ELKO — After a 27-point loss in the finale of the Brent Stokes State Farm Insurance Classic against Reno, the Elko boys basketball team got back in track in its Division 3A North opener.
On Friday, the Indians shut down Hug and scored points in bunches for a 40-point, 58-18 victory.
Elko junior Preston Chamberlin opened the scoring after a slow start with a pump fake and pull-up jumper from the elbow, and Hug gained its first point at the line on a free throw from Connor Humphreys.
From the left corner, senior Chris Amaya gave the Indians a 5-1 lead with a three — Elko going up 8-1 on an And-1 plus the free throw for senior Jared Tinkorang from an outlet pass by senior Luis Rodriguez.
The Indians continued their dominant stretch with a corner trey by senior Anthony Atkins on a dish from Chamberlin, who made the score 13-1 with a jump hook in the paint.
People are also reading…
Sophomore Jaxon Morrell kissed a runner off the glass from the left side on a reversal from junior Josiah Tinkorang, and the Indians closed the frame on a 14-0 streak with a free throw by senior Miguel Abarca after a Hug turnover.
Entering the second quarter, Elko was up 15 with the score at 16-1.
Jared Tinkorang opened the second with a strong down the left baseline for a deuce.
The Hawks reached the single bonus with 7:14 on the clock, and Ricky Pacheco made 1-of-2 free throws.
Hug got away with a travel but drew a foul, and Humphreys also connected on 1-of-2 freebies.
Nasoni Puteni was tied up but was awarded a foul call against Elko — the Indians’ ninth — with 6:17 remaining in the second quarter but a lane violation on the front end of the one-and-one nullified the trip to the stripe.
On the next possession, Puteni scored on the right block — Josiah Tinkorang responding with a put-back on the right side for the Indians for a 20-5 lead.
From a timeout, Amaya stuck a midrange J on a pass from Josiah Tinkorang on the offensive boards — Humphreys answering with a drive down the right side for the Hawks.
After another reset, Morrell pushed the Elko advantage to 25-7 with a three from the right wing.
Nobody stopped the ball, and Amaya penetrated for a bank on the right side — Tinkorang slicing his way for a roll around the rim and drop on the left edge.
The Indians moved the ball beautifully, leading to an easy score on the block for Morrell on a dish from Amaya.
With less than a minute remaining in the half, Amaya was hacked after grabbing his own miss — draining both free throws for a 33-7 lead.
Abarca went straight up but was called for a foul, and Pacheco took advantage with two free throws.
At the break, the Indians led by 24 with the score at 33-9.
Opening the third, hug gained consecutive baskets on the block by Fred Fauolo.
After a stagnant start to the frame, Elko gained its first points with a series of pivots and a finish through a foul by Abarca — Amaya grabbing the missed free throw for a follow.
Amaya did more damage on the glass and earned another trip to the line, cashing both shots.
Josiah Tinkorang scored in the middle on a pass from Morrell, who then drove the lane for a floater.
Elijah Noguera was fouled and made one free throw for Hug, the third quarter ending with the Indians on top by 29 with the score at 43-14.
Noguera scored the first points of the fourth from the stripe, but the Indians dropped four in rapid fashion — Josiah Tinkorang making an acrobatic flip in the middle and Rodriguez scoring on a dime from senior Cai Alvarado.
Junior Bernard Fesenmaier went coast-to-coast for a layup on the left side — opening a 33-point lead — and the game turned into a running clock around the five-minute mark on a corner three by junior Braylon Baggett in front of the Elko bench.
Hug scored quickly on the other end, but Josiah Tinkorang knocked down a turnaround jumper from the left side for the Indians.
Atkins made four-consecutive free throws for a 40-point lead, and the Indians cruised to a 58-18 victory in their 3A North opener.
Amaya led all scorers with 13 points, Morrell neared double digits with nine, Josiah Tinkorang added eight and Jared Tinkorang and Atkins finished with seven apiece.
Elko’s offense was capped with four points for Chamberlin, three points each from Abarca and Baggett and two each by Rodriguez and Fesenmaier.
Hug was paced with four points each by Humphreys, Puteni and Fauolo — the Hawks’ scoring rounded out with three points apiece for Pacheco and Noguera.
Up Next
The Indians (3-1) will close the weekend home stand with a 2:30 p.m. Saturday ballgame against North Valleys, at Centennial Gymnasium.
