Vandals Head to Round Mountain After Winning 2 at Whittell Tourney

Eureka started off the Whittell tournament last weekend with a 40-32 win over Pyramid Lake on the first day of the tourney on Thursday.

Saturday saw the Vandals take a two-point 60-58 win over Mammoth, Calif.

On Saturday, the boys lost to North Tahoe 37-25t and to Incline 69-30.

In the game with Mammoth, the boys had to overcome at 30-point performance from Trent Presson of the Huskies.

Vandals coach Fred Minoletti said, “That was a close game, but one where we kept getting ahead, only to let them catch back up, back and forth like that.”

Both teams were consistent in scoring double figures in each quarter.

“We had a 7-8 point lead late in the game,” Minoletti said, “but early season mistakes gave Mammoth more chances. We had a five point lead with 13 seconds left, but fouled a player on a three point shot and he made each one. We were then fouled, missed the free throw and they got the rebound, but a last second wild shot was off the mark.”

Chase Green was team high for the Vandals with 20 points.

Saturday’s loss to North Tahoe was also a close game, but stats were not posted.

Against the Incline Highlanders, “They were just in control from the outset,” Minoletti noted. “A really good team and they had us 38-12 at halftime and outscored us 31-18 in the second half. I think they are going to be one of the strong contenders in the 2A North this year.”

Minoletti said that Gage Hayward scored 14 points in the Incline game. Tristan Bircham was the team leader against North Tahoe.

This weekend, Dec. 14-15, Eureka participates in the Round Mountain tournament and are scheduled to play Tonopah, Round Mountain and Beatty.

After the holidays, the Vandals have a non-league home game with Tonopah Jan. 4.