Staff Reports
This time the Dayton boys basketball team needed just three seconds. After blowing a 16-point fourth quarter lead, Dayton went the length of the court in three seconds, with Ryan Blaver scoring on a layup at the buzzer to give the Dust Devils a 51-49 win at Spring Creek on Saturday.
With the win, Dayton (12-10) kept pace in the race for third in the Northern 3A, improving to 8-6. Last week, Dayton went the length of the floor in 4.3 seconds when Matt Bowman passed off to Adam Diament, who scored the game-winner at the buzzer to give the Dust Devils a 61-59 win over Fernley.
Against Spring Creek, Danny Hopper inbounded the ball to Trent Wood, who dribbled the length of the floor and passed off to Blaver for his buzzer beater. "The kids executed the play to a tee," Dayton coach Rob Streeter said.
Dayton led 30-18 at halftime and 44-28 after three quarters, but missed eight straight free throws in the fourth quarter. The Dust Devils had been 9-of-13 from the line through three quarters.
"Uncharacteristically for us we did not make our free throws in the fourth quarter," Streeter said.
Josh Aaker did make three straight free throws as Dayton went 3-of-11 from the line in the fourth quarter to finish the game 12-of-24. But Spring Creek hit three three-pointers in the fourth quarter to spark its comeback.
Bowman scored 16 points, Hopper had eight points, Diament had six points and Travis Wood and Blaver each added five points.
ELKO 61, GALENA 46
Elko took control of the High Desert League race in the showdown for first. Elko (17-6) improved to 7-1 while Galena (18-9) fell to 6-2. Ryan Klekas, who had athroscopic surgery on Tuesday, played for the second straight day and scored 23 points.
"I just want to make it very clear I think Ryan Klekas did an outstanding job," Galena coach Tom Maurer said. "He did all kinds of things to help their team win.
"He was phenomenal. He flat out got my vote for player of the year. He created for others or he scored."
Galena led 16-10 after one quarter. "We were doing a great job, we were drawing fouls," Maurer said.
Elko came back to take a 27-26 halftime lead and led 38-33 after three quarters. Elko outscored Galena 23-9 in the fourth quarter before the Grizzlies scored the game's last two baskets.
Iain Hill scored 14 points and Ryan Bristol added 10 points. Derek Lorenzen scored nine points, but didn't score in the second half.
GALENA GIRLS 52, ELKO 36
Caitlin Anderson scored 18 points and Caitlin Crofts added 14 points to lead the Galena girls basketball team to the win.