12:00 AM, Jan. 10, 2012
| It's always interesting to see how a team responds after losing a heartbreaker. Hurricane, based on its performance Friday night against Pine View, showed why it has the mental toughness to compete for a Region 9 title.
This season has produced a plethora of challenges. First was getting accustomed to its new coaching staff, led by Brian Vaifanua.
The adversity was there early on as the Tigers opened their nonregion schedule with two preseason losses. A veteran group helped them reel off six straight wins, thereafter. Led by Colton Marshall (16.7 points per game), Boston Gubler (12.8), Taylor Parker (11.2), and Weston Yardley (10.1), Hurricane's starting lineup can compete with anyone. The team is scoring 58.7 points per game, ranking fifth in 3A. The defense has had its ups and downs so far, but is only giving up 49.7 per, ranking in the top five of 3A.
"Things are coming together for us as a team," Yardley said. "We have really worked hard on getting into shape and getting our team chemistry back. We have also had a transition with the new coaching staff. We are a strong group of seniors that has been playing together for a long time and I knew it wouldn't be long before we would start clicking."
The Tigers have had impressive wins over Juan Diego (73-54) and Wasatch (53-44) this season. Yet their first Region 9 game was somewhat disappointing, a 45-42 home loss to Dixie.
In any case, this team is no stranger to being knocked down, and just as it did during the first week of the season, Hurricane bounced back with a 62-49 win over Pine View on Friday.
"It is exciting to get region play started," Yardley said. "This is such a tough region, it's so important to get off to a good start. I think on any given night one team can beat another. We realize that we have to protect our home court and also win some on the road. I think it could be crazy the last few games of the year trying to get playoff spots."
Marshall, an athletic forward, said the Tigers' fate this season rests on team loyalty.
"I think the biggest difference for our team is that we are starting to trust each other more." He said. "We're starting to trust each other and our new coaching staff. I feel that we are becoming much better at looking for the best shot possible as a team instead of playing as individuals."
Hurricane is 7-3 overall and 1-1 in region entering the week. Up next is a trip to Cedar on Wednesday before hosting region favorite, Desert Hills at home on Friday.
Canyon View girls
It's been a polar opposite of results for the Canyon View girls basketball team this winter. After a solid 19-5 campaign in 2010-11, the Falcons have struggled.
A 44-29 loss to Desert Hills on Thursday dropped Canyon View's record to 3-9 overall and 0-3 in region.
"The Thunder have a really tough team, said Falcons center Taylor Porter, who is averaging 8.3 points per game. "I thought our defense was good, but could've been better, and our offense didn't really execute as well as we have in previous games. Our shots weren't falling like we wanted them too."
Porter and Josie Platt are the only Falcons scoring more than seven points per game. Yet the more surprising number is point differential. Usually when a team is below .500, the margin is significantly negative. In Canyon View's case, though, it's a slim, 1.5 points per game differential.
With their next two games at home - Dixie on Tuesday and Hurricane the following Tuesday - Canyon View has an opportunity to turn things around and become competitive in region again.
"We have the potential to be a really great team, but the things we as a team need to do is play basketball for 32 minutes and play together," Porter said. "If we do those things, we can be a really great team. É Being one of the seniors and the captain, I try to bring leadership on the court. For me, it's not all about scoring the most points - it's about getting assists, rebounds and playing defense for my team."
Dixie boys
With significant injuries plaguing Dixie this season, a number of key role players have needed to step up and deliver. It's no secret the Flyers lost swingman Kyle Hansen for the season and center Walker Swensen for a period of time. While the impact was felt during the Flyers' four-game losing streak in mid-December, the coaching staff and players soon figured how to rectify the situation, most notably against Hurricane on the road.
To say it was a season-saving win might be a stretch, but it's not out of the realm of possibility.
Dixie made an impact during its first region game. Sure, the stat sheet wasn't gorgeous afterwards, yet the Flyers did little things to earn the win albeit in hostile territory.
"I think one of our strongest features as a team is our unity," said guard/forward Tallen Tipton, who is averaging nearly five points and five rebounds per game. "There are no seniors or sophomores; instead it's just one Dixie basketball team. This allows us to communicate really well on the floor and play better team basketball, both on offense and defense."
Dixie got a much-needed boost when Swensen returned in Friday's contest against Cedar. With his services back in the middle, it should allow the Flyers to place players back in their normal position, including Tipton who usually plays shooting guard.
"It was hard losing two starters, but we have been using our adversity as motivation to play just that much harder," Tipton said.
Obviously, there is still plenty of basketball to be played, and Dixie knows there plenty of improvements to be made. They are averaging 47.4 points per game, but are allowing 50.8 per. To simply put it, those numbers won't get the job done in 3A's best region.
"I think our biggest area to improve is making our shots," Tipton said. "We're getting the shots we want, and all we need to do is finish, especially from the free-throw line. I'm pretty sure our percentage is down, but we're making the needed adjustments in practice to improve from here on out."
Added Dixie coach Ryan Cuff: "As a whole we are just trying to be more consistent in everything that we do."
Key performer: Autumn Shipp
The Snow Canyon guard combined for 16 points, six rebounds and three steals during the Warriors' two wins against Pine View and Cedar last week. Snow Canyon is tied atop the region standings with Desert Hills at 3-0, entering the week.
Key Number: 50
Number of points the Cedar boys basketball team combined to allow during the fourth quarter in their last three games. At the same time, they scored just 25 in the fourth, which led them to losing all three games (Skyline, Desert Hills, and Dixie) by a combined margin of 16 points.
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