Christian Nemeth looks for an opening around Elko's Ronin Rowley to pass the ball to a teammate
SPRING CREEK — Entering its weekend contests, the Spring Creek boys basketball team faced a major challenge — one, improving its 3-5 league record; two, doing so while playing some of the better teams in the 3A North on back-to-back days.
Mission accomplished and no sweat.
Falling to 3-7 would have placed Spring Creek in a tough spot, but 5-5 is right in the middle of the playoff pack.
The Spartans topped Fallon 61-48 on Friday night, following with a 66-47 victory over Fernley on Saturday with a big fourth quarter.
Spring Creek 61, Fallon 48
Spring Creek jumped on Fallon from the opening tip Friday night, limiting the Greenwave to just four points in the first period.
The Spartans scored 13 points in the frame and nearly claimed a double-digit lead in the first eight minutes.
Fallon reached double figures in the second period and scored 10 points, but Spring Creek also increased its production — hanging 18 on the board and rolling to a 31-14 lead at halftime.
The Spartans remained consistent in their play in the third quarter, tallying another 15 points, and the Greenwave were unable to close the gap with a 10-point frame — falling another five points behind.
Entering the fourth quarter, Spring Creek led 46-24 — opening a 22-point advantage.
In the final period, Fallon’s offense finally showed what it was capable of — scoring 24 points in the last eight minutes — but Spring Creek added another 15 and cruised to a 61-48 victory.
Spring Creek senior Levi Yaunick led all scorers with 15 points, hitting two 3s.
For Fallon, sophomore Elijah Jackson and junior Trey Rooks tied for the team high with 13 points apiece.
The Greenwave struggled from the floor, hitting just 29 percent of their shots, while Spring Creek shot well compared to its season average — the Spartans knocking down 46 percent of their field goals.
The Spartans also held a major advantage at the stripe, attempting 32 free throws to Fallon’s 22 tries — Spring Creek sinking 26-for-32 as a team for an 81-percent clip, while Jangard scored 11 of his 13 points at the line without a miss.
“We played a solid game from start to finish. Getting off to a good start was big,” said Spring Creek coach Scott Carsrud. “We played good team defense and everyone scored the ball pretty well. We were balanced on offense.”
Elko 65, Fallon 47
In its first action in the second half of the 3A North season, the Elko Indians never missed a stride against the Fernley Vaqueros or the Fallon Greenwave.
Following Elko’s 65-47 win Friday over Fernley, the Indians sailed to another large-margin victory Saturday over Fallon — allowing another 47 points.
Elko increased its scoring production to 69 points, gaining a 22-point victory and rolling to a 10-0 record in league play.
The Indians came to score early, dropping 21 points in the first quarter, sparked by three 3s — one each by senior Ryan Wickersham, junior Alex Klekas and senior Angelo Antoniou.
Elko allowed 10 points in the first eight minutes and opened a double-digit lead.
The second period proved to be the most even frame of the ballgame, the Indians edging the Greenwave 15-13.
At the break, Elko opened a 12-point advantage of 36-24.
The Indians scored 17 points in the third period, limiting the Greenwave to a game-low 10 points.
Entering the fourth quarter, Elko extended to nearly a 20-point cushion of 53-34.
In the final frame, the Indians held off Fallon by a total of 16-13.
Jackson scored a game-high 16 points in defeat, sinking two 3s and scoring 10 points in the second half.
Junior Hayden Strasdin and sophomore Thomas Steele scored seven points apiece for the Greenwave.
