DON McDERMOTT / PVT Trent Ward, 31, and Nick Owens, 15, of Pahrump Valley move into rebounding position, but the shot by Faith Lutheran counted in the Crusaders' 53-36 victory in Southern Nevada Class 3-A League basketball Tuesday, in Las Vegas. Diontea Wright, 34, and Connor Maloney, 22, wait fo rthe ball, too. Advertisement

LAS VEGAS -- Barring a collapse, or an opposing team coming up with a spectacular performance against them, figure Faith Lutheran as a three-peat champion in Nevada Class 3-A boys' basketball.

The Crusaders moved to 4-0 in the Southern League and 9-13 in all games Tuesday, with a 53-36 conquest of visiting Pahrump Valley. Coach Bret Walter's team trailed 16-11 with 5:12 left in the second period, but outscored the Trojans 42-20 in the remaining time to remain unbeaten in league games.

The Trojans fell to 2-2 in the league, 9-11 in all games with the loss, despite matching the Crusaders punch-for-punch on the boards and not being overpowered by the Faith full-court pressure.

Actually, there was one major difference, personnel-wise.

Faith Lutheran had Diontea Wright, a 6-foot-4 junior move-in from Georgia. Wright scored 18 points and blocked eight shots (as well as altering the path of several others). There was no one on the Trojan roster who could match his quickness and jumping-to-the-moon ability.

Connor Maloney, a physical, 6-foot-4 junior forward, added 10 points inside, as the Trojans' perimeter defense kept the Crusader guards in check. Stephen McCall was held to four points, well below his 11-points per game average. Four other guards totaled 21 points.

Pahrump Valley, however, could not continue its early torrid pace, which moved to the Trojans to an 11-8 first-quarter lead and a 16-11 advantage in the second.

The Trojans trailed 25-18 at the half and 37-28 going into the final period.

Pahrump Valley was behind 42-32 after Nick Owens hit a pair of free throws with 4:11 left. Down the stretch, however, the Crusaders outscored PVHS 11-4 to secure the victory.

For the Trojans, Travis Ott scored nine points, while Jeff Holley and Trent Ward had eight each.

NOTES -- Faith Lutheran's victories include a 56-54 conquest of Las Vegas 4-A power Bishop Gorman. Of the Crusaders' 13 losses, 11 were to other Nevada 4-A opponents or to out-of-state powers like Metairie Park, a New Orleans-area team ... Pahrump Valley plays at home against Mesquite Virgin Valley Tuesday in a rematch of a league game the Bulldogs won 54-49 in overtime earlier this month; tipoff is at 7:30 p.m.

Trojans at home against Horizon

The Pahrump Valley High School boys' basketball team will play Amargosa Valley Horizon Academy at 5:30 p.m. today in a non-league game.

The Rams lost 43-33 to the homestanding Trojans a couple weeks ago.