Lowry's Jovanny Cuevas splits the Churchill County defense on his way to the basket in the Buckaroos; overtime win on Friday night in Winnemucca.
With the playoff lives of two teams on the line, it was a busy Friday night on Pat Hart Court in Winnemucca.
Lowry High School was celebrating Winterfest, as well as the newest Hall of Fame inductees, leading to a long night.
With all the distractions, the Lowry boys basketball team and Churchill County were battling to remain in playoff contention.
The loser would be eliminated from the postseason.
For the third time this season, including a December tournament contest in Sparks, the Buckaroos pulled out a nailbiter, winning 59-52 to improve to 2-6 in the 3A East and the Greenwave fell to 1-7.
Churchill County raced out with seven of the first nine points, with four of those coming from Calin Anderson. Following a layup from the Buckaroos’ Jovanny Cuevas, the Greenwave pushed the advantage to 15-8 early in the second quarter, when a basket by Cuevas and a 3-pointer from Jaden Jimenez, the Buckaroos cut the deficit to 15-14.
The Greenwave finished the first half on a 9-2 run to lead by eight at halftime, when the offense went ice cold coming out of the break.
Lowry's Matthew Casalez drives to the basket for a shot.
Churchill County went without a field goal until the 2:39 mark in the third quarter with a bucket from Anderson to keep the Greenwave lead at 31-24. The Buckaroos closed out the quarter with the final seven points, including a 3-pointer from Jimenez with :03 left to go.
The Lowry advantage grew to 39-33 with the first six points of the fourth quarter off of baskets by Cuevas, Jimenez and Brent Kenison.
Following the third 3-pointer of the night from Jimenez, Lowry led 44-39 but that went away, as Bransyn Wright tied the game at 45 with 55 seconds left on a steal and layup.
After a runner from Matthew Casalez to put Lowry ahead by two points, Barry Mitchell calmly hit two free throws to tie the game at 47 with 28 seconds to go.
Lowry got off a last-second shot from Jimenez but unlike the shot in Fallon, it bounced off the rim.
A pair of free throws from Byron Jimenez and a basket by Angus Boyles gave Lowry the lead for good at 59-53. The Buckaroos were 8-for-10 from the foul line in overtime and 16-for-26 for the night.
Mitchell had a team-high 16 points for Churchill County, with Anderson, Wyatt Peek and Caleb Edgmon adding 12, eight and six, respectfully. Garrett Helton netted four Wright and Trevor Hyde two each.
Jaden and Byron Jimenez led the way for Lowry with 16 and 11 points. Cuevas and Casalez added nine apiece, Conner Nelson seven, Kayd Garner and Boyles three each and Kenison two.
Churchill County travels to Dayton on Wednesday and Fernley to end the year on Friday. Lowry will be in Fernley on Wednesday and Dayton on Friday.