Payson teams should contend

PAYSON — With the Payson High girls winning the state basketball title a couple of years back and the boys team being a regular threat at the state tournament, basketball is becoming a stronghold at the school.

The hoops tradition is generating interest in the younger programs and helping develop a steady pool of talent. Both Lions teams look to be competitive for many years, and this year will be no different. No one is counting the Lions out for the Region 7 race for both the boys and girls titles.

GIRLS: Even though they lost all-everything Aubrey Orton and sharpshooter Jannifer Bylund at the end of last season, this team should improve over their subpar effort last year.

They do have plenty of experience returning, but their top player will still only be a sophomore. Brooke Hiatt led the team in several categories last season as a freshman, and even more will be expected of her this year.

She has some great ball-handling ability and knows how to rack up the points in bunches. She's also matured and gotten much stronger in the off season. And it's always nice when one of your big-time post players can go outside and drain the three, which Hiatt is also capable of doing.

Payson coach and Brooke's father, Dave Hiatt, is always a little understated when speaking of his daughter's abilities, but he does note, "She doesn't play like a sophomore. Maybe it's because she's been around (the game) a long time."

Whatever the reason, Hiatt plays more like a seasoned veteran than an underclassman as other schools will discover when this season wears on.

But she's not alone, which is why Payson is feared by so many teams in its region this year.

Allie Lunt is a returning senior who handles the ball well and knows how to shoot, even out past the three-point line. Junior Karlie Mangelsen is also going to be a key cog in Payson's lineup with her solid inside game, good defense and nose for the boards. Keera Crouch is an athletic defender that also goes after rebounds.

"We're going to try to get up and down the floor again and put plenty of pressure on the other team. We need to work on our half-court game, so we're going to try to fast break as much as possible," said Dave Hiatt, who always seems to have the athletes handle a fast-paced game.

He'll also be looking more to senior Nikki Brown and two young sophomores who saw a little time last season in cousins Kaitlyn Bateman and Morgan Bateman.