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Show . njim. "zzi": PG Vikings Flatten Orem Tigers 59-44 in Preseason Tournament second half's first four minutes, the Vikings proceeded to flatten Orem. By the end of the third. Pleasant Grove had outscored Orem 14-6. Zach Faux helped Pleasant Grove through sinking two straight layups on steals that gave the Vikings a 41-22 lead. Led by McAllister and Hamson, the Vikings maintained their double-digit lead through help from Allred and Heder. McAllister led Pleasant Grove with 13 points while Hamson contributed another 10. Also, Hamson posted five boards to become the Vikings' top rebounder. Nixon led Orem with II points while Pollard added another nine. f " f t y n Orem tried really to bounce away with a win over the Region Four powerhouse during the daylong Zuke Challenge. Pleasant Grove Coach Randy McAllister said, "They went with using a zone to try taking us down. They kept the game close until the last few minutes of the first half when we hit two threes to take 30-20 lead into halftime. "At the half, we made adjustments, and in the last two periods, we did a better job in handling their zone." In spite of using a zone game to keep the contest close, Orem could never pull ahead of the Vikings. As soon as Viking Forrest Pinnock got the tipoff, he passed to Cade Wilkes, who then sank a jumper. The combined shooting of Wilkes and Alan Hamson gave the Vikings a 7-1 lead in a hurry. A Josh Pollard jumper sparked the Tigers into bouncing back into the game. Through the remainder of the first quarter, Orem matched Pleasant Grove point for point, even though the Vikings did secure a 13-3 lead on a Jeff Elsey bucket during one moment. With the first quarter ending in a 13-7 lead for Pleasant Grove, the Tigers implemented their zone strategy with great effect. Spurred on by Jordan Darger's effective rebounding, Pollard and Brandon Erickson guided Orem in outscoring the Vikings 10-6. When Orem had roared within 19-17, the Tigers looked as though they were going to spring ahead. Suddenly, Viking Cory McAllister hit a three-pointer, and teammate Austin Heder chipped in a 10-foot shot to give Pleasant Grove a 24-17 advantage. Orem's Dalton Nixon hit a three-point shot, which could have turned things around for hisTigers. However, McAllister and Taylor Allred each hit a trey in the half's final two minutes to give Pleasant Grove a 30-20 lead. Early in the third quarter, McAllister and Hamson made shots that ultimately knocked Orem out of the game. First, McAllister swished in a three-point three-point bomb, and then Hamson sunk a layup to give the Vikings a 35-20 advantage. Pollard hit an inside shot in hopes of getting the Tigers to bounce back into the game. However, with the Vikings constantly ripping Orem's zone defense into pieces and Pleasant Grove holding the Tigers to two points in the Austin Heder scores from just outside the key. Photo courtesy ul" PicMyKiti.com by Dean Von Memmott The Pleasant Grove Vikings opened their boys' hoop season by flattening the Orem Tigers 59-44 in a preseason tournament game held at Utah Valley University's McKay Events Center November 24. |