Vaqueros roll past Spring Creek

Robert Perea, The Fernley Reporter

At this time of the season, every win makes the next game even bugger.

Such is the case this weekend for the Fernley High School boys basketball team.

The Vaqueros beat Spring Creek 57-37 Friday night, to pull into sole possession of third place in the Northern 3A, and keeping alive their chances of earning a finish in the top two of the league, which would give them a first-round bye for the regional tournament in two weeks.

The Vaqueros face Elko today at 2:30 p.m., and a win would draw them within one game of first place. Elko leads the league with an 11-1 record, while South Tahoe is 11-2 and Fernley is 10-3.

The Vaqueros defeated Elko in the first meeting between the teams in Fernley Jan. 7.

Justin Turner led the Vaqueros with 22 points in Friday’s win in Spring Creek, while Drake Howe added 11 points, Zach Burns scored 9 and Ren Arroyo had 8.

“It was probably one of the best games we’ve played the whole season as far as playing hard the whole game,” coach Derek Miller said.

Fernley led 29-19 at the half, then blew the game open by outscoring the Spartans 18-6 in the third quarter.

Turner had 10 of his points in that third quarter, while Howe and Dario Ceresola each hit 3-pointers during Fernley’s run.

“(Turner) was aggressive and they had a hard time staying in front of hi,” Miller said.