Wave hoops opens with 2 league wins, nearly tops 100

Four points.

That’s all that stood away from the Greenwave boys basketball team hitting the century mark in points as its high-octane offense dominated North Valleys, 96-69, on Saturday at the Elmo Dericco Gymnasium.

Junior Elijah Jackson scored a game-high 37 points on 74 percent shooting and fellow junior Thomas Steele had a breakout game with 27 points on 72 percent shooting. Coach Chelle Dalager’s team finished the day converting 55 percent of its shots and scoring at least 26 points in three of the four quarters. Senior David Mcfalls scored 12 points and senior Johnny Cooley added nine as Fallon improved to 2-0 in the Northern 3A.

Fallon hit the road on Tuesday to face South Tahoe and encounters its first major test in the league with Elko and Spring Creek this weekend. The Indians have won seven consecutive regional titles and the Spartans upset Fallon in last year’s regional tournament to advance to state.

Fallon is averaging 78.5 points a game through six contests (6-0) while the defense is yielding only 43.2 points a game.

The Greenwave opened the league season on Tuesday with a 75-31 win over Truckee.

Fallon wasted little time in taking an early lead against Truckee. Cooley’s 3-pointer gave Fallon its first basket, and the Wave rolled to a 28-11 first-quarter lead. Cooley also sunk two more treys. Fallon relied on its balanced scoring with Steele scoring five of his game-high 16 points, and McFalls adding six points, two from the free throw line. Brock Richardson also sunk a trey.

The Wave worked the ball inside and the team’s quickness frustrated Truckee under the basket and along the baseline.

Fallon’s offense continued to pummel the Wolverines with a 26-7 second quarter. Steele worked inside for 10 points, and Jackson added seven points that included a pair of dunks. Jackson’s 3-pointer and Hayden Strasdin’s bucket in the last minute of play gave Fallon a 54-18 halftime lead.

Dalager cleared the bench in the second half, but Fallon still. Outscored Truckee 10-6 in the third quarter and 11-6 in the final period.

Steele, Strasdin and Jackson carried the offense in the third quarter.

Shaw Lee scored a basket in the fourth quarter, and Jackson launched another 3-pointer from the corner to give him 13 total points. McFalls, who finished with 12 points, wrapped up the scoring with a putback basket.

Cooley added 14 points, Strasdin had six, and Lee and Jace Harmon each scored five.

Steve Ranson contributed to this story.