Basketball game is Nevada’s version of March Madness

Dean Heller issued a warning: "Don't get in my way."

He said it with a smile Tuesday night as Democrats faced Republicans in the biennial Donkey/Elephant Basketball Classic.

The friendly Carson City contest gives Nevada lawmakers a break from budget hearings to let off steam on the basketball court. Officials such as U.S. Rep. Heller and Gov. Brian Sandoval for Republicans and Secretary of State Ross Miller for Democrats joined in, along with a select political ringer or two to make it interesting.

The Elephants beat the Donkeys 51-39 with the help of Greg "Bum" Hess, veteran ringer and Storey County commissioner who scored 16 points.

"I've played seven times. But this is my last game. I'm termed out," said Hess, who hit three 3-pointers, which would have counted for only two points when he played ball in high school in Virginia City and college in California.

Freshman Assemblyman Scott Hammond, who also played in high school and coaches a girl's high school team now, was the other GOP high scorer with 16 points.

"Run, run, run," Hammond said when asked about his strategy. "Run, run, run."

The shootout happened at Heller's alma mater, Carson High School, where the congressman was a basketball standout.

At age 50, Heller is a bit slower yet seemingly as scrappy as ever.

Despite his warning, opponents did get in his way, fouling him five times. He made the most of it, making six foul shots and finishing with eight points after hitting the first bucket of the night. Heller also committed four fouls.

"March Madness is next," a winded Heller joked after the game.

Sandoval played ball for Reno's Bishop Manogue High School, where he was one of the stars his senior year in 1981. The governor scored a modest three points Tuesday night.

"Teamwork," Sandoval said when asked what led the GOP to victory.

But a few thrown elbows didn't hurt.

Sandoval showed aggressiveness on the court. He twice fouled Assembly Speaker John Oceguera, who said the Democratic strategy failed to trip up the Republicans.

"We tried to force them to go to the left, because we knew they couldn't go there based on their policies," Oceguera joked.

Another former high school player, Oceguera was held to eight points.

"If I were in better shape, it would be a better story," said a sweat-sopped Oceguera, one of the tallest players at 6 foot 3.

Miller couldn't make it past eight points either. The former Bishop Gorman High School basketball star wore a black brace on his right knee, having had surgery six times. Once a hoop talent, he played professional ball in Mexico.

"They were just too tough," Miller said, still breathing hard post-game.

Miller's efforts to drive the ball to the basket were blocked several times by Assemblywoman Melissa Woodbury, a 5-foot-4 bolt of lightning who surprised spectators and players alike with her tough zone defense.

Or maybe she just scared her opponents away.

"I waved my arms around a lot," Woodbury said. "But the truth is, when Ross Miller started driving the ball, I got out of the way. I just didn't want to get clobbered. Some of those guys are big."

Fouled, Woodbury missed a couple of free throws, but she assisted on one basket and scored a bucket herself.

"I hit it from the sideline," said Woodbury, the only woman to score. "That used to be my shot when I was in high school."

The secret's out: Woodbury played varsity, helping lead Boulder City High School to a state championship her senior year.

Although the Elephants stomped the Donkeys, Democrats started strong and made several valiant attempts to come back.

State Sen. Mo Denis, wearing protective eye gear and determination, showed he has got game.

Denis led his team on a scoring drive near the end of the first half. It was too little too late, but Denis came away the top Democratic scorer at 13 points.

Win or lose, everybody got to play before a crowd of about 300 people.

"I solely focused on defense," said freshman Assemblywoman Lucy Flores, who played for the blue team. "Well, I did take one shot, but I missed."

How long has she been playing?

"I learned two weeks ago," she said, walking off court with a smile.

The Donkey/Elephant Classic began in 1997, with Democrats winning the inaugural game. The Democrats won again in 2009 when they brought in a few ringers, and scheduled the game so that Heller couldn't come to play for the GOP.

Otherwise, lawmakers recalled, Republicans have taken the trophy every other year, yet record-keeping is sketchy.

"They say it's a game of statistics, but not this one," said Pam duPre, spokeswoman for Miller, who organized the event.

-- Laura Myers

animal cruelty

Senate Natural Resources Chairman Mark Manendo said Friday there is enough support in his committee to pass a bill that would make malicious animal cruelty a felony.

Manendo, D-Las Vegas, doesn't believe Senate Bill 223 was doomed by testimony from Las Vegas police lobbyist Chuck Callaway.

At a hearing last week, Callaway said the bill would force his officers to conduct thousands of investigations, which are being handled by animal control officers. He estimated it would cost $2.5 million a year to incarcerate offenders.

The officer also pointed out that the penalty for animal cruelty would be more severe than first-time domestic battery.

"They could beat their wife and it would be a gross misdemeanor and beat their dog and it is a felony," he testified.

But Manendo said police would "only investigate the most extreme cases," and animal control officers would answer most calls.

A Washoe County animal control officer testified they have had only about five cases a year of extreme animal cruelty that might rise to a felony crime.

As it stands now, SB223 is one of the most popular bills of the session. Dozens of people testified for the bill. The public poll on the legislative website shows 260 citizens favor it, compared with 16 opponents.

Under current law, a person can be convicted twice of animal cruelty, a misdemeanor. On the third conviction, the offense becomes a felony, which can result in one or more years in prison.

Forty-four states already have laws that make first-time animal cruelty a felony.

-- Ed Vogel

Contact Laura Myers at lmyers
@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2919. Contact Capital Bureau Chief Ed Vogel at evogel@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3900.