Regular season basketball action under way for smaller Southern Utah high schools

Davis Harrison of Diamond Ranch Academy drives to the basket against Panguitch, Panguitch, Utah, Jan. 5, 2019 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

PANGUITCH — With the preseason now out of the way, the regular season is heating up for the boys and girls basketball teams at various smaller high schools throughout Southern Utah. Following are recaps of 1A and 2A action to date.

1A boys

Vinnie Mattazaro of Diamond Ranch Academy drives to the basket while being guarded by Panguitch’s Jaxton Breinholt, Panguitch, Utah, Jan. 5, 2019 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

Saturday night in Panguitch, the Panguitch Bobcats boys team improved its Region 20 record to 4-0 with a 77-42 win over the Diamond Ranch Diamondbacks. Panguitch senior Acey Orton scored 23 of his game-high 28 points during the first half as the Bobcats built a 39-25 halftime lead.

Panguitch then shut out the cold-shooting Diamondbacks 19-0 during the third quarter, putting the game well out of reach. Diamond Ranch was led in scoring by Davis Harrison, who finished with 23 points.

Diamond Ranch fell to 1-5 overall, 0-5 in region play with the loss. Panguitch (4-0, 7-5) is in first place atop the Region 20 standings, while Bryce Valley and Piute are tied for second with 3-1 region records. Valley is in fourth place at 3-2, Water Canyon is fifth at 2-2, Escalante is sixth at 0-4, and Diamond Ranch is in seventh and last place.

2A boys

The Parowan Rams are off to a 4-0 start in Region 18 play. The Rams picked up their fourth region win at home on Friday when they came from behind in the fourth quarter to edge the Millard Eagles, 55-49. Krue Stubbs scored 16 points to lead Parowan against the Eagles, while teammate Porter Wood added 15 points and grabbed 11 rebounds.

Davis Harrison of Diamond Ranch Academy shoots while being guarded by Panguitch’s Acey Orton, Panguitch, Utah, Jan. 5, 2019 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

Following first-place Parowan are three teams tied for second in Region 18 play: Gunnison, Kanab and North Sevier, who are all 2-1. Beaver is in fifth with a 1-2 region record, Millard is sixth at -13, and Enterprise is seventh at 0-4.

Enterprise’s last three region losses were all by four points or fewer, however. The Wolves lost back-to-back home games the week before Christmas, falling 49-46 to North Sevier and 54-50 to Parowan. Enterprise then lost by a single point at Gunnison on Friday, as the Bulldogs escaped with a 53-52 victory. Levi Randall and Tyler Hiatt each scored 14 to pace the Wolves in the loss to Gunnison.

1A girls

After two region games played within the six-team Region 20, three teams are undefeated while three remain winless. Panguitch, Piute, and Valley are all 2-0 in region play as of Monday, while Bryce Valley, Escalante and Water Canyon are all 0-2.

High-scoring Panguitch has netted 84 points in each of its first two region games, beating Water Canyon 84-38 on Dec. 20 and defeating Escalante 84-22 at Panguitch on Friday. Brittney Henrie led the Lady Bobcats in the latter contest with 25 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and eight steals, while teammate Kapri Orton added 23 points.

2A girls

Brailee Robinson of Beaver takes a shot against Enterprise, Beaver, Utah, Jan. 8, 2019 | Photo courtesy of Marla McMaster, St. George News / Cedar City News

Beaver and Enterprise faced each other Tuesday night, with both teams coming into the game tied for first place in the Region 18 standings with 3-0 records.

The Lady Beavers used a strong third quarter to pull away from the Wolves and come away with a 39-30 win. Sydnee Gillens led a balanced scoring attack for Beaver with 11 points, while teammates Tavy Gale and Brittlyn Carter each added 10 points.

Beaver is now in first place at 4-0, while Enterprise dropped to a tie with Kanab for second place in the standings with 3-1 records. Kanab defeated fifth-place North Sevier 81-32 Tuesday night, dropping the Lady Wolves’ record to 1-2.

Also on Tuesday, fourth-place Millard (3-2) defeated Gunnison (0-4), by a score of 54-42. Parowan (0-4), which had a bye Tuesday night, is also still winless in Region 18 play.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2019, all rights reserved.

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