Trojans gear for league with victories over 3A Southern League rivals
It wouldn’t take longer than a full quarter for the Trojans to let Cristo Rey St. Viator’s home fans know they were in a for a long night on Jan 7.
After leading by 25 points (32-7) after the first quarter, Pahrump Valley did not care to let off the brakes, defeating their league opponent by 48 points.
Instead, the Trojans (7-8, 3-2 3A Southern League) opted to run the court with their reserves in a game that you’d hardly notice the starters were on the bench.
Lucas Gavenda led all scorers with 19 points, as the Trojans raced out to a 32–7 advantage before Cristo could think about finding the scoreboard.
Defensive pressure fueled the run, with Keir Sheppard and Joshua Slusher jumping passing lanes and turning defense into instant offense.
The Royals (0-8, 0-1 3A Southern League) showed brief signs of life in the second quarter, but the Trojans’ depth proved just as effective as the starters.
With reserves checking in, Luca Blundo, TC Hone, and Kristopher Trejo continued to push the tempo.
Hone provided a strong interior presence, finishing with 13 points, six rebounds, and three assists, while Samuel Mendoza added 10 points and five rebounds, including timely finishes around the rim as the Trojans extended the margin to 49–20 at halftime.
Despite a handful of free-throw opportunities for Cristo, the Trojans’ defensive intensity never wavered.
Any hope of a comeback was quickly erased in the third quarter after Mendoza drilled a pair of three-pointers to halt a short Cristo run, while Levi Denton, Blundo and Hone dominated the paint.
Offensive rebounds and put-backs piled up, and the Trojans stretched the lead past 40 early in the fourth quarter as Cristo Rey struggled to keep pace with their constant turnover battle.
Senior Caden Briscoe chipped in six points and five assists, while Sheppard added five points and a steal. Freshman Kristopher Trejo impressed with six points and a team-high seven rebounds off the bench.
As Hone continued to score inside, sophomore Kamden Moore knocked down a three from the top of the key, and Blundo capped the night with another strong layup inside as the Trojans cruised to a lopsided 78–30 victory.
Trojans sink ship at home
Hosting Moapa Valley in their backyard last Friday on Jan. 9, the Trojans made sure the Pirates were sent home empty-handed.
In an extremely close contest, Pahrump was able to mitigate Moapa’s Jaxson Bunker’s 35-point performance with a 31-point night from Keir Sheppard.
Trae Plein delivered a career-high 17 points, taking the pressure off Gavenda of having to erupt.
Sheppard, who has had a slower start to his senior season, is catching fire just at the peak time for the Trojans as they gear up to play out nine more league games in a row starting on Wednesday at home against The Meadows at 6:30 p.m.
Contact Jacob Powers at jpowers@pvtimes.com. Follow @jaypowers__ on X.
