Agassi Prep cashes first ticket to state

After a raucous celebration in the locker room had ended and his players left, Agassi Prep boys basketball coach David Claerbaut bowed his head and sighed.

"It doesn't get any wilder than this," he said.

And DeShawn Battle made sure the Stars' wild ride will continue.

Battle's scoop shot in the final second lifted Agassi Prep to a 55-53 victory over Lincoln County in the semifinals of the Class 2A Southern League tournament Friday at Desert Oasis High School.

Agassi Prep (15-10) clinched its first trip to the state tournament and will play Needles at 5 p.m. today to determine the No. 1 seed from the South.

"This is really huge for us," said Battle, who had 25 points and three steals. "The first year we're in (2A) is the first year we're going to state."

Quincy Brown had 14 points and 11 rebounds for Agassi Prep.

Dantley Walker scored 19 points and Cody Burgess 13 for Lincoln County (15-12).

Claerbaut said nothing was more key to the win than 6-foot-3-inch center James Turner's defense on the 5-10 Walker in an unexpected matchup.

"It was real hard," Turner said of defending Walker, who entered averaging 26.8 points. "We've been training all week for me to guard him."

• Needles (Calif.) 87, The Meadows 59 -- Stevie Kidd poured in 38 points for Needles, which hit 12 3-pointers to race past The Meadows.

Darra Russell added 15 points for Needles (29-5), which shot 13-for-15 from the free-throw line.

Garrett Gosse led The Meadows (12-15) with 14 points. Austin Brown scored 13 and Gerard Martinez 11.

GIRLS

• Lincoln County 61, Mountain View 26 -- The Lynx held the Saints to nine field goals in the game and single-digit scoring in each quarter.

Marissa Smerek scored 20 points and Melanie Florence 14 for Lincoln County (24-3).

Ellie Markwardt scored 15 points for Mountain View (18-12), which had only four players score.

• Needles (Calif.) 49, White Pine 44 -- Alex Chandler scored 16 points to help the top-seeded Mustangs (28-2) survive a scare from the No. 4 Bobcats (17-11).

Contact reporter Tristan Aird at taird@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203.