A sell-out crowd of 4,191 fans watched as six Bighorn’s players scored in the double digits beating the Utah Flash 106-117 Saturday night at the downtown Reno Events Center
Through the first half, Bighorns shot 47.4 percent in the field (18-38), 28.6 percent from three-point range (2-7) and secured a 53-51 lead with the help of Shooting Forward Marcus Landry.
Landry hit 50 percent in the field (5-10) and 33 percent from beyond the arc (1-3) playing 19 minutes in the first half and finished the night with 17 points through 36 minutes.
Landry, who shot a high percentage from the field and beyond the arc in last week’s exhibition game, says he attributes his shooting prowess to spending at least 20 hours per week working on his game
“He’s always been a pretty good shooter, but he always looks to pass first so I try to get on him about that,” Landry’s wife Efueko (former Marquette University shooting guard) said.
Landry, who has three young children, also said he’d be working on his defensive stance. He forced one turnover and had four steals including one he nabbed at half court and took to the house for a one-handed slam-dunk.
Bighorn’s coaching staff calls their defensive stance the “windmill,” and players have embraced the style as they snatched 13 steals and forced 16 turnovers against the Flash.
Fazekas proved he’d be a force in the paint as he picked 13 rebounds (10 defensive, 3 offensive) and was playing like a true center taking few shots from beyond five feet. Fazekas shot 69.2 percent (9-13) and put up 21 points for the Bighorns.
“I get down on myself if I don’t make every shot,” Fazekas said.” I try to be as efficient as possible, and I know it sounds kind of unrealistic, but I look to make every shot.”
Fezekas attributed the Bighorns victory to a strong pull away in the third quarter. Scoring 12 unanswered points to open the second half, Bighorns outscored the Flash 23-41 in the third quarter and earned a 20-point lead (74-94).
The Flash attempted to pull things together outscoring the Bighorns 32-23 in the fourth. Kevin Krugar and Andre Ingram led the Utah resurgence with 15 combined points that quarter.
“We played well through three quarters, but we fell behind in the fourth and let them get back in it,” Fazekas said.
Bighorns held on to win by 11 and finished the night shooting 56.8 percent from the field (42-74) and 25 percent from beyond the arc (3-12).
Former University of Nevada Forward Mo Charlo led the Bighorns with 22 points shooting 80 percent in the field (8-10) and 66 percent from three-point range (2-3).
“It’s our first game so it’s a good win for us, you know we’ve been anxious to get out there and play against another team,” Charlo said.
Charlo played through a “cramping” left ankle that he started tending to after two separate occasions in the fourth.
After a hard slam to the floor resulting from a Utah foul on a fast break lay up, Charlo favored the ankle approaching the line and sank both free throws to help ensure a Bighorns victory.
Bighorns will face the Flash again at home on Sunday November 21 at 3:00 PM.
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