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Show Vikes progress toward title IV. ' V ' E " - ' J,;'-S' -v v , 'M-t'stt I x 7 v i I L Zr , v ; Jh S'jfP as u l2t -i,. I By TOM HARALDSEN Clipper Correspondent SALT LAKE CITY Viewmont View-mont High took an important first step in the state 4A boys' basketball championships Thursday with a 49-41 49-41 victory over Taylorsville in the Huntsman Center. Coach Clyde Nelson's team won this game on defense, holding Taylorsville to 28 percent shooting the first half and 37 percent for the game. Meanwhile, junior Andy Jensen scored five quick first-quarter first-quarter baskets, and the Vikes were able to run their patient offense the rest of the way. "I was a little nervous coming in because this is the first state game these kids have ever played," Nelson said in the tunnel outside the Vikes' dressing room postgame. "We came out playing hard and aggressively, and I'm pleased with how we played for the most part." Jensen got the Vikes off to an 11-2 start by hitting five of his first six shots, all inside. The Warriors had a horrendous first quarter, canning cann-ing just three of 14 shots and falling behind 13-6. With Jensen and Brad Bodily each scoring two more second-quarter hoops, the Vikes expanded the lead to 26-17 at intermission. Viewmont was shooting at a 55 percent clip at the break, and Taylorsville's Dave Gyiling literally kept his team in the contest with nine second-quarter points. As the Vikes settled into a patient offense, content to work the ball around the perimeter until freeing up a man inside, the Warriors mounted a slight comeback. Trailing Trail-ing 29-17, Taylorsville scored six straight points, four by Scott DeBenedictis, to cut the lead to 29-23. 29-23. Bodily came through with two big baskets in the final moments of the third period, and entering the final quarter, the Vikes still held a 35-27 lead Jeff Jenson scored a three-pointer early in the fourth to move the Warriors War-riors to within five at 35-30, but a critical steal by Viewmont's Jason Hynek at midcourt, followed by a Hynek layup, seemed to take a lot SEE VIEWMONT ON A-10 Viewmont begins to realize its season-long goal of a state championship Thursday night with a win over the Taylorsville Warriors. Andy Jensen, 44, looks on as Viking teammate Steve Edgley attempts to block Justin Thomas' shot. (Clipper photo by Patrick Mitchell) p.m. A win means a semifinal game Wednesday at 7:10 p.m. or a loss . means a Wednesday morning contest con-test at 11:50 a.m. HILLCREST 61, CLEARFIELD CLEAR-FIELD 46 SALT LAKE CITY Region 3 champion Hillcrest had little trouble with the Clearfield Falcons in round 1 of the 4A state basketball tourney Thursday night rambling past the Davis County school 61-46. Hillcrest's 6-1 senior guard, Brian Kelley, shredded the Clearfield Clear-field defense hitting four consecutive con-secutive jumpers in the second period to spur his team to a 1 2-0 run and past the lack-luster fourth place finishers from Region 1. Leading Hillcrest's scoring were John Owen, Scott Stephenson and Scott Clark with 16, 13 and 13, respectively. Kelley finished the game with 11 points. For the Falcons, Joe Ban-era led the losing cause with 10 followed by Cory Johnson with 9. Hillcrest overcame a 16-13 deficit after the first to blow the game open holding the Falcons to only 12 points in the second and third quarters combined. Fate dealt the Falcons a devastating dev-astating blow in the second when a dislocated right wrist sent 6-5 starting star-ting Clearfield Center Brian Pollock out of the game. Viewmont CONTINUED FROM A-9 of starch out of the Warrior effort. 'I thought Jason's steal and those two baskets by Brad were the turning point," Nelson said. 'We kept our composure coming down the stretch and never let them get too close. ' ' Even when the Warriors pulled to within four at 40-36 with just over two minutes left, Jensen answered with a hoop, and the Vikes clinched the game with clutch free throw shooting. Viewmont did not get to the line until the final 3:26 of the game, but once it did, the Vikes hit 10 of 12 freebies, including all front ends of one-and-ones. It was a team effort, as Jensen led the way with 16 points, but the Vikings Vik-ings also received balanced scoring from Bodily with nine, Hynek with seven, Tyler Gledhill with six and Steve Edgley with five. Gylling led Taylorsville with 16. Things will get tougher in a hurry for Viewmont, which next was to meet Timpview on Monday at 4:10 |