Turnovers derail strong start as Pahrump falls to Western 56–41

As it goes, to be the best, you’ve got to play some of the best.

The Trojans didn’t shy away from Western High School, a competitive Class 4A Mountain League program despite coming off a doubleheader on Jan. 2 at Pinecrest Academy Cadence in Henderson.

But Pahrump’s early fire couldn’t overcome a turnover-plagued middle stretch as Western used a decisive second- and third-quarter run to seize control and pull away for a 56–41 win.

A brisk start

Catching early momentum, Trojans senior Keir Sheppard knocked down a three-point attempt and layup off a steal to take a quick 5-0 lead.

Following a 12-2 run that opened the first three and a half minutes of the exhibition, Pahrump (5-7, 1-2 3A Southern League) created pressure off full-court press steals to assist Sheppard’s quick 1o-point barrage.

A pair of layups by the Trojans’ leading scorer, Lucas Gavenda, gave the Trojans a comfortable four-point 16-12 lead following the final whistle of the first quarter.

Quarter two – momentum swings hard

The Trojans entered the second quarter with a swinging momentum and a four-point edge, but the game quickly turned sideways as missed opportunities and careless possessions allowed Western (10-5, 0-0 4A Mountain League) to flip the script before halftime.

Pahrump opened the quarter with several good looks that simply wouldn’t fall.

Gavenda missed a three, Sheppard couldn’t connect on a jumper, and Briscoe misfired from deep as Western survived the early push.

A key moment came at the seven-minute mark when Western was called for a charge, briefly giving the Trojans a chance to steady themselves.

Sheppard was fouled on a three-point attempt moments later and knocked down two of three free throws to push the Trojans’ lead to 18–12.

Gavenda followed with a strong layup through traffic to make it 20–12, but that would be the Trojans’ last field goal for several minutes.

From there, turnovers began to pile up.

Pahrump committed multiple miscues off basic passes, while Western capitalized inside the paint despite missing multiple free throws of their own.

Western trimmed the lead to 20–17 with 3:30 remaining, and although Veloz briefly stopped the bleeding with a gorgeous soft-touch floater, the momentum had already shifted.

Western closed the half on a commanding run, scoring on consecutive layups, a three-pointer, and a put-back to erase the deficit entirely.

Pahrump led by four entering the quarter but quickly went into halftime trailing 28–22 as turnovers proved costly.

Quarter three – Western takes control

Led by head coach Eric Williams, the Warriors wasted little time extending the lead after the break.

A pair of free throws and a layup pushed the margin to nine, and although Pahrump briefly responded to cut it to 32–26, consistency remained elusive.

The Trojans simply couldn’t find a way to contain Western senior Ac McDowell as he finished with 28 points, four rebounds and four steals.

Sheppard knocked down yet another key three to make it 34–29 and briefly reignite hope, but Western answered with steady execution.

Missed free throws by Western kept the Trojans within reach momentarily, yet they couldn’t convert on the other end. Sheppard was blocked on a drive, forcing Pahrump to call timeout with 2:35 left as the game began to slip away.

Western closed the quarter strong once again, scoring multiple times at the rim to stretch the lead to 40–31. The nine-point margin marked the biggest separation of the night and underscored Western’s growing control.

Fourth Quarter – Lead too much to overcome

Any chance of a comeback faded quickly in the final period.

Western opened the quarter with back-to-back baskets, pushing the lead to double digits.

By the 5:07 mark, Western had built a commanding 48–34 advantage — the largest lead of the game at 14 points.

Pahrump showed fight down the stretch as Samuel Mendoza knocked down a clutch three, and the Trojans continued to battle defensively, cutting the margin to 52–41 late.

But the early hole proved too deep to escape.

Western’s ability to convert turnovers into points and dominate the paint in the second half proved decisive. Pahrump flashed potential early but couldn’t sustain momentum, finishing with too many empty possessions to keep pace.

Contact Jacob Powers at jpowers@pvtimes.com. Follow @jaypowers__ on X.