BOULDER CITY -- For the Las Vegas Faith Lutheran boys' basketball team, it was a wake-up call that it was fortunate to get now instead of later.

For Boulder City, it means there might be a later. (The Eagles hosted Pahrump Valley in a key Southern Nevada Class 3-A League game Tuesday night and will close the regular season at Virgin Valley Friday).

Friday night in Boulder City, the Eagles handed the three-time defending state champ Crusaders just their second loss in four seasons of Class 3-A play, 50-47.

The loss did nothing to change Faith's No. 1 seeding for the Southern 3-A zone playoff Feb. 14 and 16. The Crusaders are 6-1 in the league and are 2 1/2 games ahead of Overton Moapa Valley (3-3) and Pahrump Valley (3-3) with one game left.

But for Boulder City (2-4 and went winless through the first round of league play before winning its first two of the second round), it means a shot at a top-four finish and playoff berth. A sweep of the Trojans and Bulldogs could help get them there.

Faith's only other loss to a 3-A team since joining the classification in 2004-05 was to Moapa Valley in 2005.

Faith Lutheran coach Bret Walter said the Crusaders failed to maintain their focus heading into Friday's game.

"You can only tell your kids so many times to be focused," said Walter. "At some point they're either going to believe you or they're not. They just didn't understand you can't take anyone for granted

"Ultimately that's my fault. You think you can get that point across but obviously I didn't."

Walter is hopeful his team got the message ."I'd like to think that but until we come out and prove it, we won't really know," he said.

Walter was also quick to not shortchange the effort of the Eagles, who entered the game at 1-4 in the league. "They did what they needed to do," he said. "They came prepared to win the game and that's what they did."

He said Boulder was consistently able to penetrate into the lane as a key in the game.

"Defensively we don't want to allow penetration--that's the No. 1 no-no for us on defense," said Walter. "But we had 24 fouls because we couldn't keep them out of the lane."

Joey Western led Boulder with 19 points while Jeremy Smith added 10 points.