Columnist Spencer Patterson: Durango basketball team enduring tough times

Spencer Patterson

Thursday, Jan. 17, 2002 | 9:29 a.m.

Spencer Patterson covers high school sports for the Las Vegas Sun. He can be reached at 259-4085 or at spencer@lasvegassun.com.

How badly have things gone for Durango's boys basketball team this season? Try this on for size: Last week the Trailblazers finished a game with four players on the floor.

What figured to be another strong year for one of Nevada's perennial contenders has gone up in smoke, doomed by the stunning loss of its top two players, Martrel Johnson and Frank Brown.

Yet despite a 5-14 start and his own personal "emotional roller coaster," you won't find coach Al LaRocque writing off what will likely be the school's first losing season.

"We have two seniors and we owe it to them to keep going," he said. "We've re-adjusted our goals. Getting into the playoffs would be nice for this group."

Durango first fell on hard times early last month, when star forward Martrel Johnson was diagnosed with kidney failure, ending his senior season. Brown, who broke his shooting hand before winter break, is now officially done for the year as well after having a pin inserted into the hand on Wednesday.

In their absence, the Blazers have been relying on a largely young, inexperienced lineup, with four sophomores and a freshman playing extended minutes.

"You can talk about the 40 points and 25 rebounds that are out the window, but Martrel and Frank aren't just two of our best players," LaRocque said. "They're two college players, two of the best in town. And we miss their leadership out there more than anything."

Concerns over Johnson's health continue for players and coaches, providing a somber atmosphere as the Blazers head into the season's stretch run looking to reel in one of their Southwest Division mates in the standings.

After returning to school last week, the popular student-athlete nicknamed the "Man-Child" has been back in the hospital this week, the result of a high fever thought to be related to his kidney ailment.

"In the back of your mind you know that basketball is secondary, but you can't throw the season away," LaRocque said. "We've won before, we'll win again, but the toughest thing for me has been Martrel's illness. He's more important than all that other stuff to me."

On Monday, the event returns, this time with a pair of northern squads making the trip down to host site Durango High School. Galena (9-9) will face No. 5 Cheyenne in a 1 p.m. contest, with No. 9 Elko (11-6) taking on No. 2 Bishop Gorman at 4:30 p.m.

The remainder of the NSNC slate: The Meadows vs. Vo-Tech at 10 a.m., Mojave vs. Sierra Vista at 11:30 a.m., Clark vs. Basic at 2:30 p.m., Centennial vs. Eldorado at 6 p.m. and Green Valley vs. Durango at 7:30 p.m.