SUNSET PLAY-IN: Spring Valley boys knock out Durango in unexpected game

Facing the unexpected is never easy.

But that’s exactly what the boys basketball teams from Durango and Spring Valley encountered Friday.

After preparing all week to face a Northwest League opponent in the Sunset Region tournament, the Southwest League-rivals

learned Friday morning that they would face each other in a play-in game just to get into the regional. An independent hearing agent overturned two Western forfeits, scrambling the Southwest League standings and leaving Spring Valley and Durango tied for the fourth and final playoff spot.

It was Spring Valley that seemed more ready to play, and the Grizzlies never trailed in a 79-67 win over the Trailblazers at Sierra Vista.

Durango played with renewed energy in the second half after trailing 37-27 at the break, forcing nine steals to trim the lead to 43-37 midway through the third quarter but got no closer than 70-63 with 1:45 left to play.

“I give credit to Durango’s guards as they do a good job of getting penetration.” Spring Valley coach Phil McAlister said. “We felt that since we had the height advantage, that if they did get penetration on us, we’d be able to turn shots around and get out and run.”

The Grizzlies used the height of Justin Omogun and Corey Clement to dampen Durango’s talented guard duo of Greg Gentry and Tre’Von Wells. The Spring Valley duo combined for 13 blocked shots.

The other key to Spring Valley’s win came at the foul line, where it shot 23-for-30 to Durango’s 6-for-18.

“A lot of our win had to do with shooting a great percentage from the line.” McAlister added. “Being solid from the line keeps you in ball games and makes you win ball games.”

Omogun made 12-of-14 free throws and finished with 26 points and 12 rebounds. Clement added 19 points and shot 8-for-10 from the stripe.

“To be my size in high school, a lot of people feel that big dudes can’t go to the line and knock down free throws.” the 6-foot-7-inch Omogun said. “I practice them a lot to make sure my repetition is good and it was just easy as the basket kept getting bigger and bigger as I was shooting them.”

Wells led Durango with 18 points, Devin Matthews had 13 pionts, and Gentry chipped in 12.

Gary Payton contributed 14 points, and Anton Stallworth scored 12 for the Grizzlies, who will play at Northwest-champion Palo Verde in a Sunset Region quarterfinal Saturday at 6:30 p.m.

McAlister likes the way his team is playing heading into the road game.

“It’s a new season and this was a big win for us tonight.” McAlister said. “We had expected to play Palo Verde earlier in the week but the situation came up. Obviously we scouted them and we have been preparing for them in practice. We’re just ready to come out, try to take it to them and try to continue this new winning streak.”