Mendota and Hall both had the three-ball working, but one more for the Trojans than the Red Devils proved to be the difference in a 52-49 Mendota victory in a varsity boys’ basketball Three Rivers Conference contest on Dec. 12 at the MHS gym. It was the opening league game of the season for the Trojans, who with the victory, avenged an eight-point loss to Hall from the Seneca Tournament in November.

The Trojans pumped in 20 total field goals, with nine coming from three-point land. Hall had 18 field goals, with eight coming from long distance.

Mendota used three treys in the first quarter to open up a 15-8 lead after the first eight-minute session. Cale Strouss connected on a pair of threes and Aden Tillman had one. Hall drilled three three-pointers in the second period to climb back to within a 25-23 count at the break. Izaiah Nanez had two trifectas in the second for Mendota.

The Trojans knocked down three more shots from beyond the arc in the third stanza to up their lead to four (42-38) with one quarter to play. Cam Kelly got in on the long-range bombing with a pair of three-balls for Mendota, while Nanez added another.

Hall outscored the Trojans, 11-10, in the final frame, but Mendota hung on for the win.

Mendota placed three players in double-digit scoring, led by Nanez with 15 points. Tillman was next with 12 points and Strouss helped out with 11.

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Mendota ventured outside the conference for a match-up at Sycamore and the Trojans dropped a 52-43 decision on Dec. 13. MHS has a 5-6 overall record.

The Trojans led throughout much of the first half, taking a 16-15 advantage to intermission. But Sycamore came out blazing in the third period, pumping in 28 points compared to 10 for Mendota to take a 43-26 lead into the fourth quarter.

Mendota outscored the Spartans, 17-9, in the final frame, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the deficit.

Nanez paced Trojan scorers with 10 points, while Kelly and Braiden Freeman added six points apiece.