Nyssa’s Malerie Long scrambles for a loose ball during first half action against Burns Friday night. (The Enterprise/PAT CALDWELL).
NYSSA – The Lady Bulldogs used a swarming defense to stymie Burns and post a 51-24 Eastern Oregon League victory Friday night.
“Defensive intensity was key on a couple of their shooters. The energy was good and we got really good production from our bench players,” said Nyssa coach Jeremy Chamberlain.
Gracie Johnson and Kate Vineyard each scored 12 points to lead Nyssa as the Bulldogs established jurisdiction early and kept it.
“Being able to close out shooters tonight really helped us a lot,” said Nyssa guard Laney Hartley.
The Friday victory was revenge of sorts for Nyssa after the Hilanders handed the Bulldogs their only league defeat, 55-38 on Jan. 25.
Nyssa’s Brooklyn Johns (4) and Laney Hartley (1) try to stop Burns’ Kaya Dobson jump shot during their game Friday night. (The Enterprise/PAT CALDWELL)
“We wanted to show them who we were,” said Hartley.
The win also capped an eight-game win streak for Nyssa (9-1).
The lights-out shooting the Hilanders displayed in January was absent Friday night, mainly because of the Nyssa defensive play.
“We just had the intensity tonight we didn’t have up there (in Burns),” said Chamberlain.
Nyssa’s Brooklyn Johns (4) forces as turnover during a game against Burns Friday night. (The Enterprise/PAT CALDWELL)
Nyssa built a 11-7 lead after the first quarter and was ahead 20-12 at intermission.
The Bulldogs put the game out of reach in the third frame and held a 36-18 edge at the start of the final quarter.
“Our defense has always been pretty good but tonight we showed we could step it up,” said Hartley.
Nyssa’s Laney Hartley keeps a sharp focus on the ball during first-half action against Burns Friday night. (The Enterprise/PAT CALDWELL)
The win put the Lady Bulldogs firmly in the driver’s seat in the district tournament. Nyssa will play the winner of the Vale-Burns game held Tuesday night Thursday at home at 6 p.m.
In the nightcap, the Burns boys varsity basketball team defeated the Nyssa boys (2-8) 41-34.
Vale Hoops
The Vale boys varsity basketball team ended its regular season undefeated with a 52-43 win over Burns Saturday.
The Vikings (10-0) captured big games from Diesel Johnson and John Wolfe and managed to hold off two serious Hilander rallies.
Johnson finished the night with 16 points and pulled down 13 rebounds while Wolfe scored 14.
Vale also won the turnover battle. The Vikings forced 14 Burns turnovers while only giving up the ball five times on the night.
“Over all you go to Burns and it is a big-league game on the road and one of the toughest spots to get a win and we got a win,” said Vale coach Colby Shira.
Shira said he was not sure when the Vikings last posted an undefeated season. The Vikings won the league title in 2006.
The victory caps the season for the Vikings who will now await the winner of the Burns-Umatilla game Tuesday night. The winner of that game will face Vale Friday in Vale in a second-round district playoff game at 6 p.m.
Wrestling
In prep wrestling action at the Pine Eagle High School tournament Saturday, Adrian’s Toby Clow clinched first place in the 220-pound weight class.
Clow, who holds a 29-2 record, pinned Nampa Christian’s Gabriel Bowlin to claim top honors.
Adrian’s Virginia Tolman placed fifth at 106 pounds, while Chase Andrade clinched a third-place finish at 170 pounds.
Other area grapplers also placed high in the tournament.
Vale’s Colt Cummings finished second at 132 pounds while teammate Nathan Kimball was second in the 138-pound weight class.
Vale’s Omar Vega was third at 106 pounds, while Payton Perry claimed fourth place in the 120-pound weight classification.
Buster Harmon clinched fifth place at 145 pounds while Kase Schaffeld claimed third place at 160 pounds for the Vikings.
See Page 10 for a spotlight feature on Vale wrestling.
In other prep basketball action:
Friday, Feb. 11
Boys Basketball
Baker 80, Ontario 33
Girls Basketball
Jordan Vly 39, Cent. Christian 15
Baker 63, Ontario 15
Saturday, Feb. 12
Boys Basketball
Crane 69, Adrian 51
Jordan Valley 46, Long Creek/Ukiah 13
Girls Basketball
Burns 51, Vale 31
Crane 66, Adrian 14
Four Rivers 34, Dayville/Monument 28
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