Needles’ Hills gets well fast vs. Agassi

When the game was over, Agassi Prep was mighty sick of Hills.

Hills scored 37 points, shifted Needles’ transition game into overdrive in the second half and carried the No. 3-seeded Mustangs to a 92-69 victory over the No. 2 Stars in the semifinals.

Needles will play Lincoln County in the final at 5 p.m. today at Desert Oasis. Lincoln County knocked off The Meadows 68-52 and, along with Needles, claimed a berth in next week’s state tournament in Reno.

“Michael Hills just took over,” Needles coach Jeff Plank said of his 5-foot-9-inch guard. “And he wasn’t 100 percent today, that’s the funny thing.  But when he’s on, that means his teammates are on.”

Quincy Brown scored 26 to lead Agassi Prep, and Dimitri Amos had 24.

■ Lincoln County 68, The Meadows 52 — The Lynx’s post-perimeter twosome of Eric Rippetoe and Dantley Walker was too potent for the Mustangs, combining to score 51 points.

Rippetoe scored 29 to carry Lincoln County in the paint and Walker added 23 from outside.

The Meadows led 11-10 after the first quarter, but Walker nailed a 3-pointer to ignite a 19-9 run that put Lincoln County in control.

Garrett Gosse scored 23 and Austin Brown 15 for the Mustangs.

GIRLS

■ Needles 74, West Wendover 63 — Alex Chandler scored 24 points to propel the undefeated Mustangs, who overcame foul trouble and a 54-point performance by West
Wendover standout Danika Sharp.

Needles (26-0) will play Lincoln County at 3:20 p.m. today for the tournament championship at Desert Oasis. Both teams wrapped up state berths.

Sharp finished her West Wendover career with 2,803 points, believed to be the girls state scoring record.

■ Lincoln County 55, White Pine 32 — The Lynx forced 28 turnovers, mainly with a full-court press, and rolled to a semifinal victory.

Marisa Smerek scored 13 points, and Kori Gloeckner and Mary Culverwell added 11 apiece for the Lynx (20-7).

Jordan Ashby scored 13 to lead White Pine (22-5).