Lehi Sports
Falcon boys hoops finish with a flourish
The Skyridge boys basketball team completed the regular season last week, falling at Pleasant Grove on Feb. 16 but rebounding with a huge victory at Lone Peak on Feb. 19.
Pleasant Grove 61, Skyridge 47
The Falcons played even with the Vikings in the first and third quarters but struggled to find the hoop in the second and fourth, leading to the loss.
Senior forward Dallin Yates led the effort with 14 points and five rebounds. Senior guard Duncan Reid netted 13 including three triples and senior guard Parker Christensen also had 13 points with five boards and three assists.
Junior guard Nick Holland made seven assists and junior forward Colby Carter collected seven rebounds.
Skyridge 92, Lone Peak 69
Reid had a career outing against the Knights, dropping in 43 points including eight treys to lead a determined Falcon offensive on Senior Night for the home school.
The teams battled pretty evenly in the first quarter, after which Skyridge led 12-10. Following that, the Falcons exploded for 28 points in the second period and 26 in the third to build an advantage that the home squad was unable to challenge.
Christensen contributed an all-around solid game with 23 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals. Yates added 14 points and six boards, Holland made nine assists and Carter snagged 10 rebounds.
“It was a great way to finish region play by beating a really good Lone Peak team on the road,” said Skyridge Coach Jeff Gardner.
“Duncan Reid had a record-breaking night and led the way to a big victory,” the coach continued. “I was really pleased with our defensive effort holding Lone Peak under 40-percent shooting, which is never an easy task.”
Although they finished at the bottom of the league standings with a 3-7 record, the Falcons were 11-1 against other teams. That and the statewide dominance of Region 4 squads allowed them to earn five of the top six spots in the final 6A RPI rankings, with Skyridge landing at the No. 6 seed.
“We’re excited about our placement in the tournament,” Gardner said. “The sixth seed allows us a home game and a bye.” On Feb. 26 at 7 p.m., the Falcons (14-8) will take on the winner of No. 11 Cyprus (15-8) vs. No. 22 Syracuse (6-16).
“Class 6A is full of really good teams, so we know we’re going to have to play well to advance,” he added. If they win the first game, the team will likely have to play at Corner Canyon in the quarterfinal on March 2.
