High school basketball: Panthers pounce on Desert Hills this time

ST. GEORGE — It was supposed to be a barnburner like so many other Region 9 games this season, but Pine View had other ideas and routed Desert Hills 57-46 Wednesday night at Pine View High School.

In 36 Region 9 games this season, 18 have gone down to the final possession or gone into overtime, including a thrilling 61-60 OT win for Desert Hills over Pine View a month ago.

So no one would have been surprised if Friday night's rematch would have featured a buzzer-beater or some clutch last-second free throws. No one except Pine View coach Darrell Larson.

"I knew we would play well tonight," he said, moments after his team recorded a wire-to-wire, 11-point win over the Thunder. "My guys were very focused and intense all week. This is a good basketball team and I think they're finally starting to believe that."

Pine View opened the game with a 7-0 run and didn't allow Desert Hills a basket until more than five minutes had expired. The Thunder pulled to within 21-18 at halftime, but Pine View clamped down on defense again in the third quarter.

Desert Hills managed just one Casey Spilker basket in the first six-plus minutes of the third quarter. When the dust had cleared, it resulted in a 13-2 Panthers run and a 34-20 lead. Pine View would not be challenged after that.

"We've grown and improved a lot over this season," Larson said. "And we figured out to make a few free throws in the fourth quarter."

Many times this season, Pine View has been the Darren Powers show. The flashy junior point guard is leading the region in scoring at 17 points a game.

But the Panthers showed Wednesday night that they are a better team when more players get involved. Powers had 14 points to lead the way, but three other Pine View players scored in double figures, including Wil Bangerter (12), Jordan Farrer (10) and Cole Wilstead (10).

"Darren's definitely our leader, but we play so much better when he doesn't feel like he has to carry us," Larson said. "Cole came in and played some big minutes for us, and Kolby Rimer always plays with a lot of heart."

The loss was a disappointing one for the Thunder, who could have clinched the Region 9 crown with a win as, across town, Hurricane was losing to Snow Canyon.

Desert Hills will have to settle for the No. 2 seed out of the region, as they lost twice to region co-champ Hurricane. Meanwhile, Snow Canyon has snuck up into third place, and can actually claim a share of the region title with a home win over Pine View on Friday.

Of course, the Warriors and Panthers are competing as 4A schools in the screwy Region 9, which means even 4-7 Dixie is not mathematically eliminated from the playoffs.

Pine View, 8-12 overall and 5-5 in region play, finishes up by playing at Snow Canyon on Friday and then at home next Wednesday against the Flyers.

Desert Hills (14-6, 8-4) was led in scoring by sophomores Tyler Ott (18 points) and Brandon Simister (13). The Thunder will play American Leadership Academy in St. George on Saturday night in the first round of the 3A playoffs.