Girls basketball: Race tightens as Cedar beats SC; DH and PV win

Written by Jordan Abel
January 29, 2016
Desert Hills vs. Hurricane, Girls Basketball, St. George, Utah, Jan. 28, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News

CEDAR CITY — Cedar hasn’t given up on defending its region championship as the Lady Reds did the rest of the region a favor by knocking off first-place Snow Canyon Thursday night. Desert Hills and Pine View pulled a game closer to the Lady Warriors with wins as well. Here’s a look at the action:

Cedar 51, Snow Canyon 48

The defending region champs aren’t dead yet. Cedar withstood a furious Snow Canyon rally and handed the Warriors their first region loss Thursday night.

Snow Canyon’s final, game-winning shot bounced off the back of the rim and out, Cedar rebounded and found an open player for an easy layup as the buzzer sounded for the 3-point win.

cedar-logosnow-canyon-logo“I just kept preaching, ‘You gotta be in your defensive positions. Do your job defensively, be where you’re supposed to be, that’s first. Go rebound and then just take care of the ball, move it, use each other and attack,'” Cedar coach John Elison said.”I felt like the girls hit some key free throws at the end and that’s how you win ball games. They took care of the little things at the end that mattered.”

Snow Canyon’s 3-point shots started falling late and helped the Warriors to climb back in the game. SC’s Sydney Bott scored 14 points in the second half, including four 3-pointers, and led all scorers with 15 points. Bott had a good look from the corner with the clock waning, but it just wouldn’t fall this time.

Cedar sophomore Carly Davis made her first start in the win. Davis also scored as the final buzzer sounded to finish off the game.

Cedar's Carly Davis (25), Snow Canyon vs. Cedar, Girls Basketball, St. George, Utah, Jan. 12, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Cedar’s Carly Davis (25), Snow Canyon vs. Cedar, Girls Basketball, St. George, Utah, Jan. 12, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News

“I was nervous that we turned it over again, because at the end of the game, it’s kind of flustered,” Davis said. “When they threw it to Hannah (Williams), I saw that I was wide open and I thought she was going to go for it. But I’m really glad she didn’t, because I was wide open, so it was a good way to end the game.”

Cedar shot 11 for 13 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter, which helped the Lady Reds stay ahead with SC raining down 3-pointers. Another Cedar sophomore, Dream Weaver, knocked down four clutch free throws at the end of the game to help CHS regain and extend the lead.

“I know when I’m on the line, I just can’t think or else it goes short,” Weaver said. “So I just gotta have muscle memory and not think about it.”

Cedar jumped out to an early lead and held on to it until under two minutes left in the fourth quarter.

The Warriors played much of the game without star Madison Mooring, who picked up three quick fouls in the first quarter. But with a huge fourth quarter from Bott and smart defensive play the rest of the way from Mooring, the Warriors took the lead on Mooring’s first basket and a free throw at the 1:45 mark in the fourth quarter.

“My blood pressure is through the roof, I’m five years older, I’m not going to be able to sleep tonight and I can’t breathe, so I’m not sure what to think,” Elison said. “Man, those dang Snow Canyon Warriors don’t go away, that’s what I think. I thought we had a game plan and a nice little lead, and they just don’t go away.

Cedar Head Coach John Elison, Cedar vs. Morgan, 3A State Basketball Tournament, Salt Lake City, Utah, Feb. 26, 2015 | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Cedar head coach John Elison | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News

“We had a few miscues. Our game plan was to not (allow) any of those 3s. We knew Bott could hit 3s, and I think she had three-in-a-row in the fourth quarter.”

Davis, in her first start, led the Redmen with 14 points, Weaver scored 12 more and both Courtney Morley and Hannah Williams scored 6 points.

“It was nerve-racking at first, because I’m one of the younger ones. It’s intimidating, but it’s fun,” Davis said. “My team is really good at sending me passes when I’m open, it’s nice.”

Bott led the Warriors with 15 points. Natalie Coulam had 11 points, and Nikenna Durante added 8 more.

Cedar will host Desert Hills Tuesday at 7 p.m. in a battle for second place. Snow Canyon will go home to play Pine View Tuesday at 7 p.m. also.

Desert Hills 53, Hurricane 43

The Lady Tigers could not pull off another upset at the Thunderdome Thursday night.  Two days after beating Pine View, Hurricane played Desert Hills pretty evenly in the first half.  The Thunder took off in the third quarter, however, outscoring Hurricane 16-9 and going into the fourth up 40-32.  Hurricane could not close on Desert Hills in the fourth.

desert-hills-logohurricane-logoAshley Beckstrand led all players with 23 points and nine rebounds. Kylie Williams and Rylee Jensen both scored 8.

Williams also had six steals for the Thunder. D-Hills had seven different players score in the win, including five of those with at least 4 points each.

Desert Hills' Ashley Beckstrand (24), Desert Hills vs. Hurricane, Girls Basketball, St. George, Utah, Jan. 28, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Desert Hills’ Ashley Beckstrand (24), Desert Hills vs. Hurricane, Girls Basketball, St. George, Utah, Jan. 28, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News

Beckstrand, a junior, is averaging 22.2 points a game, which is good enough for third in all classifications and No.1  in the 3A ranks in the state of Utah. Beckstrand has made 25 3-pointers this season.

Desert Hills moves to 9-8 overall, and stays tied for second in region play with Cedar at 4-2.  They will visit Cedar on Tuesday night.

For Hurricane, Taylor Anderson led the way with 21 points. Anderson leads her team with 9.3 points a game and 17 3-pointers.

Morgan Huntsman added 13 points. The Lady Tigers fall to 8-10 overall and to 2-4 in Region 9. They will host Dixie on Tuesday night.

Pine View 67, Dixie 40

The Lady Panthers outscored the home team Dixie in every quarter Thursday night to pull out the definitive victory.

Pine View outscored the Lady Flyers 26-3 at the charity stripe, 10-2 on second-chance points and 15-7 on points off 29 Dixie turnovers.

Individually, Tayvia Ah Quin led the way for both teams with 18 points and 10 rebounds. She led four Lady Panthers in double figures.  Joining her were Breana Moeai (14), Stefani Gleave (11) and Sarrah Pierce (10). Moeai also had 9 steals. Rachel Lusk led the team with 3 assists. Pine View improves to 3-3 in region and 11-6 overall. The Panthers will travel to Snow Canyon on Tuesday night.

For Dixie, Kelsea Barker led the team with 15 points and 8 rebounds. Dantzel Miner scored 9. Aspen Bair pulled down 7 rebounds. Dixie falls to 0-6 in region and 2-15 overall. The Flyers will travel to Hurricane on Tuesday.

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Twitter: @oldschoolag

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2016, all rights reserved.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jordan Abel started writing at Dixie State University for the Dixie Sun News in 2013, where he also became the sports editor for a semester before moving to Cedar City. He has also written for The Spectrum & Daily News, University Journal at Southern Utah University and now St. George News. He is currently attending Southern Utah University and pursuing a degree in pharmacy. Journalism has become a passion for him as he pursues his studies in another field. Jordan married Kaylee, a former Pine View and current SUU cross-country and track runner, in 2014.

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