COMMENTARY — It’s a busy week in all sports, with tournaments all over Utah and even outside of the state for our local teams. For the boys and girls basketball teams, there’s one last test before the weekend of tourneys and the holiday break.

Last night, the girls teams got a second region game in (well, most of them) before the break and look who’s in first place. Pine View, with new head coach Chris Brinagh, is sitting atop Region 9 with a 2-0 record. The same Pine View that was 0-20 last year and hasn’t had a winning season in five years.

The Lady Panthers beat Hurricane by double-digits and improved to 6-1 and, more importantly, 2-0 in region heading into the break. Pine View is doing it with balance and teamwork. There’s no superstar on this team, with no one player averaging even 10 points a game.

In fact, PV has no one averaging more than seven points a game, but rather a whole group of girls at or around five points a game, including Amber Archibald at 6.6, Tayvia Ah Quin, Claire Newby and Sarrah Pierce at 4.7 and Natasha Fiame at 4.4.

A word of caution to fans, many of whom get a little too excited when a team has a quick start. The inexperienced Panthers have a lot of learning and growing to do. The first week back after New Year’s will be a big one, with a tough game at Dixie and a battle with defending state-champion Desert Hills.

Pine View also has yet to face league-favorite Cedar, which went to the state semifinals last year and returned all five starters. Pine View’s one loss was a bit startling as well. The Panthers lost to Panguitch 101-48 and were behind by a 62-7 score at halftime. There’s no doubt that Panguitch, the defending state 1A champ, is good. But that game had to hurt.

Tuesday night, PV found out it can play not-so-good and still win. The Panthers shot just 24 percent from the floor, but still downed Hurricane by 12.

D-Hills also got a big win over Dixie and Canyon View helped continue Snow Canyon’s struggles as they beat the Warriors by four.

Region 9	W	L	PS	PA	pct.	W	L	PS	PA	pct.
Pine View	2	0	120	98	1.000	6	1	351	367	.857
Cedar	1	0	45	43	1.000	3	2	228	197	.600
Canyon View	1	0	47	43	1.000	2	3	216	237	.400
Dixie	1	1	118	115	.500	4	2	314	291	.667
Desert Hills	1	1	103	94	.500	5	4	518	478	.556
Snow Canyon	0	2	95	109	.000	2	6	344	431	.250
Hurricane	0	2	101	127	.000	0	5	198	273	.000

In boys basketball, that second region test is tonight, with Desert Hills at Dixie, Hurricane at Pine View and Snow Canyon at Canyon View.

We should learn a little more about the region in tonight’s battles. DH and Dixie are both considered contenders for the region crown and both played common opponents last week in the Ken Robinson Invitational at Dixie High. Surely both coaches did plenty of scouting and analysis during those games that saw Dixie beat Springville by two and Spanish Fork in overtime, with Desert Hills losing by two to Spanish Fork and then dominating Springville by 12.

It should be a heck of a battle at DH (tune in to listen on ESPN SportsRadio 106.1 FM).

Pine View, fresh off its championship at the NGS Invitational in Arizona, has a chance to go 2-0 and be tied with the winner of the Dixie-DH game if it can hold serve at home against the Tigers. PV is 7-0, with a good balance of scorers including Garrett Bowker, Jed Newby, Cody Ruesch and Kody Wilstead. Hurricane is still struggling a bit and is anxiously awaiting the return of point guard Kaden Langston.

Snow Canyon plays at CCanyon View and it may be a tall order for the Warriors to get a road win. The Falcons and the Warriors will likely let it fly early and often as both teams like to shoot the 3-pointer.

Region 9	W	L	PS	PA	pct.	W	L	PS	PA	pct.
Pine View	1	0	74	57	1.000	7	0	435	346	1.000
Dixie	1	0	60	49	1.000	5	1	391	363	.833
Desert Hills	1	0	50	42	1.000	4	2	310	287	.667
Snow Canyon	0	1	57	74	.000	1	2	183	194	.333
Hurricane	0	1	49	60	.000	2	3	251	259	.400
Cedar	0	1	42	50	.000	2	3	254	280	.400
Canyon View	0	0	0	0	.000	2	2	247	237	.500

Wrestling and swimming

Wrestling and swimming fans and parents, St. George News would love to cover your events. Email schedules and results to [email protected].

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Here’s a glance at this week’s games, including the Coach Walk Classic at Dixie State beginning Thursday.

12/17 – Wednesday

BOYS BASKETBALL

• Desert Hills at Dixie, 7 p.m.
• Hurricane at Pine View, 7 p.m.
• Snow Canyon at Canyon View, 7 p.m.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

• Enterprise at Hurricane, 7 p.m.

12/18 – Thursday

BOYS BASKETBALL

COACH WALKER CLASSIC

• Dixie vs. Viewmont, 3:15 p (at Dixie State)
• Hurricane vs. TBD, tbd
  (at Dixie State)
• Pine View vs. Maple Mt, 8:30 p (at Dixie State)
• Desert Hills vs. Manti, 6:45 p.m. (at Dixie St.)
• North Sevier vs. TBD, 7 p.m.
  (at Dixie State)
• Snow Canyon vs. TBD, 7 p.m.
  (at Dixie State)
• TBD vs. Mountain View, 7 p.m.
  (at Dixie State)
• Woods Cross vs. TBD, 7 p.m.
  (at Dixie State)

12/19 – Friday

BOYS BASKETBALL

• Canyon View at Richfield, 7 p.m.
• Springville at Cedar, 7 p.m.
• COACH WALKER CLASSIC
• Hurricane vs. Manti, 5 p.m. (at Dixie State)
• Pine View vs. Viewmont, 8:30 p (at Dixie State)
• Desert Hills vs. Woods Cross, 6:45 p.m. (at Dixie State)
• Maple Mountain vs. TBD, 7 p.m. (at Dixie State)
• North Sevier vs. TBD, 7 p.m. (at Dixie State)
• Snow Canyon vs. TBD, 7 p.m. (at Dixie State)
• TBD vs. Mountain View, 7 p.m. (at Dixie State)GIRLS BASKETBALL

• Desert Hills at Lehi, 7 p.m.
• Snow Canyon at American Fork, 7:15 p.m.2A-3A PREVIEW
• Manti vs. Canyon View, 10 a.m. (at Sevier Valley Center)
• Delta vs. North Sanpete, 11:30 a.m. (at Sevier Valley Center)
• Gunnison vs. Beaver, 1 p.m. (at Sevier Valley Center)
• Juan Diego vs. Enterprise, 2:30 p.m. (at Sevier Valley Center)
• Delta vs. Cedar, 4 p.m. (at Sevier Valley Center)
• South Sevier vs. North Summit, 5:30 p.m. (at Sevier Valley Center)
• North Sevier vs. Kanab, 7 p.m. (at Sevier Valley Center)
• Richfield vs. Hurricane, 8:30 p.m. (at Sevier Valley Center)MESQUITE TOURNAMENT
• Dixie vs. TBD, tbd (at Mesquite, Nev.)

12/20 – Saturday

BOYS BASKETBALL

COACH WALKER CLASSIC

• Hurricane vs. Mt. View, 3:15 (at Hurricane)
• Snow Canyon vs. Manti, 3:15 p.m. (at SC)
• Desert Hills vs. Viewmont, 1:30 p.m. (at DH)GIRLS BASKETBALL

• Desert Hills at Timpanogos, 4 p.m.
• Snow Canyon at Carbon, 7 p.m.2A-3A PREVIEW
• Beaver vs. North Sanpete, 9 a.m. (at Sevier Valley Center)
• Kanab vs. Gunnison, 10:30 a.m. (at Sevier Valley Center)
• Hurricane vs. Juan Diego, noon (at Sevier Valley Center)
• Manti vs. Richfield, 1:30 p.m. (at Sevier Valley Center)
• Canyon View vs. Delta, 3 p.m. (at Sevier Valley Center)
• North Summit vs. North Sevier, 4:30 p.m. (at Sevier Valley Center)
• Enterprise vs. South Sevier, 6 p.m. (at Sevier Valley Center)
• Cedar vs. Richfield, 7:30 p.m. (at Sevier Valley Center)MESQUITE TOURNAMENT
• Dixie vs. TBD, tbd
  (at Mesquite, Nev.)

“This Week in Region 9″ is a weekly column written by Andy Griffin exploring the happenings in Region 9 at all sports venues. The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of St. George News.

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Twitter: @oldschoolag

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