CEDAR CITY — The game was already getting out of hand — and then Desert Hills got hot.
A 12-0 run in the second quarter helped propel the Thunder to a 38-16 halftime lead and Cedar had no answer in a 72-38 D-Hills victory Friday night at Redmen Gymnasium.
Quincy Mathews, who leads Region 9 with 20 points a game, had 26 as well as 7 rebounds as the Thunder were never challenged after the first quarter. Mathews, a senior forward, made 11 of 12 free throws and has now scored at least 20 points in seven straight games.
The lead got to as many as 35 points and most of the Desert Hills starters didn’t play past the third quarter.
It was actually 6-5 just over four minutes into the game, but Desert Hills closed the first quarter on an 11-4 run. Mathews started it with a pair of made free throws and Logan Hokanson scored a layup just before the buzzer to make it 17-9 after one.
Cedar stayed within 10 at 26-16 with about three minutes left in the first half. But Mathews scored two straight baskets, the second a 3-pointer, to make it 31-16. Austin Adams hit a 10-footer to make it 33-16 and Hokanson hit a pair of freebies to up the lead to 35-16. Mathews then closed out the half by hitting 3 of 4 from the line for the humongous 38-16 advantage at intermission.
Within two minutes of the start of the third quarter, the lead had expanded to 47-20 and Cedar wouldn’t get closer than 23 the rest of the game.
Mathews made 7 of 12 shots from the floor, while Hokanson was perfect in the game, hitting 4 for 4 from the field and 5 for 5 from the line for his 13 points. Adams chipped in 10 for the victors. D-Hills hit 26 of 45 shots for 57 percent.
For Cedar, Kyle Wood was the only scorer in double-figures with 12 points on 5 of 15 shooting. The Redmen were 16 of 49 from the floor, 32 percent. Cedar is 3-1 on the road in region play, but 0-3 at home.
The Thunder, 14-3 overall and 7-0 in region, are two games ahead of both Dixie and Pine View. DH plays at home vs. the Flyers Wednesday night and has a bye next Friday.
Cedar, 8-7 and 3-4, is off Wednesday and hosts Canyon View Friday.
Stats: Box Score CHS (DHHS)-12315
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