The Green River Pirates were in front of the home crowd on Wednesday evening to close out the pre-season portion of their schedule against the DeBeque Dragons from Colorado. The Pirates held a five-point lead at the half and kept it through the second half to earn the 78-64 win.

Green River heads into their Region schedule with a 7-6 record and holds the No. 6 spot in the latest rankings by MaxPreps and the Utah High School Activities Association. The Pirates have 10 games left in the regular season.

Green River came out in the first quarter and put up 16 while holding the Dragons to a dozen points. Green River carried the four-point lead to the second. In the second period, the Dragons stepped onto the court, looking to get back into the contest, scoring 19, but the Pirates still held a slight edge at 36-31 heading to the locker room at halftime.

The second half was more Green River, even though the Dragons did outscore them by one in the third to cut the Pirates’ lead to four. DeBque would give that back, and then some, in the fourth as they were outscored 25-15, and Green River claimed the 78-64 victory.

Jason Hernandez led the Pirates with 24 points, 10 assists, four rebounds, and four steals. Rolando Anguiano had 18 in the contest with four rebounds, four assists, three steals, and three blocks. A trio of Pirates: Cristian Mendoza, Jesus Escalante, and David Mendez each scored 12. Escalante added eight rebounds, Mendez had five rebounds, and Mendoza added three rebounds and three steals in the win.

On Friday, Green River will travel to Montezuma Creek to face the Whitehorse Raiders.