Timpview doubles up Orem’s score in dominating region opener
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- Timpview’s Jackson Palmer looks for a shot in a game against Orem on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Orem.
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- Timpview’s Dean Rueckert dribbles past Orem’s Simeon Suguturaga in a game on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Orem.
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- Timpview’s Will Openshaw and Orem’s Simeon Suguturaga battle for the tip-off in a game on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Orem.
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- Timpview’s Dean Rueckert attempts a shot over Orem’s Juni Lopeti Moala on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Orem.
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- Orem’s Simeon Suguturaga attempts a layup in the second half of a contest against Timpview on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Orem.
Timpview picked a good time to play what new coach Brad Kitchen called his team’s first complete game of the season.
Playing inside a hostile environment at rival Orem in its Region 7 opener Friday night, the Thunderbirds dominated the talented Tigers in every facet, doubling up their score in a 72-36 win.
It was by no means the Timpview boys’ first impressive win of the season — they hold victories over 6A power American Fork and six out-of-state schools — but Kitchen felt it was the best 32 minutes yet because of how his team did it: With complementary basketball.
“I’ve got a really talented group of guys, but what I’m most proud of is their commitment to playing as a team, and at the end of the day, that’s where we’re going to be able to do great things this year, is if we just stick together as a team,” Kitchen said.
The Thunderbirds (13-1) never allowed the Tigers (9-6) to get comfortable inside a packed Orem High School Fieldhouse, allowing just 18 first-half points and holding 20 point-per-game scorer Simeon Suguturaga to just 10.
Timpview’s length and intensity prevented the Tigers from moving the ball smoothly, often resulting in a turnover or tough shot created off an isolated dribble.
“I thought defensively, we were as good as we’ve been all year, just like guarding team defense,” Kitchen said. “We had a couple of very stellar individual efforts. Lincoln Holcombe and Will Openshaw were really doing a great job. And even Deano (Dean Reuckert). Deano gets all the accolades for how he scores the ball. Deano did an excellent job guarding Simeon (Suguturaga).”
The pressure translated into transition offense for Timpview, which also managed to shoot at a high clip while playing in the half court.
Putting the two together made the game lopsided in a hurry.
After leading 17-9 through the first quarter, Timpview went on a 23-5 second quarter run, fueled by a Rueckert 3-pointer plus an “and-one” layup, and punctuated by back-to-back dunks from Openshaw to stretch the lead to 40-16, effectively ending the game.
The duo combined for 32 first-half points, with Openshaw finishing with a game-high 21 points and Rueckert posting 18. Mason Ford added 13 and Holcombe and Jackson Palmer had seven. Troy Kaufusi led Orem with 19.
Kitchen indicated his team is starting to understand the offensive concepts he’s tried to implement in his first year as coach.
“Maybe a little bit more of a college-style offense, where we’re giving guys opportunities to read and react. We’re trying to play this team brand of basketball where we don’t care who gets the shot. We just care that we get a shot that is good, high quality, that we like,” he said.
Based on what Timpview showed Friday, if it keeps the complementary play up it will undoubtedly be a tough out in Region 7 and all of 5A. But the win was still just a starting point, Kitchen said.
“I told them … this wasn’t the focal point of our season. We have bigger goals and dreams,” he said. “But for us to come into a hostile environment rivalry game and to play that way, I was really proud of our effort and our attention to the detail, especially on the defensive side of it.”
Timpview has a week off before facing Payson at 7 p.m. Friday, while Orem, which is nursing a three-game losing streak, hosts Salem Hills next Friday.
