Vikings dig a hole — Knights hold on

PLEASANT GROVE — Lone Peak's win Wednesday night in a critical Region 7 matchup with Pleasant Grove came down to looks — the good ones the Knights got early on and the bad ones the Vikings had.

Pleasant Grove coach Randy McAllister had his team in a full-court press from the opening tip hoping it would result in some easy shots for his team. Instead, the Knights broke down the Viking press and ended up with several easy first-quarter layups. The result was an 18-4 margin in Lone Peak's favor at the end of the period — a gap the Vikings were never able to recoup in Lone Peak's 66-57 win.

"We thought if we started with some defensive intensity that we'd get some easy baskets but the opposite happened and they got all the easy baskets," McAllister said.

The victory improves Lone Peak to 2-0 in region play. The loss drops Pleasant Grove to 0-3.

Rick Roberts and Bruce Walters carried the Knights' scoring load in the first quarter after the patience and execution of point guard Andrew May left them with many uncontested shots. Meanwhile, Pleasant Grove managed only two free throws and one basket in the opening quarter.

The Vikings did fight back over the next two quarters when the press finally began to frustrate the Knights. With hard work on the offensive boards by Scott Valgardson and Chad Evans, the Vikings clawed to within six at halftime, ending the period on a 9-0 run.

Junior forward Landon Hallman kept Pleasant Grove within striking distance with his slashing hoops in the third quarter. The Vikings even pulled to within two at 42-40 when Hallman finished the period with a three-point play.

Lone Peak found itself in a tie at 42 when Hallman opened the final stanza with another slashing hoop. Lone Peak regained the lead, however, on back-to-back break-away baskets by Roberts and Walters. But the big lift for Lone Peak came off the bench in the form of Brandon Knight. The 6-foot-8 younger brother of NBA player Travis Knight scored nine crucial second-half points with his soft shot inside. Most of his hoops ended a Vikings run and helped Lone Peak again open up an 8-point lead.

"Brandon has just gotten better and better as the season's progressed, and he's really become a force inside," Lone Peak coach Mike May said.

Pleasant Grove again pulled within six when Hallman sank two free throws with just under two minutes remaining. But when Roberts sneaked behind the defense on the inbounds pass for a break-away dunk, the Vikings never threatened again.