Boys basketball: Coach pleased with Vaqueros after opening tournament

Robert Perea, The Fernley Reporter

The Fernley boys basketball team came within a fraction of a second of winning two of three games against Southern 3A foes in last weekend’s Lake Mead Holiday Classic in Las Vegas.

The Vaqueros defeated Moapa Valley 63-52 last Thursday, lost 53-36 to Boulder City on Friday, then finished the tournament with a 55-54 loss to Virgin Valley in a game where Fernley’s game-winning shot came just after the buzzer and was waved off.

“We played three very physical teams and I was pleased with how we competed,” coach Derek Miller said. “We definitely need to learn how to adjust to officiating styles from game to game.”

Thursday, the Vaqueros led 28-20 at the half against Moapa Valley, then after losing the lead, outscored the Pirates 26-12 in the fourth quarter. Senior Carson Kingston led the way with 22 points and 7 rebounds, while junior Jett Caudle scored 16 points with five assists and senior Josh Cartagena added 14 points with six assists and five steals.

In Friday’s game, Boulder City dominated the first and third quarters for a combined 28-9 advantage to roll to the win. Caudle was Fernley’s only double-digit scorer with 15 points as the Vaqueros struggled with their shooting, hitting only 13 of 44 attempts.

Caudle and senior Ryan Gamsby eached scored 15 points against Virgin Valley, while Gamsby also pulled down 11 rebounds and had six assists. Kingston added 10 points for Fernley.

This week, the Vaqueros are scheduled to host Hug at 7:30 Tuesday to make up the game that was canceled last Tuesday. They also go to South Tahoe Wednesday and play at Wooster Saturday at 1 p.m.

“We have a lot to work on but I like the group we have,” Miller said.