Trojans boys basketball lost to Chaparral in non-league game

As Qualib Ghallab (12), a Chaparral senior captain of boys basketball, scored two points for a Cowboys 10-point lead, the Trojans head coach would call a timeout.

“The next three stops are gonna change the game, that’s how basketball is,” Pahrump Valley head coach Braydon Preston told his team in the first quarter. “Keep it in your heads and don’t hang your heads.”

When the Trojans walked back to the court, they were a different team.

The Pahrump Valley team would score back-to-back until they tied the Cowboys at 10 in less than five minutes. Moments later, tied at 12, Trojans senior Antwahn Jackson (12), a shooting guard, shot a three-pointer with less than 20 seconds to go to take the lead 15-12. The quarter ended with the Trojans in the lead.

Chaparral is not a NIAA Class 3A team like the Trojans are, the Cowboys are actually in Class 4A, a team that made their regional playoffs in the No. 4 spot. And on Monday, the Trojans traveled to Las Vegas to play their yearly game against the Cowboys in a non-league game.

Last year the Trojans had a much stronger game against the Cowboys, where Pahrump Valley only lost by three points, while on Monday night they lost by eight.

Losing the lead

The Cowboys began to come back after the second quarter when Trojans junior Alejandro Lozano (0), point guard, picked up two points to push the lead up by three points. And moments later, the Cowboys’ Bryan Montemayor (3) shot and scored a three-pointer to tie the game at 17.

It would be the Trojans that fouled the Cowboys for two free throws that Ghallab made, regaining Chaparral’s lead 19-17.

The Trojans started to fall back as they were able to make plays, the team would struggle to make baskets. Some throws on the basket would not reach the basket and would actually land in Cowboy hands.

In the last minute before halftime, Lozano would shoot the ball for a three-pointer, but Ghallab blocked the ball. And with just 30 seconds left, the Cowboys would foul the Trojans for two free throws that Pahrump Valley missed, five points the Trojans missed out on to close the first half behind 26-20.

In the second half, the Trojans would begin to chip away at the Cowboys’ lead after Trojans senior Tramaine Burras (13) put up two points for the team, followed by Lozano scoring a three-pointer, the gap shrank to only three points.

The Trojans would communicate down the court, but were not able to sink their shots.

Down by 10 – again

With just over two minutes to go in the third quarter, Ghallab would get two more points on the board to 35-25 and coach Preston called for a full timeout, once again.

The first time the Trojans did this, the team came back, but this time Pahrump Valley would struggle to make any headway. As Pahrump Valley was able to get the ball down to the Cowboys side, the team would continue to not be able to sink their baskets.

And as the buzzer rang to end the third quarter, the Cowboys’ Dameion Curry (14) passed the ball to Ghallab, who eased it into the net for a 39-25 lead.

The fourth quarter went a little better for the Trojans as they were able to keep up with the Cowboys and managed to close the lead down to an eight-point loss. Lozano, Burras and Jackson were crucial in the fourth quarter.

Up next

The boys basketball team will travel again to play their first league game on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. against The Meadows School.

The Mustangs ended up as the No. 1 team in the league last season but lost their semifinals game against Democracy Prep, No. 2 in their league, 73-56. The top two desert league teams ended up playing in the regional championship game and Democracy Prep would win the state championship.

On Friday, the Trojans have another league game where they will play against Coral Academy of Science in Las Vegas at 6:30 p.m.

The Falcons were the No. 4 team in the league, one team above the Trojans last season. Last season the Trojans lost to Coral Academy 62-60, but won their first game 48-47.

Contact Jimmy Romo at jromo@pvtimes.com. Follow @JimmyRomo.News on Instagram.