HORACE LANGFORD JR. / PVT Brittney Lindgren scored 21 points in Pahrump Valley's 59-27 conquest of homestanding Las Vegas Clark, in a non-league girls' basketball game Saturday. Advertisement

In the last seven years, Pahrump Valley's girls have played many basketball( teams from California, Utah and Arizona. Occasionally, a team from Hawaii finds its way into the schedule.

Thursday at 10 a.m., coach Bob Hopkins and his team will face a new opponent -- St. Thomas More Catholic High School of Lafayette, La., in the first game of the Las Vegas Classic that runs through Saturday at Centennial.

The Cougars, out of Louisiana's Class 5-A District 3, were 14-5 (in games played through Dec. 20) under the direction of coach Latasha Dorsey.

That the Cougars have played 19 games already is nothing new; in the 2006-2007 season, when they lost in the state quarterfinals, More's final record was 32-9. The Cougars play in a league with Sulphur, Lafayette Comeaux, Lake Charles Barbe and Lafayette Acadiana.

Three of their losses have been to Class 4-A Iota (18-1): 51-43, 64-41 and 45-35. The Cougars lost 39-30 to 5-A Baton Rouge St. Michael (16-3) and 60-58 to South Beauregard, La., Fairview, a 2-A team that had won 28 of 30 games through Dec. 20.

More is averaging 54.4 points per game, while allowing 38.6 ppg. The Cougars' biggest win was a 99-12 conquest of Baton Route Christian Life in the season opener.

The Cougars' roster lists 16 players, including seven seniors who wear the school's navy-maroon-gray uniforms -- 5-5 point guard Olivia Joseph, 5-2 guard Rachelle Deshotels, 5-6 guard Deshouri Spates, 5-8 wing MacKenzie Bowman, 5-6 guard Katie Poehler, 5-5 guard Sarah Prejean and 5-8 forward Anna Hensgens.

The juniors include 6-foot center Shelly Breaux, 5-7 forward Mary Flynn. 5-7 forward Michelle Whitney, 5-8 forward Sydney Martien, 5-4 guard Brandi Schambough and 5-4 guard Lauren Breaux.

Three freshmen -- 5-9 forward Taylor Jackson, 6-1 center Lauren Alexander and 5-7 guard Brooklyn Arceneaux -- complete the varsity roster.

In Louisiana, there are seven classes for competition:

5-A, for 64 schools with more than 1,084 students;

4-A, for 58 schools; 678 to 1,083;

3-A, for 65 schools; 422 to 677;

2-A, for 60 schools; 241 to 421;

1-A, for 57 schools; 240 and less;

B, for 48 schools; 99 to 240 with no football;

C, for schools with 98 or less students, with no football.

Basketball practice in Louisiana begins Oct. 1, with the first game Nov. 12. The Louisiana State tournament is Feb. 25-March 1. Spring basketball workouts are permitted, starting April 21.

Pahrump Valley and Thomas More are in the Comet Division, along with Reno Galena, Henderson Green Valley and Las Vegas Chaparral for the Centennial tournament.

Pahrump Valley is scoring 55.1 points per game, while allowing 31.4, in going 13-1 thus far this season.

The Lady Trojans are averaging 36.2 rebounds per game, with opponents at 20.5. PVHS is averaging 14.7 assists and 13.8 steals per game.

Senior post Megan Meads is scoring 13.6 points and averaging 7.5 rebounds per game to lead the Trojans in those categories.

The usual starters are:

Senior guard Brittany Orr, 5.4 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.6 steals per game;

Senior guard Brittney Lindgren, 7.1 points, 2.1 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.4 steals;

Junior post Kristi Daffer, 9.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.1 steals;

Four players have alternated in the backcourt, , including:

Ashley Humbert, 3.7 points, 2.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.3 steals.

Alyson Kunzi, 3.5 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.8 steals.

Ashley Lindgren, 1.5 points, 1.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.0 steals and

Courtney Salmon, 2.2 points per game.

Christine Gamble, Marie Taylor and Casey Scheller are the post backups.

Gamble is averaging 2.6 points and 3.5 rebounds per game; Taylor is at 1.9 points and 2.7 rebounds, with Scheller at 5.6 points and 4.8 rebounds per game.

Lady Trojans move to 13-1

Pahrump Valley's girls defeated visiting Pahranagat Valley Alamo 52-45 and homestanding Las Vegas Clark 59-27 over the weekend, raising their record to 13-1 going into the Las Vegas Classic.

Against Nevada Class A state power Alamo in the Ninth Grade Academy gym Friday, the Trojans led 13-8, 28-20 and 39-32 at the quarters. Megan Meads scored 20 points for the winners, while Jadey Jones had 21 for the Panthers.

The Trojans outscored Clark 44-11 in the second half, as senior guard Brittney Lindgren scored 21 points. Meads added 12 in the game against a future Class 4-A Sunset Region Southwest Division opponent.

Pahrump Valley will play at home against Hurricane, Utah, Jan. 5 in its first start after the Las Vegas Classic. Coach Bob Hopkins' team will open the Southern Nevada Class 3-A League campaign Jan. 8 at Las Vegas Faith Lutheran.

Other league games are Jan. 11, at Mesquite Virgin Valley; Jan. 19, home vs. Boulder City; Jan. 22, home vs. Overton Moapa Valley; Jan. 25, home vs. Faith Lutheran; Feb. 1, home vs. Virgin Valley; Feb. 5, at Boulder City, and Feb. 8, at Moapa Valley.

The boxscores:

Alamo (45)

Jones 21, J. Carney 10, Higbee 6, Leavitt 7, C. Carney 1. Totals: 16 8-14 45.

PVHS (52)

Meads 20, B. Lindgren 9, Kunzi 11, Daffer 8, Salmon 3, A.Lindgren 1. Totals: 19 10-16 52.

Alamo 8 12 13 12-- 45

PVHS 13 15 11 13 -- 52

--

PVHS (59)

Orr 7, Taylor 2, B. Lindgren 21, Salmon 1, Gamble 4, Daffer 9, Meads 12, Scheller 4. Totals: 25 3-5 59.

Clark (27)

Umana 8, Wheat 2, Robinson 12, Murphy 4, Wilbert 1. Totals: 9 7-12 27.

PVHS 11 4 22 22-- 59

Clark 2 13 4 7-- 27