Beky Beaton, reporter from the Daily Herald (Provo, Utah) accompanying the Lone Peak Knights at the Arizona Basketball Challenge
12/31/08
Day 5
I spend the morning writing and packing before arriving about an hour before Lone
Peak’s final game. I watch a very tight contest between North and Hamilton go down
to the wire, but both teams squander opportunities to get an advantage in the late
going and it ends up coming down to free throws. North pulls it out.
For their final opponent, the Knights have drawn Red Mountain, the second-largest
high school in Arizona with a student population of more than 3,500 and currently
ranked fifth in the state. The program says their core players have been together
since the seventh grade. Like the Knights, the Mountain Lions have one loss in the
tournament, in their case to Estrella Foothills, last year’s 3A champions.
At the start of the contest, Red Mountain gets caught flat-footed by the speed of
Lone Peak’s offense and the toughness of the defense.
Nate Austin wins the tip, and later converts a right-side jumper to open scoring.
Dillon Smith steals the ball from the Lions on their first possession and goes down
for a fast-break layup.
After a few exchanges, Tommy Tebbs grabs a defensive board and slings it downcourt
to Tyler Haws for another quick score. Austin sinks a pair of free throws and Haws
dishes to Smith for a trey to make it 11-0 at the 10:17 mark.
Red Mountain recollects itself, however, and launches an 11-4 run to get back in the
game. John O’Connor hits a very long 3-pointer to beat the buzzer and position his
team at 27-35 going into the locker room.
Coach Quincy Lewis is renowned for making halftime adjustments on both ends of the
court. When they are applied here, the Knights double the size of their lead in less
than three minutes and go on to a convincing 83-50 victory.
Haws is in the zone for this game, completing 11-of-18 field goals, including a
two-handed slam and a hammer dunk, and is also 7-of-8 at the line. He finishes with
29 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, two steals, a block and no turnovers in 24
minutes on the court.
Tannon Pedersen goes 4-for-8 from long range and finishes with 16 points, while
Smith adds 14 and Austin eight. As a team, the Knights dominate on the boards 44-25
and complete 51 percent of their field goals with the help of 24 assists.
Chris Lewis is the only Mountain Lion in double figures with 14 points. The team
cans six treys but tried 23, and they are held under 33 percent shooting for the
contest except at the foul line (77%).
“I had watched that team a couple of times before and knew they would play hard all
the way, which they did,” said Lone Peak’s Coach Lewis. “They were similar in many
ways to Mountain View.
“We didn’t get the job done against the Toros, and we talked about that at
halftime,” he continued. “The kids responded with a run to start the second period
and the game was over in the first three or four minutes.
“Overall, I was really pleased with what we were able to accomplish here,” Lewis
added. “The kids had a fun time. It was a good tournament and well put together.
They took good care of us here and you’ve got to love Phoenix in the winter.”
Couldn’t have said it better myself.
I hang around for about an hour after, enjoying another great hamburger meal from
the concession stand while waiting for the DVD I ordered to be finished. I had a few
more minutes with director Steve Hogen. I’ve enjoyed getting acquainted with
everybody I met during this weekend but especially him, since he shares the same
love of high school hoops I have.
The tournament and school personnel were all very nice and helpful, and I was also
impressed with the Mountain View coaching staff, both on the court and as our hosts.
This was a very worthwhile event for all of us to attend, and I wish all the teams
who played here the best as they continue with their respective seasons.
I spend the morning writing and packing before arriving about an hour before Lone
Peak’s final game. I watch a very tight contest between North and Hamilton go down
to the wire, but both teams squander opportunities to get an advantage in the late
going and it ends up coming down to free throws. North pulls it out.
For their final opponent, the Knights have drawn Red Mountain, the second-largest
high school in Arizona with a student population of more than 3,500 and currently
ranked fifth in the state. The program says their core players have been together
since the seventh grade. Like the Knights, the Mountain Lions have one loss in the
tournament, in their case to Estrella Foothills, last year’s 3A champions.
At the start of the contest, Red Mountain gets caught flat-footed by the speed of
Lone Peak’s offense and the toughness of the defense.
Nate Austin wins the tip, and later converts a right-side jumper to open scoring.
Dillon Smith steals the ball from the Lions on their first possession and goes down
for a fast-break layup.
After a few exchanges, Tommy Tebbs grabs a defensive board and slings it downcourt
to Tyler Haws for another quick score. Austin sinks a pair of free throws and Haws
dishes to Smith for a trey to make it 11-0 at the 10:17 mark.
Red Mountain recollects itself, however, and launches an 11-4 run to get back in the
game. John O’Connor hits a very long 3-pointer to beat the buzzer and position his
team at 27-35 going into the locker room.
Coach Quincy Lewis is renowned for making halftime adjustments on both ends of the
court. When they are applied here, the Knights double the size of their lead in less
than three minutes and go on to a convincing 83-50 victory.
Haws is in the zone for this game, completing 11-of-18 field goals, including a
two-handed slam and a hammer dunk, and is also 7-of-8 at the line. He finishes with
29 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, two steals, a block and no turnovers in 24
minutes on the court.
Tannon Pedersen goes 4-for-8 from long range and finishes with 16 points, while
Smith adds 14 and Austin eight. As a team, the Knights dominate on the boards 44-25
and complete 51 percent of their field goals with the help of 24 assists.
Chris Lewis is the only Mountain Lion in double figures with 14 points. The team
cans six treys but tried 23, and they are held under 33 percent shooting for the
contest except at the foul line (77%).
“I had watched that team a couple of times before and knew they would play hard all
the way, which they did,” said Lone Peak’s Coach Lewis. “They were similar in many
ways to Mountain View.
“We didn’t get the job done against the Toros, and we talked about that at
halftime,” he continued. “The kids responded with a run to start the second period
and the game was over in the first three or four minutes.
“Overall, I was really pleased with what we were able to accomplish here,” Lewis
added. “The kids had a fun time. It was a good tournament and well put together.
They took good care of us here and you’ve got to love Phoenix in the winter.”
Couldn’t have said it better myself.
I hang around for about an hour after, enjoying another great hamburger meal from
the concession stand while waiting for the DVD I ordered to be finished. I had a few
more minutes with director Steve Hogen. I’ve enjoyed getting acquainted with
everybody I met during this weekend but especially him, since he shares the same
love of high school hoops I have.
The tournament and school personnel were all very nice and helpful, and I was also
impressed with the Mountain View coaching staff, both on the court and as our hosts.
This was a very worthwhile event for all of us to attend, and I wish all the teams
who played here the best as they continue with their respective seasons.