The Pahrump Valley High School Trojans boys’ basketball team opened their 2025–26 season at home on Thursday, December 4, showcasing grit, athleticism, and balanced scoring in a high-energy matchup against the Needles Mustangs. Though the Trojans came up short 77–69, the opener was filled with big moments, strong individual performances, and stretches of impressive team basketball.
Needles struck quickly out of the gate, hitting two early baskets — first a short jumper, then a strong drive to the rim — to go up 4–0. But the Trojans responded with composure. At 5:48, Keir Sheppard knocked down PVHS’s first points of the season, and Lucas Gavenda followed almost immediately with the game-tying layup. Needles briefly regained the lead with a three-pointer, but the Trojans answered with one of their sharpest offensive bursts of the night.
Gavenda tied the game at 6–6, absorbed contact, and completed the three-point play to swing momentum toward Pahrump. Moments later, Sheppard swiped the ball at midcourt, was fouled, and sank both free throws to give the Trojans an 8–6 advantage. Needles hit a pair of quick baskets to jump back ahead 11–9, but PVHS closed the quarter with a dominant scoring run.
Gavenda’s finish inside tied the game again, Josh Slusher powered in a basket, Slusher added two more from the line, and Sheppard drilled a deep three with 2:49 remaining to extend the lead to five. Gavenda kept pushing the pace, scoring again in transition, and Sam Mendoza added a clean finish underneath. A final Needles three at the buzzer cut into the gap, but the Trojans still took a confident 24–18 lead into the second quarter.
Needles opened the second with a strong drive to cut the lead to four, beginning a stretch where their offense began to settle into more of a rhythm. But Sheppard halted the push by drawing a shooting foul and sinking both free throws. Needles continued firing from the perimeter, using two three-pointers over the next two minutes to keep themselves within reach.
Still, Pahrump’s counterpunches kept coming. Gavenda answered with another bucket in the lane, and then Trae Plein sparked the crowd — first hitting a smooth three, then pulling up for a mid-range jumper on the next possession. At 4:39, Sheppard was fouled intentionally and sank both free throws, helping the Trojans maintain breathing room as Needles threatened to gain momentum.
The Mustangs responded with a quick five-point burst — a corner three followed by a steal and layup — trimming Pahrump’s lead to just four. The Trojans regrouped as Malachi Holland took over inside, scoring back-to-back baskets, then earning a trip to the line and sinking both free throws to restore a multi-possession advantage. Caden Briscoe’s putback and two free throws with 1:36 left capped off a strong quarter for PVHS, who entered halftime leading 45–37 despite Needles’ increasingly aggressive offense.
The Mustangs came out of the locker room determined, opening the third quarter by clawing their way back through efficient free-throw shooting and second-chance points. They strung together a six-point swing that brought them within striking distance. But the Trojans refused to yield. Slusher delivered the first basket of the half, and Gavenda followed with a strong drive to extend the lead to 49–39.
Needles responded with their own run — a pair of free throws, a putback, and a quick score in transition — slicing the deficit to just four. After a Mustangs basket at 3:51, the Trojans struck back when Slusher fed Briscoe under the rim for a clean finish. Holland added a point from the line, and Gavenda scored once more on a determined drive with 1:22. Still, Needles kept answering from beyond the arc, hitting a deep three with just seconds left in the quarter to send the game into the fourth with Pahrump clinging to a 56–55 lead.
The fourth quarter began with a burst from the Mustangs, who pieced together an 11–1 run fueled by fast-break points and another long-range shot, giving them their largest lead of the night at 62–56. The Trojans fought back. Gavenda broke through for a basket at 5:07, Plein added a free throw, and Briscoe scored once more underneath at 3:34 to keep PVHS close.
But Needles continued to capitalize on momentum, hitting clutch shots and drawing fouls at key moments. A pair of free throws at 2:47 extended their lead, though Sheppard responded by pulling down a rebound in traffic and converting two more free throws to bring the Trojans within five at 68–63.
Pahrump kept pushing. Sam Mendoza scored off an inbound to close the gap again, and Briscoe muscled in a putback at 1:31 to make it 70–67. Then, with the clock ticking under a minute, Sheppard stepped to the line and calmly sank two free throws, making it a one-point game, 70–69.
But in a critical possession, Needles struck again from deep, draining a three that shifted the late-game momentum back in their favor. They followed with two more baskets in the closing seconds to seal the 77–69 win.
Despite the loss, Head Coach Toby Henry applauded his team’s heart and readiness for early-season competition.
“Was a great first game from our guys. The effort they had was amazing,” Henry said. “This was a great matchup for us to get ready for our league. For Friday’s game, since we had such a battle tonight, we will go a little deeper into our bench to keep our guys fresh. Sloan Canyon is a good team and we need to fly around on the court.”
With multiple players contributing in key moments, extended scoring runs, and a competitive pace that didn’t let up for all four quarters, the Trojans’ opener showed promise for an exciting season ahead. PVHS will look to build on their strong start when they return Friday to take on Sloan Canyon.
