‘Group effort’ leads boys hoops over Moapa

Heading on the road for an intense rivalry matchup, Boulder City High School boys basketball cruised to a 72-45 victory to open the regular season against Moapa Valley.

“It was a really good win for us to start the season with,” head coach John Balistere said. “We got a lot of work to do to get to where we want to be, but for being a little short-handed, the guys really came together and played great. We’re making the right adjustments.“

Stealing the show on the road for the Eagles was guard Luke Wright, who poured in a game-high 34 points, along with five steals and four assists.

Hot from downtown, Wright made seven 3-pointers on the night.

“Luke shot the ball lights out,” Balistere said. “I like that he came out aggressive and had a terrific game for us.”

Down a pair of starters from last season with seniors Sean Pendleton and Easton Welbourne nursing injuries, the Eagles got major contributions from their supporting cast.

Scoring in double figures, King Raleigh poured in 10 points with two rebounds and two steals, while Ethan Valencia added seven points with seven rebounds and four assists.

Aiden Birch added six points, eight rebounds and five assists for the Eagles, while Jayden Thackeray added six points with three steals.

In total, 10 players contributed to the Eagles’ winning efforts over the rival Pirates, something Balistere called their key to victory.

“Tonight was a group effort,” Balistere said. “We had a lots of guys get minutes and contribute in a variety of ways.”

Looking to stay hot, the Eagles will travel to SLAM Academy on Friday, followed by home game against Democracy Prep on Tuesday.