Greenwave edges out Wolverines, Mustangs

It was two close games, but it was two wins for the Greenwave last weekend.

Fallon’s boys’ basketball team defeated Truckee, 61-47, and Pershing County, 60-48.

Friday’s game against Truckee was neck and neck. The Wolverines took an early lead, jumping out to a 10-2 lead. The Greenwave retaliated, though, and closed to 12-8 at the end of the first quarter thanks to Jace Harmon’s baskets.

It was the third quarter that spurred the Green Wave. Fallon was able to jump out to a 43-31 lead.

Fallon was able to close it out in the fourth quarter as the Truckee rally never came to fruition.

On Saturday, Fallon took on the undefeated Northern 2A Pershing County Mustangs. The first quarter went to the Mustangs with the smaller team quickly taking the lead. The Greenwave rallied at the end of the quarter, though, and closed to 17-13.

As the second quarter began, Fallon took the lead for good going into halftime with a 26-25 lead.

“I felt like it was just the spark we needed to get our defense rolling,” said Fallon coach Chelle Dalager. “They just played a different level of intensity and it helped inch their way back into the game.”

Fallon pulled ahead in the third quarter, adding pressure and outscoring the Mustangs to take an 11-point lead with a three-pointer by Hayden Strasdin at the buzzer, 48-37.

The final quarter was another close one.

Both games were a real team effort where everybody contributed.

Dalager said the Fallon players did not give the Pershing County team the right amount of respect for their shooting ability at the start of the game and it cost them points in the first quarter. Fallon talked it out, though, and made the necessary adjustments defensively.

For Friday’s game, Dalager said it was impressive the Wave won since they had 35 turnovers.

The coach said their strength is playing as a group, switching players out based on their strengths for a given play.

“I think that’s where we’re better than a lot of teams,” Dalager said. “Everybody on this team has the ability to score and everybody has the ability to share the basketball.”

Dalager noted Jackson has grown into one of their stronger players and said it’s likely other teams will start trying to lock him down. Jackson scored 22 points with 11 rebounds against Truckee.

“He’s just a dynamic player,” Dalager said. “He helped us get past the Truckee team to be able to score.”

The boys team also has shown lots of skill in passing and ball handling. Throughout both games, the Greenwave moved the ball between players with ease, nimbly moving it around and between the other side’s players.

The boys’ basketball team’s next game is after Christmas. Fallon travels to Olivehurst, Calif. On Dec. 27 for the Lindhurst tournament. Their next league game is in Fernley on Jan. 2.