Thanks to a sterling first-half defensive effort, the Galena High boys basketball team enjoyed a 14-point lead at the intermission against Fallon on Tuesday night.
It only got better from there, as the Grizzlies erupted to score 27 points in the third quarter on their way to a 69-42 High Desert League victory at home.
The win was the second in as many nights and five in a row for Galena (8-2 league, 18-7 overall). The Grizzlies also wanted to play better than they did in a 56-49 win at Fallon on Jan. 13.
"We wanted to demonstrate that we were a better team than what we showed out there," coach Tom Maurer said. "And tonight was a great team effort."
Eight players scored, led by freshman Luke Babbitt with 15 points, Derek Lorenzen 13 and Eric Maupin with 12. Point guard Chad Seidenstricker also scored seven and did a good job of directing the offense, according to Maurer.
Galena's defense may have been even more impressive.
"I was ecstatic about our defense in the first half - we held them to four points in the second quarter," said Maurer, whose squad led 29-15 at halftime and 56-28 at the end of three quarters.
Steven Stern scored 11 and Jeff Weed 10 to lead Fallon. Weed, always a threat from the three-point arc, didn't score in the first half when he was defended by Seidenstricker.
The Grizzlies host Elko in a league game on Thursday.
FALLON 56, GALENA GIRLS 54 OT
Any shot the Galena girls basketball team had at catching Fallon for second place in the High Desert League were vanquished in the overtime loss. Fallon improved to 8-1 in league play while Galena fell to 6-4. The Grizzlies are now in a fight for third in league play.
"We just battled the whole time," Galena coach Karen Friel said. "It was just a very physical game."
Fallon hit a three-pointer to begin overtime and never relinquished the lead. Caitlin Anderson had 19 points and 13 rebounds and Caitlin Crofts and Alyse Iverson each added eight points for Galena.
