The Pahrump Valley High School boys’ basketball team put together a strong, well-paced performance on the road Wednesday night, January 7, rolling past Cristo Rey behind active defense, quick ball movement, and steady scoring throughout the lineup.
Pahrump Valley controlled the opening moments right from the tip. Aydon Veloz and Lucas Gavenda went to work on the glass early, with Gavenda drawing a foul on a putback attempt and converting both free throws to open the scoring. The Trojans immediately settled into a full-court press that set the tone for the rest of the night.
Gavenda followed with a strong drive from the corner to make it 4–0, and Veloz made his presence felt defensively with a block at the three-point line midway through the first quarter. Moments later, Gavenda knocked down a three from the left wing, stretching the lead to 7–0.
Turnovers forced by the press quickly turned into points. Caden Briscoe grabbed a steal and fired the ball ahead to Keir Sheppard, who finished through contact for an and-one. On the next possession, Briscoe struck again, stealing the ball and feeding Gavenda for another score to make it 12–0 and force a Cristo Rey timeout.
Even after Cristo Rey broke the press for a basket, the Trojans responded immediately. Briscoe found Gavenda again on a clean pass, followed by another steal-and-score sequence that pushed the margin to 16–2. Gavenda capped the stretch with a bucket off the inbound, and the Trojans continued converting turnovers into points, racing out to a 24–2 advantage.
Cristo Rey found a few baskets late in the quarter, including a three, but Pahrump Valley answered each time. Veloz hit a free throw after drawing contact, and Gavenda finished a full-court steal with a layup to close the quarter ahead 30–7.
The second quarter opened with Cristo Rey scoring, but Pahrump Valley maintained its rhythm. Luca Blundo scored on the right block, and Kris Trejo added a free throw after being fouled. In transition, Trae Plein delivered a pass to TC Hone for an easy finish, followed by a Trejo basket in the paint. Plein later earned a trip to the line on a layup attempt, converting both.
The Trojans continued to rotate players while keeping the pressure high. Levi Denton capitalized on a steal with a basket, and Sam Mendoza scored on a breakaway layup late in the half. Pahrump Valley headed into halftime with a 49–20 lead.
Out of the break, the Trojans picked up right where they left off. Mendoza drilled a three to start the third quarter, and Blundo followed with a basket in the paint after grabbing an offensive rebound. Hone showcased his strength inside with a jump-stop finish, then scored again after collecting his own rebound. A late fast break ended with Hone dishing to Trejo for a bucket just before the buzzer, extending the lead to 69–28 heading into the fourth.
The final quarter featured more balanced scoring. Hone sprinted ahead for a layup, Denton scored inside, and Kamden Moore knocked down a three from the right wing. Blundo added another basket from the right block, and the Trojans closed the night with sustained pressure and clean execution on both ends of the floor.
Pahrump Valley walked off the court with an 80–32 road win, highlighted by consistent defense, strong rebounding, and contributions throughout the lineup in a complete team performance.
