NYSSA – The Nyssa boys’ basketball team celebrated a good night on Tuesday, January 28. The squad’s 70-49 victory over the visiting Burns Hilanders kept the Bulldogs perfect in the Eastern Oregon League at 5-0. The team is receiving some recognition from the rest of the state, cracking the top 10 in the OSAA ranking. And the night was made even more special as senior guard Pedro Chavez reached the milestone of scoring 1,000 points for his career in the third quarter.
The hot shooting Bulldogs started the game with the long ball as Armando Pedraza drained a long three point shot with just 30 seconds off the clock to start journey to the win. After just the first quarter of play, Nyssa had built up a 15-point lead at 27-12.
Photo Gallery – Burns v Nyssa – Boys Basketball – John Braese
Early in the second half, Chavez drove to the basket. Despite being fouled, the ball dropped through the basket, marking the 1,000th point scored in his career. After the crowd provided a standing ovation and after receiving congratulations from his teammates, Chavez scored point 1,001 with a free throw that found nothing but net.
The under sized Hilanders struggled defensively with the perimeter shooting of the Bulldogs finding the target and also being unable to convert when Burns was on offense.
One high point for the Hilanders was senior Truston Snapp, the game’s leading scorer with 24 points. JP Friedrichsen finished the night with 10 points.
For Nyssa, Chavez was just a single point behind Snapp, scoring 23 points in the victory. Pedraza added 14 points and Leo Barba put in 12 points for the Bulldogs.
Playing varsity since a freshman, Chavez has played in 92 games for the Nyssa team, not taking into account injuries. Last season, Chavez was named the Eastern Oregon League’s Player of the Year and has averaged just under 11 points per game since taking the floor as a freshman playing varsity.
