By Vern Hee

The Clark Chargers clinched the Sunset League title in boys basketball with their win over the Cheyenne Desert Shield last week.

Meanwhile, the Desert Pine Jaguars beat Sunrise Mountain to take the Sunrise title.

The Trojans boys need a win either against Mojave or Faith Lutheran to finish above last place. They played Mojave on Tuesday, too late to report. They play Faith Lutheran on Thursday at home for the last game of the season.

If the Trojans finish the last two games without a win, they will finish at the bottom.

Girls Division I-A

Faith Lutheran at 8-0 needs to win its last two games to triumph as Sunset League champs over Clark at 6-2.

Faith should be the Sunset champions.

Boulder City girls are tied for first with Chaparral in the Sunrise League at 8-2. Moapa Valley is close behind at 8-3.

The Lady Trojans need to beat Mojave on Tuesday to tie Mojave for last place.

Division IV

In regional action in Division IV basketball, the Lady Hornets will be getting ready to battle opponents in the playoffs as they finish their last few games.

The Hornets played Indian Springs on Tuesday and play Sandy Valley to close out the season on Friday at home at 5:30 p.m.

The Hornets are 3-2 in league play and should finish at 5-2. Aimee Senior, head Beatty coach, said she would like to go back to the state playoffs. In order for that to happen, Senior would have to figure out how to beat the Tonopah Muckers and Pahranagat Valley in the playoffs. Both teams beat the Hornets this year in league.

Beatty handily beat the Lund Mustangs on Saturday, 47-37. The coach said her squad played three good quarters of basketball.

“The second quarter the girls only scored four points — usually it’s the third quarter that is the slow one. The press that we put on wasn’t working. The Mustangs were dribbling right through it, so we’ll need to work on that this week,” said Senior.

The boys were idle, but at 2-3, if they beat Sandy Valley they can be looking at a playoff spot too.

Tonopah Boys

The Tonopah boys did not fare so well. They lost two games in row. The team traveled to Las Vegas on Friday to play the Adelson Lions, who snacked on them 55-43 and then the Pahranagat Panthers came in to Tonopah and feasted, 62-31 on Saturday.

Jay McLauchlin, head Muckers coach, said the team was outscored in the first quarter 14-13 and then they played terrible in the second quarter, which made it worse. This left them at the half, 26-19.

The Muckers tried to come back in the third by out-scoring the Lions, 11-9. The team ran out of gas in the fourth quarter though and was out- played.

On Saturday night the Pahranagat Valley Panthers came to town. This was their final home game so the team honored the seniors.

McLauchlin said the seniors played well the first half.

“We were only down by 11,” said McLauchlin. “The halftime score was 32 to 21 Alamo. At halftime we told our boys that they were not happy only being ahead by 11 and they were going to come out and try to run all over us, and to get ready for it, as you can tell by the final score, that is exactly what they did. There was nothing that we could do to stop them.”

Tonopah Girls

While the Hornets were occupied with Lund, the league leaders, the Lady Muckers at 4-0, stayed at the top of the league by beating two teams last week.

The Muckers slayed the Adelson Lions on Friday, 33-15, and then killed the always tough Pahranagat Panthers on Saturday, 45-40.

Ed Cobb, head Muckers coach, said his team had a good week of practice. He said many of his girls had been battling colds.

“Our girls came out stronger than anticipated. It is crucial to keep everyone healthy and injury free at this point in the season. Knowing and dealing with the Panthers press, we were able to overcome it. The girls played a smart game by not forcing or passing the ball too soon. This time of the season our ladies are playing very strong as a team, which allowed us to keep our turnovers down,” said Cobb.

The usually hard to beat Panthers lost the game at the boards.

“We were able to dominate on the rebounds by not allowing them second and third shots which is crucial. The girls played great defense by working together and helping each other out. I am very pleased at how the girls worked and played the ball on offense. As a coach, we will keep building on the intensity and the importance of the total team effort,” remarked Cobb.

When the coach was asked which player has been the most valuable in this last stretch of victories, he responded by saying his whole team has worked hard together as a squad.

“I don’t have one specific player. I have a strong team and a strong bench they work like a glove and all can score,” said Cobb. “This year I have the most valuable team. Each one has a strong important role and if one is not working there is one who can step up and get the job done. I can’t do without my team. This is what I push every year. We win together. We lose together. We work together and we play together. Each game there has been a different MVP. That’s what make these ladies sync so well together.”

In addition to the regular starters, he credits the bench with being able to come out and play each game.

“The bench comes in knowing what they have to do,” he said. “They are ready and willing and get the job done. They are all heart.”

The coach may not have a most valuable player, but when you have seniors like Alli Friel and Deanna Van Poucke shooting over ten points and then Ashley Gray stepping in with ten more, it makes for a good night.

The Muckers played an important game against Round Mountain on Tuesday, who is tied for third with Beatty and Indian Springs at 3-2.

Then they have two games with Lund on Saturday and Sandy Valley. Sandy Valley is a make-up game TBA.

Lady Muckers stats

POINTS

Dellinger 2; North 4; Friel 16; Salsbury 3; Gray 10; VanPoucke 10

OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS

Friel 7; Gray 14; VanPoucke 7

DEFENSIVE REBOUNDS

Friel 3; Gray 8; Salsbury 3; Van Poucke 12

ASSISTS

Dellinger 2; Salsbury 2; Gray 2