Wave crushes Spring Creek, Elko

SPRING CREEK — Despite a loss Friday to Fallon, a victory Saturday over Fernley propelled the Spring Creek girls basketball team to a tie for second place in the league standings.

The Lady Spartans fell 53-29 Friday to defending state champion Fallon, bouncing back with a 54-31 victory Saturday over then-No. 2 Fernley.

Fallon 53, Spring Creek 29

The Lady Greenwave’s lockdown defense ruled the early going, only allowing Spring Creek four points in the first and second periods.

Fallon notched totals of 12 and 16 points in the first two periods, taking a commanding 28-8 lead at the break.

The Lady Greenwave scored another 16 points in the third period, the Lady Spartans tallying six in the frame.

The Fallon advantage ballooned to 30 at 44-14 entering the final quarter.

In the fourth, Spring Creek experienced its most successful frame by a long way — scoring 15 points — limiting Fallon to single digits for the first time with nine.

The Lady Greenwave cruised to a 53-29 victory.

Fallon, which generally creates havoc on defense and forces its opponents into a multitude of turnovers, made 29 takeaways against the Lady Spartans — although, the fashion differed from the Lady Greenwave’s usual pressure in the backcourt.

“We did not turn the ball over a lot against their press. Most of our turnovers came in our half-court sets,” said Spring Creek coach Holly Miller. “Fallon is so long and athletic. They just jump passing lanes and take everything away.”

Fallon junior guard Leilani Otuafi led all scorers with 16 points, joined in double figures by senior Caitlyn Welch with 11 points.

For the Lady Greenwave, senior Faith Cornmesser closed with seven points, junior Alexis Jarrett added five and senior Kaitlyn Hunter and freshman Madi Whitaker finished with four points apiece.

Fallon 79, Elko 26

One would find it hard to believe that things could go worse for the Elko girls basketball team compared to its first meeting, a 56-15 loss on Dec. 9 in Fallon, the second time around.

Better believe it.

After beating then-No.2 Fernley by a score of 55-45 on Friday, the Lady Indians lost by nearly as many points as they scored against the Lady Vaqueros in Saturday’s home game against Fallon.

The Lady Greenwave ran over, through, around and pounded Elko by a score of 79-26.

For Fallon, the 79-point explosion was also its highest of the season by 10 points over its next-closest output.

Fallon exploded for a quarter-century worth of points in the first period, limiting Elko to three points — all coming at the free-throw line by senior Lexi Baum — the Lady Indians finishing the period without a field goal.

Elko rebounded and played the Lady Greenwave even in the second quarter, each team scoring 13 points in the frame.

In the third quarter, Elko’s offense went back into the tank and Fallon’s went off.

Eclipsing the Lady Greenwave’s 25-point first quarter might seem unlikely; try 27 in the third period.

Three Fallon players each outscored Elko by themselves in the frame — the Lady Indians accounting for a field goal each by Baum and Pulley.

Cornmesser scored eight points in the third, junior post Leta Otuafi notched seven in the frame and senior Welch scored five in the quarter.

Welch scored a game-high 16 points for the Lady Greenwave, dropping 11 in the first half and closing with three 3s.

Otuafi and Cornmesser each finished with 13 points, serving as the second and third players in double digits for Fallon.

Baum led the Lady Indians with nine points, despite sitting for the final three minutes of the third quarter and all of the fourth.

Jarrett and Whitaker each closed with eight points, and Hunter and junior Chandler McAlexander added six points apiece for Fallon.