BulldogDelSolGame-01-26-16: Bulldog Zach Barnum #23 hits two points in the paint during the Dawgs 60-46 loss Monday night, Jan. 25 in the Dawg House. Barnum had 10 for the Bulldogs. Photo by Lou Martin.

BulldogDelSolGame-01-26-16: Bulldog Zach Barnum #23 hits two points in the paint during the Dawgs 60-46 loss Monday night, Jan. 25 in the Dawg House. Barnum had 10 for the Bulldogs. Photo by Lou Martin.

Nothing seemed to go right for the Virgin Valley High boy basketball team Monday night, Jan. 25, in the Dawg House as Del Sol High avenged an early season loss to the Dawgs winning easily 60-46. “I told the kids tomorrow is a new day,” said Coach Sean FitzSimons after the game. “Forget the loss and get ready for Moapa and Sunrise Mountain.”

The Dawgs took an early 7-2 lead on the Dragons led by Zach Barnum with five points. It was all Dragons the rest of the way. The Dragons outscored the Bulldogs 28-9 over the next period and a half to take a 30-16 lead at the break. The Bulldogs were not helped by the 11 turnovers at this point in the game. Their shooting was atrocious as they managed only two three-pointers in the second period. Meanwhile, the Dragons, led by Jonathon Spearman, controlled the boards.

The Dragons did not let up on the Dawgs as they increased their advantage to 44-22 late in the third period. Bulldogs Jarrett Tietjen and Hogan Fowles hit three-pointers to cut the lead to 48-26 but Bo Beagles hit a long three to make the score 49-28 for the Dragons after three periods of play. The Dawgs managed to out-hustle the Dragons reserves 18-11 in the last period behind 10 points from Fowles.

Fowles led the Bulldogs with 18 points for the game followed by Barnum with 10 points. Spearman scored 18 for the Dragons, all in the paint. Beagle had four three balls for the Dragons and 16 points.

“Their defense took us out of our rhythm,” FitzSimons said. “We went 5 of 20 from three and 12 of 27 from two point range you can’t win ball games when you shoot so poorly and commit 18 turnovers. I’m still proud of the kids, they battled all the way.”

Despite the loss the Dawgs still are tied with Chaparral for second place in league play.

The Bulldogs will need to battle Friday night, Jan. 29 as they face Moapa Valley in the Pirate’s Den. The Dawgs have five games remaining in league play before the playoffs begin. Sunrise Mountain comes to town on Tuesday, Feb. 2. The Miners upset the Dragons last week on a buzzer beater.

 

Dogs win at Boulder City

Virgin Valley had a tough time with Boulder City before winning 53-38. The Dawgs led early 21-5 with the Dawgs 1-3-1 defense shutting the Eagles down in the first period. The Eagles found the range in the second period but the Dawgs held on for a 28-20 lead at the break.

The Bulldogs increased their lead in the third period on top 40-31. The last period was all Bulldogs as the Dawgs finished off the Eagles 53-38. Leading the way for the Dawgs were Barnum with 18 points followed by Andrew Memmott and Fowles with nine points each.