Gayman's 18-point 4th-quarter ignites Tigers to conference win

Wednesday, February 3, 2016
Nevada sophomore Clay Gayman drives past Clinton center Gunner Clark in the second half of Tuesday night's victory over the Clinton Cardinals. (Photo by Matthew Resnick/Daily Mail)

Clay Gayman's fourth quarter offensive outburst lifted the Nevada Tigers to a 65-53 West Central Conference victory over the Clinton Cardinals.

The Tuesday night win at Wynn Gym improves Nevada to 13-5 overall and 6-1 in the West Central Conference.

The Tigers looked like the superior team through the two quarters of play, holding a 28-20 halftime edge. The third quarter however was a different story, as Clinton was able to climb back into the contest via long-range shooting.

The Tigers opened the second half with back-to-back baskets from forward Patrick Ferry and point guard Matthew Sommer, increasing its lead to a dozen.

In danger of letting the game completely slip away, Clinton senior Christian Jones buried a 3-pointer, followed by a Gunner Clark traditional three-point play to cut the Tigers lead to 32-26 with 3:25 left in the third quarter.

A Cardinals 9-0 run was capped by a Hayden Wilson three from the left-wing, as Clinton trailed 32-29. The Tigers offensive drought ended when shooting guard Myles McNeley drilled a trey, followed by Wilson again connecting from deep, making the score 35-32 in favor of Nevada with 2:01 to play in the third quarter.

The long-range fireworks continued as Jacob Goucher got in on the act, knocking down a three-ball from the right-wing, knotting the contest at 35 apiece.

Nevada head coach Shaun Gray said his team's 2-3 and 1-3-1 zone defenses that had been so effective in the first half, weren't working in the third quarter.

"I think we were kind of worn out and the halftime break took a little bit of the fire out of their belly," Gray said. "For the zone to be good you have to be really active and move from spot-to-spot."

Gray added that Clinton was able to find "soft spots" in the Tigers zone and "knock down some shots."

"I thought more than anything it was our lack of energy in the third quarter that caused that," he said. "Our guard and our wings weren't working together to get to shooters. And they have to work hard together in order for the zone to work."

Clinton took its first lead of the evening courtesy of a Cameron Mills driving lay-up with 6:40 remaining in regulation, putting Clinton on top 37-35.

On the ensuing possession, Gayman drove the lane, scored, and was sent to the line where he completed the three-point play, putting the Tigers in front 38-37.

With 5:48 on the clock a Gayman two-handed jam put Nevada up 40-37. Nevada then capped an 8-1 run when Gayman's precision pass found Zach Gardner wide-open in the left corner. Gardner didn't disappoint, swishing the three to hand Nevada a 43-38 lead with 5:18 on the clock.

Nevada's Zach Gardner releases a high-arcing 3-pointer during the second half of Tuesday's victory. (Photo by Matthew Resnick/Daily Mail)

"When your role players make big plays you usually win games," Gray said. "Zach's 3-point shot was great early in the year. Then he went through a lull, and now he's shooting it well. Right now when it leaves his hands, he thinks it's going in. That's a good place to be as a shooter."

Clinton's hopes of upsetting Nevada were dimmed when McNeley struck again from 3-point land, putting Nevada up by six midway through the final frame.

"When Myles is knocking down perimeter shots we become very hard to guard," Gray said. "We have Clay inside and out, we have Matthew attacking and shooting ---- and then Myles gives us that third offensive element."

Later in the fourth, a Gayman offensive rebound and put-back gave Nevada a 54-46 lead. At the other end of the floor, Gayman came up with a block, giving possession back to the Tigers.

"Clay started going at the rim in the fourth quarter," Gray said.

Gayman continued to pour in points, before emphatically putting the cherry on top with a thunderous one-handed breakaway dunk, as the Tigers lead ballooned to 63-49.

Nevada center Clay Gayman throws down a dunk. (Photo by Matthew Resnick/Daily Mail)

After the fourth quarter dust had settled, Nevada had outscored Clinton 30-18.

Gray said an adjustment he made heading into the fourth quarter was switching to man-to-man defense.

"Our good man defense, and then our shooters knocking down shots, allowing Clay to (more easily) go to the rim ---- those were the keys for us in the fourth quarter."

Gray said Gayman's ability to stay out of foul trouble Tuesday night, factored heavily into his big performance.

"It's huge for us when he can stay out of foul trouble," Gray said.

Gayman ended the night with 26 points, 15 rebounds, five blocks and four assists. Gayman was also 6-of-6 from the charity stripe.

McNeley, who knocked down three 3-pointers, finishied with 12 points, while Derek O'Dell added eight.

Junior varsity

The Tigers junior varsity team knocked off Clinton 48-40. The Tigers have now won nine of their last 10 games, improving to 10-5 overall.

For Nevada, sophomore Braeden Hinton finished with a team-high 12 points, while Daulton Shepard and John Quitno contributed nine apiece.

Freshman Tigers

The Tigers freshman basketball team also toppled Clinton, winning 40-29. Matt Thompson dropped in a game-high 13 points while point guard Bronson Smith chipped in with nine.

Up next

A boys-girls varsity doubleheader as Nevada hosts West Central Conference foe K.C. O'Hara Friday evening.

The Courtwarming coronation will take place at 5:30 p.m., followed by the boys game at 6. The Lady Tigers are slated for a 7:30 tip.

In addition, the Lady Tigers junior varsity team is set for a 6 p.m. start in the multi-purpose gym, followed by the junior varsity boys tipping at 7:30.

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