January 17, 2010
Publisher's Message
For this week's issue, we look at two basketball games that epitomize four generations of rivalry between the Awesome American Fork Cavemen and the Ferocious Pleasant Grove Vikings. Both contests were tight affairs. Let's get to those stories.
Dean Von Memmott
Publisher
deanmemmott@hotmail.com
Awesome AF Cavewomen Take Down Ferocious PG Girls in Jan. 14 Hoops Battle
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher
The Awesome American Fork Cavewomen stayed unbeaten in Region Four girls' basketball standings through winning 56-46 at home against the Ferocious Pleasant Grove Vikings Jan. 14.
The game unfolded with American Fork having difficulty against Viking junior point guard Danyele Hoffman. Opening the night's scoring with a trey, she singled-handedly created an early 5-2 lead for the Vikings. However, her Cavewoman counterpart Laini Kalumbi quickly proved to be as threatening as her. Pulling down a defensive rebound, Cavewoman Hayley Su'a'filo connected a pass to Kalumbi for a shot that opened an 8-1 scoring run for the Cavewomen. After Pleasant Grove had tied the game at six on a Kourtney Dinehart foul shot, American Fork's Kylie Allen broke the tie. Amy Krommenhoek and Kalumbi worked together to create a 12-8 led for American Fork at the end of the first quarter.
The second quarter opened with Hoffman pulling down a defensive board and cutting away for an attempted layup. The Viking point guard missed the shot, which American Fork rebounded. Marin Gilbert hit a set shot that soon resulted in American Fork's lead swelling to 16-8. Combined shooting from Hoffman and Jenny Hamson sparked a 14-6 scoring run for the Ferocious Vikings. Stealing the ball at one point, Krommenhoek hit a crucial trey that helped American Fork stay out in front during the Vikings' scoring run. It climaxed with Hamson tying the game at 22. Kalumbi broke the 22-22 just before halftime.
In the early second half, Su'a'filo, Grace Farnsworth, Shelby Carson, and Kenzi Moeai stepped forward to help Kalumbi to pull big rebounds. Meanhile, Krommenhoek led a 7-2 scoring run that improved American Fork's advantage at 31-24. In the third period's final three minutes, Hamson and Hoffman became the only Vikings having in luck in scoring. The two Pleasant Grove players guided their team within 37-31. Kalumbi's incredible performance at the line and on the floor enabled the Awesome Cavewomen to take a 39-31 lead into the final period.
It opened with Kenzi Larson pacing the Vikings within 39-35. That turned out to be the closest Pleasant Grove could get to the Cavewomen. Besidess nailing an important trey, Krommenhoek joined Moeai, Allen, and Kalumbi in swishing in foul shots that gave American Fork leads as wide as 10 points. Hamson and Hoffman's combined efforts couldn't turn the Vikings' fortunes around for the better.
American Fork Coach Corey Clayton said, "We had big rebounds from Grace Farnsworth, Shelby Carson, Hayley Su'a'filo, and Kenzi Moeai. Like at Alta two nights ago, Laini Kalumbi had a great game."
Kalumbi led American Fork with 25 points while Krommenhoek added another 12. Hamson and Hoffman led the Ferocious Vikings with 15 points each.
Ferocious PG Vikings Outlast Awesome AF Cavemen 64-61 in Jan. 15
By Dean Von Memmott
Timp Sports Weekly Publisher
In Region Four boys' basketball action at American Fork Jan. 15, the Ferocious Pleasant Grove Vikings rowed from behind to defeat the Awesome American Fork Cavemen 64-61.
Viking Coach Randy McAllister said, "Tonight's the third straight time we have had to battle to try coming from behind to win. We have won two of those games. Tonight, our guys kept battling back."
American Fork Coach Doug Meacham said, "I thought we were aggressive on offense. For our defensive game, we played pretty good for the most part. Our problem tonight, though, was that we weren't playing to win; we were playing not to lose. At the final stretch, we let them have more layups and post catches in the second half than they had in the first half. That did us in."
The Ferocious Vikings took a 2-0 lead two minutes into the game. American Fork battled back, though, through efforts from Ben Beddes, Quincy Bair, Austin Waddoups, Alex Ross, and Marcel Davis. The first quarter ended in an 8-8 tie.
After a Joe Kruger foul shot snapped the tie, Davis hit a go-ahead shot that made the rest of the quarter a seesaw fight. Bair, Beddes, and Waddoups engaged in fierce battles with Vikings Sefa Tanoai and Kruger for rebounds. After Pleasant Grove had secured a lead of 15-10, the Cavemen went on a 6-2 scoring run that put them within 17-16. Bair recovered a loose ball at that point, but American Fork missed a key shot, Brandon Thurgood hit a three-pointer that permitted the Vikings to a take a narrow lead into the next half, even two Bair free throws did put the Cavemen within 22-21.
The third period opened with Davis tying the game at 23. Caveman Jake Blackhurst broke the deadlock with a three-point play. American Fork attempts to gain momentum from it became frustrated with Kruger and Tanoai's boarding. With the score reading 28-27, American Fork, Viking Bryan Sampson stole the ball and sank a layup. More switches in the lead followed in the third period. Ross hit a three-point that tipped American Fork ahead 34-31 and kept the Cavemen out in front for the rest of the quarter.
When he went to the foul line at the end of the quarter, Tanoai served the Cavemen a reminder of how a serious a threat he still was to them. He hit two free throws that put the Vikings within 37-35.
In the fourth quarter, Ross became really aggressive for American Fork on rebounding and outside shooting. His fourth-quarter treys helped to give the Cavemen a 48-41 lead. Taking an assist from Davis, Bair sank a layup, then a free throw to complete a three-point play, which gave the Cavemen a 51-43. Tonai's performance inside the key prevented the Cavemen from acquiring a 10-point lead. After Ross had put American Fork's lead at 53-45, Tonai went on a shooting spree. When only 1 1/2 minutes remained in the game, Viking Dallas Lloyd stole the ball and passed to Tanoai for a layup that put the Vikings ahead 58-57. Tonai soon scored on an inbounds pass that improved Pleasant Grove's chances for taking home a win. Davis cut the lead to 62-61 in the final 10 seconds, but Brady Hoglund hit two foul shots that clutched the game for the Vikings.
"Sefa is a four-year varsity player," McAllister said. "He showed tonight why he has all that experience."
Ross led American Fork with 17 points while Davis added another 14 and Beddes 10. Kruger led Pleasant Grove with 16 points while Tanoai added another 15 and Sampson 12.
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