakers pulled away in the second quarter, scoring the first 18 points to go in front 34-9. A basket by Tobey with under a minute left in the first half, were the lone points for McDermitt in the quarter.
The final blow was a long 3-pointer at the buzzer by Pyramid Lake that bounced high off the rim, dropped back down off the rim and back in.
Reign Crutcher led the way with 16 points, Scott and Tobey five each, Hinkey three and Kiarra Crutcher, Tom and Palmer two each.