Lady Vandals top Pahranagat Valley

The Eureka County High girls basketball team avenged its only loss of the season last week, coming from behind late to beat Pahranagat Valley High at home.

The Eureka girls came out with a 16-6 run in the fourth quarter, earning a 43-39 comeback win over the Lady Panthers on Dec. 28.

Marking the second time the two teams had played in two weeks, the defending state champion Lady Vandals got revenge for a four-point loss to PVHS in the Virginia City tournament.

Star Natalie Norcutt had a game high 17 points to lead Eureka, nine of which she tallied in the second half.

While the Vandals (11-1) were overtaking Pahranagat, the Panther girls (11-3) were limited to only six points in the final period, after having scored in double figures in each of the first three. PVHS coach Amy Huntsman said of the team’s let down, “We had it, we just didn’t finish. We only had one practice (after the Dec. 19 game with Lincoln County). I think it will be different on a neutral floor.”

Pahranagat took a 19-15 halftime lead in a low scoring affair primarily behind the 11 points of forward Kimberly Lewis. The Vandals put the double team on her a lot in the second half, but she did manage eight points, to lead the team with 13. Bailee Hosier had 10. Lewis and Hosier were the only players for Pahranagat to score in the fourth quarter.

In the meantime, Angela Porter got nine points in the final period as the Vandals often found her down low on the post and Pahranagat just didn’t stop her, in what Huntsman said was the team’s failure to finish as well as missing their own close in shots.

Eureka worked back from a 35-28 deficit with 6:13 remaining, holding Alamo scoreless and taking a 37-35 lead for good on Megan Damele’s short jumper with under two minutes to play.

Beth Damele also had nine points for the Vandals who will move from their old brick gymnasium to a new state-of-art, much larger gym next fall.

As the two teams are strong contenders in their respective leagues, it is entirely possible  the two will meet again in the state tournament in Reno Feb. 28-Mar. 1.

The win marks the fourth in a row for the Lady Vandals, who won it’s previous three games by a combined 120 points.

The Lady Vandals will open up conference play on Jan. 10 at home against Carlin.