Freshmen lead Desert Pines past Silverado
Most high school teams lean on experienced players in key situations. Desert Pines got its biggest plays from a pair of fearless freshman on Monday night.
Jamir Stephens made a three-point play and Milos Uzan hit a key 3-pointer to stop Silverado comebacks, as the sixth-ranked Jaguars held on for a 65-54 home win.
“They know we have confidence in them, and they have confidence in themselves,” Desert Pines coach Mike Uzan said. “Our whole team is young. We’re a young group.”
Silverado went on a 9-0 run boosted by a seven-point possession after a Desert Pines technical foul, cutting the Jaguars lead to 45-40 early in the fourth quarter.
But Stephens attacked the basket on the next possession, completing a three-point play to make it 48-40 with 6:10 remaining.
After a three-point play by Silverado’s Martell Williams cut the lead to six, Milos Uzan calmly drained a 3-pointer from the left wing to make it 52-43, and Silverado would get no closer.
Milos Uzan finished with 15 points, four rebounds, four assists and a pair of blocked shots. He also controlled the ball, as Desert Pines (17-6) had just six turnovers.
“He’s the real deal,” said Mike Uzan, proud father of the productive player. “He doesn’t get much recognition for it, but he’s a freshman and he’s leading the team in assists, he’s leading the team in scoring and he’s leading the team in steals. The kid, he’s playing. He’s a player. And he likes getting his guys involved.”
Sophomores Dayshawn Wiley and Cimarron Conriquez each scored 15 points and junior Darnell Washington had 11 rebounds for the Jaguars.
Williams had 30 points and eight rebounds for Silverado. For the Skyhawks (11-11), Noah Sherrard added 10 points and Leandrew Menefee had 10 rebounds.
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Contact prep sports editor Damon Seiters at dseiters@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4597. Follow @DamonSeiters on Twitter.