Boys' Basketball: Mountain View takes down Douglas

The Douglas Tigers boys' basketball team got off on the wrong foot Friday when starter David Laird - who has been averaging 14 points per game - didn't have the proper attire to play against the Toros.

And even though his team was down only five points - 27-22 - at the half, Corey Thacker's Tigers took it on the chin in the third, when Mountain View outscored them 24-9.

Four Toros scored in double figures: Eric Hunt had 15, Brendon Lavender - an Arizona signee - had 13, Nathan Murphy dropped in 12 and Tyson McLelland added 11 to lead Mountain View to the championship game against Galena.

Douglas, now 4-3, will meet Mira Loma in the third-place game at 1 p.m.

"We were short a guy today (Laird). We had to fight through it. We didn't do it," Thacker said. "Credit to (the Toros). They played hard. In the third quarter they got after it. Good teams do that and they're a good team."

Jeff Nady led the Tigers with 17 points and muscled his way to the foul line often, making 11-of-12 from the charity stripe. Kevin Emm added nine points on three 3-pointers and James McLaughlin scored seven.

"Today we had to go with some guys who don't go in (often) to see who could step up," Thacker said. "We have to do that. It's one of those things you have to learn from. How we respond to adversity - that is where we learn."

In other action Friday, Sparks beat Lowry 54-50 and Eldorado (Las Vegas) defeated Sky View, of Smithfield, Utah, 70-56.

Sparks and Eldorado will meet in the fifth-place match at 11:30 a.m. Lowry and Sky View will play at 10 a.m.