Bobcats, Grizzlies each start off the new year with a win

<strong>SMITHFIELD—</strong> It was home sweet home for the Bobcats Wednesday.

After eight straight games on the road over the course of December, the Sky View boy’s basketball team defeated Highland (Idaho), 51-40, in its first game at home since Dec. 5 and its fifth game in the past seven nights.

“We started off really well,” SV head coach Kirk Hillyard said. “Then they started changing up the defenses on us and it took us awhile to adjust to it but we did a good job in the second half.”

Seniors Jalen Moore and Ty Nielsen combined for 13 first quarter points to help the Bobcats to an early lead, but the Rams clawed their way back into it with a big second quarter. With Moore and Nielsen scoring the bulk of the points, Highland used a variety of zone defenses to slow the dynamic duo and held the Bobcats to just five points in the second quarter.

However, Sky View would not be denied at home.

Nielsen scored the Bobcats’ first four points of the second half and Sky View used a 10-4 third quarter run to slowly pull away despite struggles from the free throw line. The defense held the Rams to just seven fourth quarter points to seal the win.

“(Highland) is a lot like our region is going to be,” Nielsen said. “I thought we played together good. In the third quarter we figured it out and got through it, got to the hole, made some good cuts and scored.”

Sky View improved to 9-2 with the win, but will have little time to savor it as the Bobcats turn right around for another road trip starting Friday, Jan. 4, against Murray at 7 p.m.

The Bobcats close out preseason play against the Spartans before starting region play Friday, Jan. 11.

<strong>GRIZZLIES 72, MINERS 61</strong>

Tyler Brimhall scored 31 points and Logan used a huge second quarter to pull away from a pesky Park City squad for a 72-61 Wednesday night victory after the holiday break.

After taking a two point lead into the second quarter, Logan embarked on a 20-9 run during the duration of the second quarter to take control of the game. The Miners won the second half, 40-38, but it wasn’t enough after trailing by 13 at the half.

Brimhall hit three 3-pointers on the night as part of his season-high 31 points, and Jordan Larsen also scored in double figures for Logan with 15 points and two scores from beyond the arc for the Grizzlies. Park City had three players score in double figures, led by Hayden Daily’s 18, but the balanced attack wasn’t enough to overcome Logan.

On the night, Logan made 10 more shots than Park City and the Grizzlies connected on 11-of-13 free throws. The Grizzlies win comes after a tough loss to Herriman in their final game of 2012, and starts of the new year on a positive note with region action just around the corner.

Logan will now enjoy more than a week off before kicking off Region 5 action with a game against heated valley rival Mountain Crest in Hyrum on Friday, Jan. 11.

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