Griz pound out win over Pilgrims
Fruitland opens game on 17-4 run
By Argus observer sports staff
Friday, December 21, 2007 11:36 AM PST
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| Fruitland’s Kaleo Nawahine shoots a jumper as New Plymouth’s Nolan Kerby tries to block the shot. Nawahine finished with one three-pointer and three buckets for nine total and Kerby drilled four from deep and made three baskets for 17. |
FRUITLAND - The Fruitland Griz basketball team put 17 points up to New Plymouth’s four in the first four minutes of Thursday’s game, building a lead the Pilgrims could never overcome. Fruitland won by a comfortable 62-50 margin.
“They just scored a ton right off the bat,” New Plymouth coach Tyler Gaston said. “It didn’t matter if we ran man or zone. We switched to man, and figured that was working better, but obviously it didn’t.”
Griz Andrew Dahle led in scoring with 18 points. Devin Decroo added 11 and Kaleo Nawahine pitched in 9.
“We played well defensively, but we never nailed it down with consistency. We missed a lot of easy shots, and that was the difference in the lead,” Fruitland coach Mike Fitch said.
“They fought back but the game was out-of-reach. They showed a ton of improvement over last time we played them.”
New Plymouth’s Nolan Kirby added four from beyond the arc to the Pilgrims’ eight total three-pointers but did little to alleviate the deficit. “Kirby shot very well. Last time he didn’t score so he is coming along,” Fitch said.
“Kirby hasn’t played a lot, and he’s new. He’s learning. It was his night. Without him we would have been in even bigger trouble,” Gaston said.
Fruitland, now 5-2, plays Melba at home on Friday, Jan. 8.
Nyssa 57
Mac-Hi 51
Milton-Freewater
Jeremiah Leo made his triumphant return to the hardwood in style Thursday in Milton-Freewater while the rest of the team just stood around and watched.
The sophomore guard scored a team-high 28 points to lead the Nyssa Bulldogs to the 57-51 win over Mac-Hi in non-league boys basketball action.
“The guys definitely relaxed a little knowing we had a healthy team together finally,” Nyssa head coach Gabe Fuentes said. “This is an inexperienced group and they have to realize that it will take all five players to get where we want to get. We can do it one night, but not all season long.”
In the first half both teams fought tooth and nail with Nyssa, using a 17-15 second quarter output to take a 29-27 lead at the break.
The Bulldogs then came out of the locker room with a 15-8 surge and regained control with a 44-35 cushion heading into the final stanza before holding on late.
Leos was followed up by Seth Glenn’s 14 points and Jesse Martinez added six points for the Bulldogs, who connected on 20 field goals and went 15-of-20 from the free-throw line.
Nyssa (3-6 overall) is on Christmas break and next travels to Ontario Jan. 3.
Weiser 36
Vale 20
Vale
In what many would considered a low scoring affair for a boys basketball game, the Wolverines of Weiser outlasted the Vale Vikings Thursday with a 36-20 win in non-league action.
“It wasn’t pretty; It wasn’t a pretty game to watch,” Vale head coach Tom Snook said.
The game began with Weiser putting up 10 points in the opening quarter of play, and Vale hanging in close scoring eight points, but in the second quarter, the Wolverines put some distance between themselves and the Vikings by adding 11 more points to the tally and holding Vale to five for the 21-13 lead at the break.
Weiser top gunner was Brandon Richins with 13 points, as Weiser totaled 12 baskets made from the field and shot 9-of-15 from the charity stripe.
Vale’s struggles continued in the third quarter as they only scored one bucket to Weiser’s 11 points as the Wolverine lead continued to grow, and at the end of three frames, Weiser held a commanding 32-15 advantage.
The game ended with the two teams logging five points each in the final quarter of play.
“Their (Weiser’s) defense was just way better than our offense tonight,” Snook said. “We couldn’t get the ball to go in the hole. They played well defensively, and I felt good about the way we played on offense.”
Vale will next battle against Payette as the Pirates sail into town tonight with the game tipping off at 7:30 p.m.
