Eureka Boys Set to Open League Play After Break

A 65-42 loss to Battle Mountain Dec. 19 left the Eureka boys basketball team with a record of 7-6 going into the Christmas holiday break.

The Longhorns senior guards Mason Fuller had 21 points, and Miles Piremide added 16 as Battle Mountain had a strong second half to pull away for the win.

The score was close in the first quarter, 8-7 in favor of the Longhorns. But the Vandals had a good second quarter and forged a 23-20 halftime lead.

In the second half Battle Mountain got it rolling though and outscored Eureka 45-19.

The Longhorns used the long ball to take control of the game in the second half, as well as taking stronger control of the backboards. “We were hanging with them the first half,” said coach Fred Minoletti, “but in the second half they starting hitting the threes pretty good and we just don’t have the firepower to keep up with them. They kind of went on a run and our guys just couldn’t seem to hit anything.” At least not until the fourth quarter when Eureka scored 19 points, but the Longhorns kept up their own scoring and held the Vandals off at a spears length.

Battle Mountain (11-2) connected on 10 three-point shots for the game. Piremide had four of them and Fuller had three. In addition, Battle Mountain went to a tight defense and limited Eureka’s Chase Green quite a bit in the second half.

The Vandals have only won twice against the Longhorns since 2009. Once in 2009 and again in 2012.

The Eureka teams, boys and girls, are off this weekend, but return to action Jan. 5-6 as they open 1A Northern Division league play against visiting Carlin and Owyhee.

The Railroaders are only 1-2 on the season at present, a win over a weak Round Mountain team. Carlin plays Owyhee the night before coming to Eureka.

Owyhee, the league’s No. 2 team in the state tournament last year, is but 2-6 this year, having lost 5 of 6 games before the Christmas break.