Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Wolves on roll with four straight wins

Prescott's Curley Wolves have won four straight games as the season winds down.

This should put the team in good shape for the district tourney, which will be played in Nashville this year.

The Wolves manhandled Mena 71-58 Friday, Jan. 21, being absolutely dominant in the final eight minutes of the game.

The Bearcats opened the game with a 8-0 run, at one point hitting a trio of three-pointers in a row, and looked to be setting up to blow the Wolves out early. However, Prescott changed its defensive scheme from a 3-2 zone to a man-to-man defense and it was all downhill for the Cats afterwards.

The Cats led 13-3 with 4:21 left in the opening frame, and didn't score again until the 6:06 point in the second quarter, as the Wolves were ravenous.

During this stretch, the Wolves outscored Mena 17-2.

The Cats simply had no answer for Prescott's man defense and self destructed.

At the end of one, the Wolves had taken control and led 15-13. Mena managed to stay close in the second period, but trailed 24-21 at the half.

For the first 16 minutes, though, players from both teams were all over the court, hustling for steals or trying to get open for a shot.

Mena scored first in the third period, cutting Prescott's lead to one at 24-23. This was as close as the Cats would get as the Wolves poured in 20 points during the remainder of the quarter.

While the Cats stayed in a 3-2 zone defense, the Wolves were looking to turn the game into a track meet. Speed is the one thing Prescott has in abundance, and something Mena couldn't compete with.

At times Prescott's offense looked like a Chinese fire drill, with Wolves all over the court. Mena's defense collapsed and began giving up points in the paint. The Cats allowed Wolves to drive down the middle for relatively easy layups.

At the end of three, Prescott was in command 44-32.

Mena's full court press did little more than irritate the Wolf offense, as Prescott either outran the defense or passed over it.

Fatigue also set in for the visitors as the Cats failed to block out in the lane.

Prescott hit 17-30 free throws, while Mena was six of 12 at the line.

A.J. Lewis led all scorers with 23. Luther Stueart added 20, while Mitchell Taylor scored 13.

Mena was led by Nick Pate's 17. Will Johnson had 14 and John Davenport scored 12.

PRESCOTT 79

NEVADA 62

The Wolves were less than gracious hosts as they beat cross county Nevada, 79-62, on Jan. 18.

The Blue Jays got off to a 5-0 lead before Prescott's offense kicked in. Still, the Wolves were unable to take the lead in the first period, with the Jays taking a 17-15 lead into the second frame. The Jays were up 17-12, but Prescott hit a trey at the buzzer.

The Wolves opened period two by tying the score, then taking a 19-17 lead and not looking back, as the Jays went cold from the floor.

Prescott wasn't able to pull away much until late in the period. With 2:45 left the Wolves led 29-22, and went on a 7-0 run for the remainder of the quarter.

The Wolves took a 36-22 lead to the locker room at the break, and picked up where the team left off when play resumed in the third period.

Prescott looked to run at every opportunity, while the Jays tried to slow the pace down. Prescott's defense tended to allow only one shot from Nevada players before the ball headed downcourt to the Wolf basket.

Period three ended with the Wolves up 56-37.

The Jays outscored Prescott 25-23 in the fourth quarter, but it was much too little, too late. Still, the Jays did manage a 7-0 run at one stretch during the period, and never quit trying.

Prescott was 12-19 at the line, while Nevada hit eight of 18 free throws.

Stueart was the game's leading scorer with 30 points. Mitch Taylor and Sean Hart added 16 each.

Nevada was led by Tony Henry's 18. Desmond Bailey had 15.

PRESCOTT 48

NASHVILLE 45

Prescott found the going tough in Nashville on Jan. 14, but managed to come home with a 48-45 win.

The Wolves jumped out to a 10-7 lead at the end of one, and led the rest of the way. Prescott was up 20-16 at the half, and led 35-27 at the end of three.

Stueart led Prescott with 24 points.

Prescott's free throw shooting was less than stellar as the Wolves were five of 18. Nashville converted 12-25.

PRESCOTT 68

BISMARCK 67

When the Wolves went to Bismarck on Jan.11, the squad was lucky to come home with a 68-67 win, which began the four-game streak.

The Lions managed a 19-17 lead at the end of one, only to see the Wolves rally and take a 35-32 lead to the locker room at halftime. It was all Bismarck in the third quarter as the Lions managed to take a 54-46 lead into the fourth quarter. However, the Wolves have a habit of winning the final eight minutes, and outscored their hosts 22-13.

Prescott netted 21-39 free throws, while Bismarck had nine of 17.

Stueart again led Prescott with 31 points. Hart chipped in 16.

Jon Crabb paced Bismarck with 29. Pat Pressler and Dan McMahan scored 10 each.