BY JOE SANTORO
Special to the Appeal
RENO - Luke Babbitt simply went to work Friday night at Galena High.
"Luke does what he's supposed to do," Galena coach Tom Maurer said after Babbitt's 42 points, 18 rebounds and seven blocked shots led the Grizzlies to a pivotal 54-44 High Desert League victory over the Bishop Manogue Miners.
"He's the leader of this team and he did his job tonight."
Actually, Babbitt did everyone's job and then some. The 6-foot-8 senior scored 39 of Galena's first 47 points. He scored 17 of Galena's 24 points in the first half and 25 of his team's 30 points in the second half. At one point in the second half - with just over a minute to play and Galena clinging to a 47-43 lead - he had scored 22 of Galena's 23 second-half points.
"Winners want the ball," Maurer said. "The kid is one of the best players in the country and we made sure we got the ball in his hands."
Babbitt, who also had three steals to round out one of the better games in his incredible high school career, made 16 of his 27 shots. His 16 field goals were one more than the entire Manogue team.
"It just all depends on how the defense is playing us," said Babbitt, who earlier this season broke the state's all-time career scoring record. "It was just one of those nights. If I got the ball, I was going to take the shot. That's what their defense was giving us."
The victory leaves Galena at 15-12 overall and in control of first-place in the High Desert League at 8-1. Manogue fell to 16-7 and 7-2.
"After we lost (to Spanish Springs on Tuesday) we were determined to take it one game at a time," Maurer said. "When we played Elko (on Wednesday) we didn't think about Manogue. And (Friday) we didn't think about Fallon (the Grizzlies play at Fallon on Tuesday). Thank goodness we don't play (tonight). Luke played a lot of minutes (against Manogue). He might not have anything left if we played (tonight)."
Babbitt had plenty of reserves to call upon against the Miners.
The University of Nevada recruit scored all seven points in a 7-0 Galena run over the final two minutes of the first half. Babbitt scored on a jumper with 2:03 to go in the half to break a 17-17 tie. Another Babbitt jumper made it 21-17 with 1:37 to go and a free throw with 1:02 to go gave Galena a 22-17 lead. He closed out the half with a dagger from 15 feet out with two seconds to go in the half for a 24-17 lead.
Babbitt admitted that his adrenaline might have been flowing a little more with first-place in the High Desert League on the line against the Grizzlies' top rival.
"I try to play the same way every night," he said. "You have to bring it every night. But maybe tonight I felt it a little more, I don't know."
The Grizzlies opened up a 26-19 lead a minute into the third quarter on a Babbitt jumper from the corner. Manogue, though, rallied to take a 34-33 lead with 30 seconds to play in the quarter on a jumper by Pat John.
It turned out to be the Miners' last lead of the night, thanks to Babbitt.
"He finished the game for us," Maurer said. "That was big. We needed him and he did what he's supposed to do."
After Manogue took its final lead, Babbitt scored Galena's next 14 points to give the Grizzlies a 47-42 lead with 2:35 to play. The left-hander brought the packed gym to its feet with a 3-pointer from about 25 feet out for a 40-35 lead with 6:38 to play. On Manogue's next possession Babbitt blocked a shot by the Miners' Alex Hargrove and then went down to the other end to drain another 25-foot 3-pointer for a 43-35 lead.
"He's such a smart kid," Maurer said. "He knew he had to pull (Manogue center Josh Lepley) out from under the basket so he took those threes. That's Luke right there. He can take you in or he can take you out."
He definitely took out the Miners.
"They weren't letting me drive to the basket," said Babbitt, explaining his attack from long range. "After I made those shots, that opened up my drive again."
The Grizzlies finally gave Babbitt some help in the final minute of the fourth quarter as guard Markis Robinson calmly drilled four free throws to help hold off the Miners. Babbitt also made 3-of-4 free throws (thanks to a personal foul and technical foul on Lepley) with 51 seconds to play.
"Our guards, especially Robinson, (Deon) Ashley, (Jake) Mansfield and (Nick) Wood did a tremendous job on defense against (Manogue point guard) Bobby Hunter," Maurer said.
Hunter scored 22 points against Galena on Jan. 19 in a 63-54 Galena victory at Manogue. He finished with just two on Friday night.
"To hold an explosive team like Bishop Manogue to just 44 points is a great defensive effort," Maurer said. "That was a phenomenal effort. Luke also did an amazing job on the boards, getting some crucial rebounds on their missed free throws."
Galena will close out its regular season with league games at Fallon on Tuesday and at home against McQueen on Feb. 9.