Lehi Sports
Falcon boys win three in hoops to start January
Beky Beaton / Lehi Free Press
The Skyridge High School boys basketball team claimed victories in the last three games prior to starting league play, running their overall record to 10-3 on the season.
Jan. 2: Skyridge 71, Salem Hills 47
The Falcons held a relatively narrow lead for most of the first half but really blew the game open after the break, outscoring the homestanding Skyhawks 39-22 in the final two quarters to win going away. The team helped the cause with 19 steals in the contest.
Senior guard Joel Gardner had three of those thefts to go with a game-high 21 points plus a blocked shot. Senior forward Carson Mosteller sank four triples on the way to 14 points along with six rebounds and three steals, while senior forward Ryder Gentry added 14 points, six boards and five steals.
The rest of the nine scorers included senior guard Zach Gagon, whose nice all-around effort yielded eight points, seven rebounds, four assists and a pair of steals.
Sophomore guard Koa Wallwork contributed five points and five assists and senior wing Hunter Sheffield collected three boards and three steals. Senior forward Rip Roberts dished out three assists.
“Salem Hills came in with a 9-game winning streak and I was very pleased with how we performed,” said Coach Jeff Gardner. “We did a good job attacking the press and playing good basketball.
“Joel did a good job starting the ball for us and Koa Wallwork played some really good minutes at the point guard spot handling their pressure,” he added. “Our defense was tough, forcing a number of turnovers which led to offensive opportunities.”
Jan. 6: Skyridge 67, Layton 56
The visiting Lancers got the advantage early and led 29-22 at the break, but the Falcons came roaring back in the third quarter. They worked hard on both ends of the floor, holding Layton to just seven points while scoring 25 and then rode that surge the rest of the way for the win.
In this game, Skyridge gave itself a lift from the free-throw line by converting 16-of-20 attempts for an 80-percent efficiency. They also had 15 steals and 16 assists.
Gentry led four scorers in double figures with 19 points plus six rebounds, five assists, two steals and a block for a productive overall evening. Gagon hit the four treys this time and finished with 17 points while Joel Gardner furnished 14 points, six assists and three steals.
Mosteller contributed 12 points with six boards. Wallwork scored five with a pair of steals and Sheffield grabbed three rebounds.
“Coach Kelby Miller runs one of the top programs in the state, and they came out and played really well and had us on our heels,” Coach Gardner said. “They were really hard to score on. They blocked shots, and I felt like Layton really played well, but we made sure to just stay in the game, hanging around.
“Ryder led us in scoring and Zach was sensational scoring and doing a great job guarding Karter Miller, who’s one of the top guards in the state,” the coach went on.
“Zach continues to be a consistent presence for us all over the court. His defense, passing, shooting, and leadership have been huge for us this season so far,” he said.
“We wanted to keep the pace, and we wanted to keep attacking the rim,” Coach Gardner said. “We didn’t do a great job in the first half finishing at the rim, but we felt like if we kept attacking the rim, it would open up our threes.
“Our team likes to play fast, and we’ve got this group of seniors who have been together since second grade, and they love to play with each other, and they believe in each other,” the coach continued. “I think just offensively, our whole message is to attack the basket and then kick out when you can’t get to the rim. They did that masterfully.”
Jan. 9: Skyridge 69, Fremont 44
The Falcons left no doubt of the outcome at home, leaping ahead 17-6 in the first quarter and maintaining the advantage through to the end. Fifteen players contributed to the win, including 12 scorers led by Gentry with 21 points, eight rebounds and three steals.
Mosteller added 13 points with six boards while Sheffield scored 11 including canning three shots from long distance plus dishing out three assists. Gagon collected seven points plus five rebounds.
Roberts grabbed five boards and sophomore forward Cooper Griffieth picked up four. Wallwork and Joel Gardner tallied four assists apiece.
“We did a great job coming out in the first quarter and establishing the pace and making it tough for them to score,” Coach Gardner said. “Hunter had a really nice game, not only 11 points in the first half, but he played great defense, holding their leading scorer to seven points.
“Once again, Ryder did a great job scoring the ball and controlling the boards. Carson also was in double figures and played a really nice overall game. It was good to get everybody in and to tune up getting ready for regions play against Lehi,” the coach concluded.
The Falcons will host Lehi on Tuesday (Jan. 13) for a 7:30 p.m. Region 3 contest, following the girls varsity game at 6 p.m. The same tipoff times will apply when Skyridge visits Lone Peak on Friday (Jan. 16).
