Battle Mountain’s Heidy Amezcua comes down with a rebound during Thursday’s home game against Pershing County.
Just a few days before Christmas, it was an early showdown in the Northern 2A. as the Battle Mountain girls basketball team hosted rival Pershing County on Thursday night.
The Mustangs entered the contest undefeated and continued those ways, using a 17-6 start to beat the Lady Longhorns 50-34.
Battle Mountain led once on the night — an opening basket from sophomore Noel Hill. That was the only field goal for the Lady Longhorns in the first eight minutes of play, as Thalia Gonzalez added four free throws.
Pershing County scored the next 13 points, off a 3-pointer by Raegen Burrows and a pair of baskets by Taylor Garland. Lindsey Bleak ended Battle Mountain’s field goal drought with a 3-pointer at the start of the second quarter to cut the deficit to 18-9.
Pershing County’s Yasmine McKinney goes up for a shot in Thursday’s game at Battle Mountain.
The Lady Longhorns collected another 3-pointer from Hill to keep the deficit in single figures, with Pershing County leading 24-16 at the break.
The difference on the night was a 13-2 run by Pershing County in the third quarter. After a bucket by Lindsey Bleak, the Mustangs ran off 11 straight points to end the quarter. Burrows had five of those points and sophomore Kyra Cerini added a 3-pointer of her own.
A bucket by Cerini and a 3-pointer from Burrows pushed the advantage to 42-22.
Kyra Cerini drives the baseline on her way to the basket.
Battle Mountain made a late run in the fourth quarter, with 10 points from Hill, which included two 3-pointers. She finished with a team-high 17 points.
Gonzalez netted six points for the Lady Longhorns, Stevlana Martinez had four points, Bleak three and Jenna Chopp two.
Pershing County had a balanced scoring attack with Burrows scoring 14 points and Garland 10. Riley Harvey and Yasmine McKinney each scored eight points, Anna Happy four and Aaliyah Allen one.
Battle Mountain’s Thalia Gonzalez looks for room to dribble during Thursday’s game with Pershing County.
Pershing County improved to 10-0 overall and 3-0 in the Northern 2A and played West Wendover on Friday.
Results were not available at press time. The Mustangs travel to Yerington on Jan. 3 at 6 p.m. and host North Tahoe on Jan. 5 at 6 p.m.
Battle Mountain fell to 9-4 overall and 1-2 in the Northern 2A. The Lady Longhorns hosted Coral Academy on Friday and results were not available due to early print deadlines.
Battle Mountain travels to West Wendover on Jan. 3 and hosts Silver Stage on Jan. 5 at 6 p.m. and Sierra Lutheran on Jan. 6 at 2 p.m.