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Show Vikes make a nice try in state 3-A tournament Jordan, the states number one ranked team, convinced Pleasant Grove players, coaches and fans exactly why they have held that lofty rating. In a State Tourney game played at Viewmont High School in Bountiful last Wednesday, the Beetdiggers overcame a scoreless first four minutes to tie the game at 2-2. By the end of the first period Jordan had taken an 8-6 lead and throughout the remainder of the game they continued to widen the margin. Matt Norman and Jim Brown hit the first two Viking shots and a hustling PG defense forced Jordan into a rash of first period turnovers. Not until the four minute mark did Muir drill a 16-foot jumper from the top of the key to get Jordan on the scoreboard. During that spell, Norman's basket was the games only score. ' Danny McEntire, Jordans 6'3" guard was the top scorer with 17 . points. McEntire, like the rest of the starting five for Jordan, looks like a basketball player. As one observed noted, "they remind you of five greyhounds out on the floor." Not only do they look like basketball players, they play like and shoot like basketball players. The starting Jordan five of Muir, McEntire, Hill, Gomez and Hen-dricksen, Hen-dricksen, shot 72 percent from the field by hitting on 21 of 29. The Jordan team as a whole burned the nets at a 67 percent clip. While Coach Keith Allred's troops were able to control the tempo, the Vikes were in the game. But when they would shut off one Jordan hot shot, another would step forward to "shoot the eyes out of the basket." Coach Hal Hale, Beetdigger mentor, showed the class of a gentleman by taking his regulars out for the last four minutes of the third quarter and the last three minutes of the game. Norman, Brown and Brad Kitchen Kit-chen each had six points for PG, a statistic that give's ample evidence of how Jordan can play defense. PG 50 Logan 49 Logan, champions of Region 5, but first night loosers to Orem, gave the Vikings a chance to prove they could play with a "normal 3-A team." The Vikes did just that in an old-fashioned old-fashioned "half court game" in Davis District's "plush" Bountiful High School. Dictating the game tempo throughout, PG patiently attacked a variety of defenses thrown up by the Grizzlies. Matt Norman totaled 16 points for the Vikes with Bryce Peterson getting 12, Jim Brown 10 and Brad Kitchen nine for a balanced PG offensive attack. After eight minutes of play PG was up by two points, 12-10, and at the half the Vikes led 23-20. Kitchen got the second half tip to Norman and the senior guard made a nice assist to Brown fro a quick layup to get the Vikes off to a good start. But the Vikes couldn't shake the Region Champs from Logan and to start the final period the score was tied at 36. Logan took a brief lead at 43-42 with 4:08 to play. A Viking time out quickly followed and when the Vikes returned to the floor, Kitchen tied the game with a free throw. With the clock showing 2:16, Mark Clements dropped in a free throw and the Vikes were on top to stay. With nine seconds left, PG was leading by three, 50-47, and Brown was at the line for a pair of free throws. The shots wouldn't fall but by the time Logan could get the ball up the court and make a driving layup, there were only two seconds on the clock. Clements smartly grabbed the ball and held on to it with both hands until the buzzer sounded the end of the game. PG shot an even 50 percent from the floor by making 18 of 36. Kitchen and Peterson each pulled down seven rebounds. From the line the Vikes were 14 of 24 for 58 percent. PG played Bear River Monday afternoon in the Marriot Center in a 1:30 p.m. consolation game. |
