ST. GEORGE — Region 9’s girls teams did a lot of good things this season, but one thing missing was a highly-skilled and dominant post player.
The 1A/2A all-star team had two of them and the result was an 82-69 victory for that team over the Region 9 stars Saturday night at the March Mayhem all-star event at Dixie High. Panguitch’s Darri Frandsen had 35 points and Enterprise’s Riley Lyman had 25 as the 1A/2A stars owned the paint all night.
“They got hot and shot well and they have a couple of big girls that play really tough,” said John Elison, who coached the Region 9 stars. “Frandsen is a player. There wasn’t much we could do to stop her.”
The Panguitch High star, just two weeks removed from leading her team to the 1A Championship and a perfect season, said she’d never quite had a game like she did Saturday night.
“I just wanted to go out and have fun and make some new friends,” she said. “Our shooters were hitting from outside and that gave us more room to work inside. I’ve never scored that many points in my life.”
For the record, Frandsen’s career high at Panguitch was 32 points (and 19 rebounds). Her Bobcats went 26-0 this season and won every game by more than 20 points, including a 58-28 win over Valley in the title game. She averaged 17 points a game this season.
Helping her out down low was Lyman, from 2A Enterprise, plus 2A champion Delta had four players on the team, including sharpshooter Ciara Edwards, who hit a pair of 3-pointers.
The Region 9 stars, led by league MVP Courtney Morley, fell behind by eight at 37-29 halftime and the lead got to 10 in the third quarter. But Morley hit a couple of 3-pointers and Pine View’s Tayvia Ah’Quin scored twice as the Region 9 stars cut it to 41-39 four minutes into the second half.
That’s when Frandsen took over, scoring almost unchecked in the low block, rebounding the ball when she did miss. She had 20 of her 35 after halftime as the 1A/2A stars went on a 12-4 run to push the lead back to 10 at 53-43. The Region 9 stars would never get closer than eight the rest of the way.
Morley finished with 20 points and Cedar teammate Amanda Manley, who won the girls 3-point shootout after the game, chipped in nine points. Pine View senior Amber Archibald concluded her high school playing career by scoring 10 points.
“It was a good night and it was good to see all the girls from the different Region 9 teams playing together,” Elison said. “We’re not such enemies after all. We’re all good people here.”
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Enterprise's Riley Lyman defends as Snow Canyon's Madison Mooring (21) puts up a shot in the paint, March Mayhem All Star Basketball, St. George, Utah, Mar. 7, 2015 | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News Cedar's Amanda Manley (10) looks for some open space, March Mayhem All Star Basketball, St. George, Utah, Mar. 7, 2015 | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News Pine View G Amber Archibald (5) grabs a rebound, March Mayhem All Star Basketball, St. George, Utah, Mar. 7, 2015 | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News Dixie C Kaylee Hansen (24) with a shot over Panguitch star Darri Frandsen, March Mayhem All Star Basketball, St. George, Utah, Mar. 7, 2015 | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News Dixie G Aubri Challis (5) on a fast break, March Mayhem All Star Basketball, St. George, Utah, Mar. 7, 2015 | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News Cedar's Courtney Morley (23), file photo from Mar. 7, 2015 | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News Tayvia Ah'Quin (24) fires up a short jumper, March Mayhem All Star Basketball, St. George, Utah, Mar. 7, 2015 | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News Cedar's Shana Foley (44) with a layup, March Mayhem All Star Basketball, St. George, Utah, Mar. 7, 2015 | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News Women's 3-point contest winner Amanda Manley poses with event director Darren Nuttall, March Mayhem All Star Basketball, St. George, Utah, Mar. 7, 2015 | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
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