Girls basketball: Pahrump Valley opens 7-0 in Arizona

Sophomore guard Tayla Wombaker scored 13 points, and senior forward Kylie Stritenberger added 10 on Saturday as the Pahrump Valley High School girls basketball team wrapped up a very successful trip to Arizona with a 47-32 win over Lee Williams of Kingman in the River Valley Shootout in Bullhead City.

The win capped a 7-0 trip for the Trojans, who played four games Friday and three Saturday against mostly Arizona schools.

The game was not as close as the score would reflect, as the Trojans outscored the Volunteers 17-6 during the second quarter and 17-5 during the third to lead 42-18 going into the fourth. Junior Kate Daffer led Pahrump Valley with 13 rebounds, while Wombaker posted 8 steals for the Trojans, whose 21 steals helped overcome 23 turnovers.

In the second game Saturday, the Trojans roared to a 22-3 halftime lead and cruised to a 49-11 win over host Mohave.

Sophomores led the way on offense for Pahrump Valley, with Wombaker and Jayde Maestas each scoring 10 points. Maestas also paced the Trojans in rebounds with seven, while Wombaker and junior Maddy Souza each finished with 4 steals.

Saturday’s opener was more about defense for the Trojans, who held Lake Havasu to 4 points during the first half and went on to post a 36-19 win over the Knights.

No player reached double figures in scoring for Pahrump Valley, which was led by Kylie Stritenberger and Kate Daffer with 8 points apiece and Makayla Gent with seven. Maestas’ 7 rebounds again led the Trojans, while Nicky Velazquez and Souza each had 3 steals and Velazquez added 3 assists.

The event opener on Friday showed 8 a.m. is not too early for the Trojans, who overwhelmed Mohave Accelerated 58-8. The Trojans shot 46 percent from the floor in a game they led 38-1 at the half.

Balanced scoring won the day for Pahrump Valley, as Daffer led the way with 10 points, followed by Wombaker and Velazquez with 9 points apiece, Souza and Jessica Anderson with 7 points each and Stritenberger and Gent, who each tallied 6 points.

Velazquez was tops on the boards with 7 rebounds, including 4 offensive rebounds, while 10 players recorded at least 1 assist. Wombaker and Souza led the Trojans with 5 steals apiece.

The only opponent not from Arizona, Class 2A Needles, was up next, and the Trojans came away with a 34-23 victory. The Mustangs couldn’t do much about Daffer, who made 6 of 8 field goals and led Pahrump Valley with 14 points. Maestas led the team with 6 rebounds, Wombaker recorded 4 of the Trojans’ 7 assists, and Gent finished with 4 steals.

The third game Friday was against Lake Havasu, and the Trojans had no trouble in a 40-18 win. Wombaker was tops in scoring with 11 points, with Daffer and Stritenberger each netting 7 points. Maestas grabbed 7 rebounds, while Souza led the team in assists (3) and steals (4).

Friday’s closing game featured more smothering defense, as Pahrump Valley rolled to a 38-18 win over Lee Williams of Kingman, Arizona, as Wombaker finished with team-leading totals in points (12) and rebounds (8).

By comparison, the Trojans went 5-3 in the Shootout last year, including a loss to Lee Williams.

Gent and Souza have been on the floor the most for the Trojans, each averaging 27.1 minutes per game. Daffer’s 9.0 points per game leads the team, as do her 5.7 rebounds. Velazquez has been the team’s top shooter, making 14 of 26 field goals for 54 percent, while Souza, Daffer, Stritenberger and Gent are all shooting better than 40 percent.

The Trojans opened Sunset League play Monday against Valley and face league newcomer Somerset Losee at 6:30 p.m. today in North Las Vegas. They will play in a tournament at Virgin Valley High School in Mesquite this weekend, and their next home game is scheduled for Dec. 20 against Needles.