After a brief layoff for winter break, the Mineral County High boys basketball team returned to the court last week, winning three games in a five game tournament in Bishop, Calif.
The MCHS boys opened up against a tall and experienced Lee Vining team. The Serpents came out on top 56-49. Brady Cardenas led the way with 15 points, Taylen Wachsmuth had 12 points and Tyshawn Bonner and Jon Cromer added 10 points each. In the afternoon game, the Serpents defeated a very good Rio Hondo school from Southern California by a score of 49-45. Bonner had twelve points, Cardenas had eleven, and Isaiah Crowl added nine points.
The second day was not as kind as the Serpents lost to Bishop and a highly touted Lone Pine team.
In the Bishop game, the boys were only down three points at half time, 32-29, but the Serpents were in foul trouble early. Wachsmuth and Cardenas both had three fouls each in the first twelve minutes. They both picked up their fourth foul early in the second half and the Broncos pulled away.
Cromer led with 19 points, Cardenas had 11, and Dempsey Quintero added 10.
Size turned out to be the downfall in the second game against Lone Pine, who went undefeated in the tourney. However, the Serpents gave them their toughest test. Lone Pine led 37-30 at halftime. The Serpents came out strong in the second half and took the lead at 42-40 with eight minutes to go. Mineral County held the 6’10 center pretty well, but their 6’5 point guard and 6’4 wingman were too much for the Serpents in the end. Cromer led with 13 points, Cardenas had 11, Bonner nine, and Wachsmuth added eight points.
On the last day of the road trip, the boys got off to a slow start against the Immanuel Christian school leading at halftime 35-32. The second half, the Serpents found their legs as the defense stepped up and the MCHS crew pulled away for a 66-48 win. Cardenas led all scorers with 24 points, followed by Cromer with 13 and Matt Cromer with 10. Nine of the ten Serpents made it into the scorebook. Final results were; Lone Pine 5-0, MCHS 3-2, Bishop 3-2, Rio Hondo 3-2, Lee Vining 1-5, and Immanuel Christian 0-6.
The Junior Varsity played three games and had a 2-1 record. The JV boys beat Lone Pine and Rio Hondo, and lost to host Bishop.
Mineral County hosted Sage Ridge on Tuesday this week and will play Coleville at home Friday starting with JV girls at 3 p.m., JV boys at 4:30 p.m., varsity girls starting at 6 p.m. and varsity boys starting at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday they travel to Sierra Lutheran with the JV girls starting at 1 p.m., JV boys at 2:30 p.m., varsity girls at 4 p.m., and varsity boys at 5:30 p.m.
Go Serpents!
