Hyped up: Timpanogos roars out of the gate in victory against PG
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- Jaxen McCuistion of Timpanogos (right) goes to the basket against Pleasant Grove in a high school boys basketball game on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024.
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- Pleasant Grove’s Andrew Anderson (1) defends against Timpanogos in a boys high school basketball game on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024.
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- Timpanogos students react during a boys high school basketball game against Pleasant Grove on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024.
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- Pleasant Grove’s Ty Palmer (2) drives to the basket against Timpanogos in a high school boys basketball game on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024.
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- Jaxen McCuistion of Timpanogos (0) drives to the basket against Pleasant Grove in a high school boys basketball game on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024.
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- Jaxen McCuistion of Timpanogos (right) goes to the basket against Pleasant Grove in a high school boys basketball game on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024.
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- Milo Johansson of Pleasant Grove (4) blocks a shot from Cooper Harris of Timpanogos in a high school boys basketball game on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024.
Coaches love it when something they’ve been working on in practice shows up in a game.
Timpanogos coach Golden Ingle said the Timberwolves have been focusing on getting off to better starts in games, and boy, howdy, that’s exactly what happened Tuesday night against Pleasant Grove.
Timpanogos jumped out to a 16-4 first quarter lead and eventually took home a 60-44 victory to stay undefeated at 9-0.
“The fast start is something we’ve been working on since the fall,” Ingle said. “We’ve come out slow in some games, and then we’re trying to play catch-up. I use the dog-fighting analogy. The old farmer has the the dog that whips everybody. He was asked, ‘What’s the difference?’ He said, ‘My dog starts off pissed. Everybody else waits until they get bit.’
“We want to start coming out and sending a message early, and then finishing. It was probably one of the most perfect starts we’ve had. And I was equally proud of how we finished.”
Jaxen McCuistion topped the T-Wolves with 16 points and Cooper Harris added 15. Sam Lowell (14 points) and Gavin Messmer (11) joined them in double figures in a balance offensive effort.
The 6-foot-4 Lowell has really grown into a big role for Timpanogos, at both ends of the floor.
“It felt like we came out swinging,” Lowell said. “We were really ready in the locker room. We were getting each other hyped. One things that stood out for me was we were playing for each other and not ourselves. Coach says it’s not about who scores the points, so I was just figuring out what I can do.”
Ingle said of Lowell, “He’s so versatile and so long. He’s had some injuries and sickness in the past so he’s one of our more unique stories. He guards pretty much all five positions and he can score from pretty much anywhere. It was good to see him shine tonight.”
Harris hit a shot in the key and McCuistion scored on a rebound to push the T-Wolves out to a 10-0 lead just three minutes into the game. The Timpanogos zone press was a real headache for the visitors, causing numerous turnovers and producing great transition opportunities.
Hudson Guthrie, who led all scorers with 21 points, finally got Pleasant Grove on the board at the 4:29 mark with a steal and a layup, but Lowell’s turnaround jumper and a last-second move in the key from McCuistion gave Timpanogos a 16-3 lead after one.
Harris bombed in a 3-pointer as the T-Wolves led 19-4 to open the second quarter. Jaxon Brown connected on a 3-pointer for the Vikings to make it 19-7 and it was their first basket in the half court. A 3-pointer by Lowell gave Timpanogos a 25-9 lead and the home team took a 27-13 advantage at the half.
Harris dropped in a triple to open the third quarter for the largest lead of the night for the T-Wolves at 17 (30-13) but Pleasant Grove finally found its footing and made a run. An 8-0 run cut the deficit to nine, 30-21, on a Guthrie basket. With three minutes left in the third, a Milo Johansson 3-pointer brought PG to within six, at 35-29.
Timpanogos answered with a 8-0 burst, highlighted by a turnaround jumper and a steal that turned into a layup for Lowell. The T-Wolves led 41-31 entering the fourth quarter.
Brennan Blackett got inside for two and Brown converted a steal into a dunk as the Vikings once again got within six at 41-35. Timpanogos kept its composure and pulled away, utilizing a 9-3 run that included a 3-pointer from Messmer and another key basket by Lowell. Messmer converted six straight free throws in the final two minutes to keep the T-Wolves in control.
Pleasant Grove (3-5) will host Mountain View on Friday.
Timpanogos (9-0) plays at Bountiful on Friday then prepares for the Nike Tournament of Champions in Arizona the first week of January.
“We’ll just try to focus on ourselves,” Ingle said. “These guys make me want to be a better coach because they’re so coachable. They execute pretty well everything we’ve been working on. When we started the season, I said that we will determine our success on how well we coach the fundamentals. What we’re looking for in Phoenix is to come together as a team and work on our tactical strategies.”
