The Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association recently announced North Tahoe and Truckee as the leaders in their classifications for the annual Award of Excellence in Academics, Athletics and Citizenship competition.

Through the fall sports season, the Class 3A Wolverines and Class 2A Lakers have tallied the most points, according to the association, which is based on the schools’ varsity teams’ performances in the classroom, on the field, and in the Citizenship Through Sports Program. Each category is weighted equally. Spirit and Leadership points are tallied at the end of the winter sports season, and points will be deducted following the spring season for ejections and other acts of unsportsmanlike conduct.

North Tahoe has never won the award but were runners-up last year. The Lakers tallied 850 points, thus far, to hold a 70-point advantage over five-time defending champions The Meadows. Incline, a two-time past winner, is in third with 600 points.

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At the Class 3A level, Truckee has the early lead with 1,220 points, while two-time defending champions Boulder City have racked up 1,020 points. Both schools were two of six schools regardless of class to score more athletic points than academic points. The Wolverines last won the award in 2008, and also won it in 2003. South Tahoe currently sits in third place with 790 points

Truckee hoops returns to league play

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Following successful runs at holiday tournaments, the Truckee boys and girls’ basketball teams will return to action at home for the first time in more than a month.

Both teams will jump back into Class 3A Northern League play by hosting Spring Creek on Friday, Jan. 4., beginning with the girls’ game at 6 p.m.

The boys currently sit at 5-2 overall and will be in search of their first league win of the season against Spring Creek (1-6, 1-3 Northern League)

The Lady Wolverines won a trio of games in Vacaville during the holidays and will look to pick up their first league win as well against the Spartans (4-3, 3-1 Northern League).

North Tahoe’s McAndrews hits buzzer beater to defeat Battle Mountain

The North Tahoe boys’ basketball team closed out 2018 in a big way last week with a buzzer beater by junior Cameron McAndrews to break the hearts of the Battle Mountain faithful.

On the road and after the Longhorns had tied the game at 48-48 with 5.2 seconds remaining, senior Liam Bickett-Walsh found McAndrews in the corner, according to Head Coach Devin Ginty, for a “buzzer beater shot from an impossible angle,” as he fell out of bounds.

“We played probably the cleanest half of basketball so far this year in the first half; the boys were executing and sharing the ball offensively and really putting on the pressure defensively. It was awesome to see our guys play to their potential and play with a high level of intensity,” said Ginty.

“In the second half Battle Mountain came out strong and we got too complacent, committing too many turnovers and allowing them back in the game. Cameron got hot in the second half and was keeping us alive offensively, so when it came down to the last shot I knew it was going in as soon as it left his hands. I’m really proud of the way we fought, weathered the storm, and were determined to pull this one out. This is a huge win heading into Christmas break and I hope we can build on this momentum going forward!”

McAndrews led the Lakers with 19 points and was 5 of 5 from downtown. Bickett-Walsh added 11 points. Junior Lucas Valois scored 10 points, and junior John Zapata added nine points and nine rebounds.

The Lakers (8-4, 2-2 Northern League) will next travel across Nevada to face West Wendover ( 10-3, 4-0 Northern League) on Jan. 4.

The Lady Lakers will jump back into league play as well, traveling to play West Wendover on Jan. 4. The girls will return home for the first time in a month when they host Silver Stage on Jan. 15.

Justin Scacco is a reporter for the Sierra Sun. Contact him at jscacco@sierrasun.com.