Young Spring Valley boys repel Desert Oasis’ late challenge

Sometimes it takes experience to know how to finish close games. Spring Valley’s young players got a key lesson on Friday night.

Sophomore guard Tyler Jones scored 19 points, and the Grizzlies held off host Desert Oasis, 61-59.

“We’re learning as we go,” Spring Valley coach Phil McAlister said. “These are the types of games when you’re in the heat of the battle and it’s kind of baptism by fire for our guys.”

Spring Valley (7-6, 4-3 Southwest League) led by double digits early before the Diamondbacks (10-5, 4-3) began to chip away at the lead. Desert Oasis got to within two points four times in the second half but never managed to tie.

The Diamondbacks cut their deficit to 61-59 on a pair of free throws by Shaquille Harrison with 23.8 seconds to go, but Spring Valley held on.

Desert Oasis had the ball after a timeout with 16.3 seconds to play. Vonrshon Cole missed a 3-pointer and Cameron Mich’l got the rebound, but his follow shot missed, and Jones came up with the loose ball as time expired.

Freshman Sean Clancey added 12 points for Spring Valley. Clancey and Jones combined for 21 points in the first half to help the Grizzlies take a 34-25 lead at the break.

Gary Payton, one of two seniors to see the floor for Spring Valley on Friday, scored just six points. But he had 15 rebounds, eight assists and two blocked shots.

“Gary Payton has kind of taken those guys under his wing and showed those guys how to play at this level,” McAlister said.

McAlister said Payton’s rebounding has been especially important. The 6-foot-2-inch Payton is the tallest starter on a team that regularly plays five guards.

“He’s been blessed with athletic ability,” McAlister said. “And he sees the game so well, and he can just read shots coming out of guys hands and knows where he needs to be. He’s the straw that stirs the drink for us.”

Mich’l had 29 points and seven rebounds for Desert Oasis. He scored 12 points in the fourth quarter to key the comeback despite Payton’s best efforts to deny him the ball.

“We didn’t want him to get the ball at all, but he’s good enough to go get it,” McAlister said. “But we had to make sure he worked. And they both battled; two solid seniors going at it.”

Shannon Nolan added 12 points for Spring Valley, which also had a big Southwest victory over Western on Wednesday.

Kenneth Bridges-Lewis scored 12 for the Diamondbacks.