High school basketball: Lone Peak, Haws wins bout over Wilcox, Vikings

HIGHLAND — Friday night's Region 4 match up between Lone Peak and Pleasant Grove resembled a heavyweight title fight between two superior contenders as much as it did a high school basketball game. BYU-bound Tyler Haws for Lone Peak and Washington-bound CJ Wilcox traded blows until the Knights and Haws were left standing with a 64-57 victory.

"We'll take any region win," said Lone Peak coach Quincy Lewis following the game. "We'll enjoy tonight, but we have to leave this one in the dust."

With the gym busting at the seams due to a raucous capacity crowd, the Vikings (1-1, 8-5) jumped out to an early lead behind Wilcox's 13 first-half points. Haws responded with a runaway dunk in traffic to get on the scoreboard early in the first quarter and revive the home crowd. Haws would score 11 of his teams 14 first quarter points to regain the lead.

The Vikings would battle back with the help of CJ's cousin LeSean Wilcox, who scored seven straight points to bring PG to within one at 24-23 late in the second quarter. Pleasant Grove took the lead into the half 30-26, but Lone Peak (2-0, 11-2) responded early in the second half as Haws recaptured the lead for the Knights with nine-quick points. Haws dominated the third period of play with 15 points in all as the Knights jumped out to an eight-point lead at 47-39 to begin the fourth quarter.

Midway through the final quarter CJ Wilcox nailed a 3-pointer shot to cut the Knight lead down to two, but every time the Vikings threatened, Haws responded with a bucket of his own. However, the supporting cast for Lone Peak with Brandon Reeves contributing with 14 points and Dillon Smith chipping in with five crucial points late in the game sealed the win for the Knights.

Haws finished the night with 38 points with 25 of them coming in the second half. CJ Wilcox finished with 24 for Pleasant Grove.

"They've been going at each other for four years now," Lewis said of the play of the two superstars. "Anyone who comes to the gym is going to see something special from those two guys, they're both great players."