BY DARRELL MOODY
Nevada Appeal Sports Writer
DAYTON " Forty percent from the foul line and 21 turnovers are two stats that won't win you many basketball games.
The Dayton boys found that out the hard way, dropping a 53-50 decision to Silver Stage in the semifinals of the Sutro Classic Friday at Dayton High School.
Despite the shortcomings at the line and handling the ball, the Dust Devils almost pulled this one out. The Dust Devils trailed 53-50 with the clock winding down, but Kage Walker's game-tying attempt failed to go down.
The Dust Devils face Wooster for third place at noon today, while Silver Stage and Fernley battle for the championship at 1:30 p.m.
Silver Stage outshot Dayton from the field, 20-19. Dayton went 10-for-25 from the line and Silver Stage was 7-for-16. Dayton players twice missed both ends of a two-shot foul and three times were unsuccessful on the front end of a bonus situation.
"Free throws are a lost art," Dayton coach T.W. Cunningham said. "Kids don't shoot free throws anymore. I had no problems with that last shot (by Walker). We were taking the first open shot. We got the look we wanted."
Silver Stage coach Derek Miller was happy to get past the Dust Devils, who scored 22 fourth-quarter points, many coming off turnovers.
"We played hard," Miller said. "We had some success early with their pressure, but didn't handle their pressure late. I knew they were going to make a run at us. We got a little tired."
Dayton trailed 40-28 after three quarters, and Tannar Wood and Chris Sikora were in foul trouble. Both managed to stay in the game and make some contributions in the final eight minutes.
Wood, who finished with 11 points, keyed a 12-2 run in the first four-plus minutes with a bucket and four free throws, including a three-point play which sliced Silver Stage's lead to 42-40 with 3:48 remaining. Dayton's Dakota Lee, who scored 10 points, scored on a putback and Nate Vonahsen added a bucket in the surge.
Silver Stage's Jesse Fisher drained a 3-pointer and Jared Roberts converted a three-point play to make it 48-43 with 2:57 left.
Lee scored underneath, and two possessions later, Michael Hunter knocked in a trey from the left corner for a 51-45 advantage with 1:20 left.
Wood scored twice in the key sandwiched around a missed free throw by the Nighthawks' Clint Von Lisowe to make it 51-49 with 23.7 seconds left. Fisher and Vonahsen traded free throws to make it 52-50 with 19.4 seconds left.
Fisher converted one-of-two free throws with 13.7 seconds left to keep Dayton in the game. Walker misfired on the next possession.
Cunningham credited his team's defense for getting the Dust devils back in the game.
"Defense is going to win games for us," he said. "When we're pressuring the ball and rotating, good things happen for us."
FERNLEY 52, WOOSTER 36
The Vaqueros opened the second half with a 23-5 third-quarter surge and quickly turned the game into a blowout.
Cade Knutson led Fernley with 14 points while Jace Gledhill and Bryce Baker added 13 and 11, respectively. Knutson scored eight and Baker seven in the third quarter.
Tony Wright led Wooster with 10 points and Trevor Johns added seven.
LONE PINE (Calif.) 55, RAIN SHADOW 38
Led by Chris Munis and Jeremy Pierce, Lone Pine used a 21-8 third-quarter surge to subdue Rain Shadow Charter Community School.
Munis had seven of his 12 in the third quarter, while Pierce had six of his 14 in that span.
Nate Brown led Rain Shadow with 16.
BATTLE MOUNTAIN 65, BISHOP 59
Battle Mountain had four players reach double figures in its win over Bishop.
Mike Miller led the way with 18, including 12 in the first half when Battle Mountain took an eight-point halftime lead. Matt Miller, Martin Paris and Randy Verbeck all added 10 points each.
Phillip Kane scored 19 in a losing effort and Aaron Puls contributed 14.
- Contact Darrell Moody at dmoody@nevadaappeal.com or (775) 881-1281