Vandal Basketball Teams Return to Action Next Week

It’s the holiday season, school is out and the Eureka basketball teams, both are off for Christmas, but only till then.

The Vandal teams, boys and girls host Pahranagat Valley Dec. 28.

The Eureka boys come in with a mark of 3-4, in a bit of a slump right now having lost their last four games, albeit the last three were against 2A Northern teams.

Led by Chace Green and Gage Hayward, the Vandals will face off with a resurgent Pahranagat Valley team that has a record of 7-2 and are led by Preston Higbee, Jamison Miller and John Hansen.

The Vandals have lost five straight to the Panthers since 2013 since they split a pair that year. So the boys would like very much to put themselves back in the win column and break the hold the Panthers have had on them of late.

On the girls side, last year’s state runner up, the Lady Vandals are 5-3, having lost their last two, but one was to Incline, last year’s 2A state runner-up.

An interesting note going into the game with Pahranagat, both teams have a common opponent so far this season: the Owyhee Braves. Eureka lost to Owyhee 44-41 at the Whittell tournament Dec. 14, but Pahranagat Valley beat Owyhee in Alamo 45-36 Dec. 21.

In the series between the Panthers and Vandal girls since 2007, Eureka trails 4-8, but did win the meeting last year at the Wells Rural Electric Coop tournament 49- 29.

Gracie Garrett and Ilyhia Greely will look to help the Lady Vandals put another Panther pelt in the record book.

A matchup of the teams might also be possible later in the Region II tournament in Mesquite at Virgin Valley High School Feb. 20-22.

Looking to the New Year, both Eureka teams get back into action Jan. 3 at Tonopah, then hosting Oasis Academy Jan. 4.

They begin league play at home against Carlin and Owyhee Jan. 10- 11.