HYRUM – With 11 seconds left Carter Davis went to the line for a one-and-one and Sky View up 56-55. Carter’s free throw rimmed out and Preston Lofthouse grabbed the rebound for the Mustangs. Oliver Nethercott drove towards the baseline for a tough floater that was too strong, but Joseph Hunsaker was able to put it back up off the glass for a 57-56 lead. Mountain Crest fans stormed the court but Sky View got a timeout and had 2.1 seconds left. Hayden Howell got a half court shot up that missed and the Mustangs snapped a 16-game losing streak to the Bobcats.
Mountain Crest struggled to protect the ball in the first quarter with five turnovers that allowed Sky View to take a 21-9 lead into the second quarter. With four minutes left in the second quarter Sky View was in control 27-14 before Mountain Crest responded with a 23-3 run over the next seven minutes. The Mustangs were up 37-30 and led until the Bobcats hit a three to go up 54-51 with :61 seconds left.
Sky View struggled to protect the ball after their initial run, committing 11 of their 12 total turnovers in the final three quarters. Mountain Crest had only five over those three quarters and finished with 10. The Bobcats also shot uncharacteristically poor from the free throw line. Sky View was 9-16 from the charity stripe, going 5-11 in the second half. Mountain Crest was 6-9 on the night, 5-7 in the fourth quarter.
Hayden Howell finished with a game high 23 points, making five three pointers on the night. Logan Deal came in as Sky View’s leading scorer at almost 17 points on the season and finished with 14, but had only five after the first quarter as Hunter Pugmire was able to shut down his looks after he checked in. Carter Davis came in averaging over 13 points a game and was held to just nine, including just 1-3 from the free throw line.
Lofthouse led Mountain Crest with 20 points, hitting four three pointers. Nethercott finished with 15 points and Nethercott and Lofthouse combined for 24 points in the second and third quarter to fuel the Mustangs’ run. Hunsaker had eight points, including the game winner, and added two more blocks to the three he had against Ridgeline. Mountain Crest won the bench scoring battle, an area in which they’ve struggled all season, 8-3.
Mountain Crest hadn’t beaten Sky View since the 2012-13 season when they swept the Bobcats, losing 16 straight.
On Wednesday, Mountain Crest (3-12, 2-2) is at Green Canyon (8-8, 2-2) and Sky View (11-4, 3-1) hosts Logan (5-11, 1-3).