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Show By DAVE WIGHAM BOUNTIFUL This was supposed to be a reloading year for the Braves basketball program. Afterall, Mike Hall lost his top nine players from last years club that was the first Bountiful team to go to the state event in some seven years. NOW THAT all the dust has settled the Braves earn the right to meet the fourth place team from Region Four for the final state tournament berth. Ben Lomond and Bear River play on Tuesday, the winner plays Davis on Wednesday then Bountiful gets the loser of the Wednesday game on Friday. That pleases Mike Hall in one aspect. "We get to rest while they battle each other, plus we'll get to see them play while they haven't had much opportunity to scout us." EV EN THOUGH the Braves only placed fourth in their league the thing that has opposing coaches buzzing is their youth. "Do you realize how many of those guys will be back next year?" noted one coach in the league. "Bell. Brown. Weight, Smith. Izatt . and a group of giant sopho- j mores. They'll be good next : year." Coach Hall wants the youngsters to get a taste of the j state event this year. Bountiful avoided any chanccofWoodsCrossgetting ! in the state picture with a 76-62 i win over South last Friday. It j wasn't easy though as the ! Cubs played great ball in the j first half and built up a big 15 j point lead. Taking a lesson j from their previous game, in j which they came back to nip ; West, the Braves fought back, j In the third period the Braves . outscored South 25-3 to lake : command of the game. t THERE REALLY wasn't j that much difference in the re- ' gion between fourth place and ! first. Consider these facts, j Viewmont won the league and : the Braves battled them dow n j to the w ire in both their meet-ing meet-ing although the Vikes won both of them. Highland was j second and they had to go into i overtime to beat Bountiful j West was third and they split j uilh the Rrnvet Junior Danny Bell has j turned into one of the best big I men around the area. He j works hard under the boards to I get open and once he gets his hands on the ball he is tough to stop. He's scoring in the 20 point per game average. SENIOR TERRY Ferrcll has I played well in league play for ! the Braves and his outside shooting has taken some of the heat off Bell inside. Terry has been one big reason the Braves are involved in post-season action. ac-tion. Mike Woodbury has been j a giant on the boards for the j Braves as has Alan Mcldrum. I these two have battled bigger j people for rebounds all season and more than held their cm n. 1 The youngsters have played extremely well especially on the guard line. Juniors. Todd j Smith and Lex Brown, along ; with Sophomore Standout j Blake Izatt , have bee n anot her ; big reason for the teams suc- j cess. Izatt has come on strong in recent weeks and shows no"" lack of confidence when it i comes to driving to the bucket.' j Smith and Brown are both ex-: j cellent outside shooters and. ! can turn a game around. AT THE first of the year few -:; felt the Braves would be j around for the state picture,,.? but here they are. Mike Hall" and his staff has to be credited with a fine job this year along with the players. Bountiful will: be well rested for their playoff . ,. game on Friday and will get ... into the state tournament for the second straight year. 1 |
