High school girls basketball: Syracuse cautiously optimistic for 5A tourney

Though the Syracuse Titans have sat atop the state standings all year and have slid through the preseason and regular season schedule without a single blip in their record, Syracuse coach Robert Reisbeck warns against giving his team too much credit heading into the state tournament.

"We're going to have to play our best basketball. It all starts with us on the defensive end of the floor," Resibeck noted about his team that is a nice compilation of experience and youth.

"The kids have bought into the system and put in a lot of time and energy. This is only our third year as a school," he said, noting that though his team had a nice run in the playoffs last year, anything can happen once you start talking about state championships. And that anything could start sooner rather than later as the Titans drew an unappealing matchup with the Alta Hawks in the tournament's second round.

Though Alta has been struggling a bit of late, the Hawks have some heat from the outside and knock 3-pointers down in bunches, led by players like Becca Beaudoin, Erin Foster and Makenzi Morrison.

The Titans have their work cut out for them early on, but they have the talent and work ethic to deal with any problems that come their way.

"Jen Hazlett does everything at both ends of the floor, inside and outside, and at the defensive end, she's fabulous. Brittney is long and plays solidly at both ends of the floor, and Megan Butler gets our defense going. Her energy is awesome," Reisbeck noted about some of the stars on his team.

Kiana Fonua and Makenlee Williams will also provide some firepower for the favored Titans.

But the playoff road is long and winding for Syracuse, as after a second round matchup against the Hawks, the Titans would have to face the winner of one of the most intriguing matchups in the playoffs' second round.

Riverton plays host to Brighton in what most would consider a toss-up matchup that really could roll either way as the Bengals have been on a roll during the final part of the season.

Kylie Hirschi, Shelbi Everett and Katie Tominaga are getting hot at just the right time, and Riverton will have a lot to deal with from the quick and solid Bengals' squad.