Basketball Game Preview: Timpview Thunderbirds vs. Bountiful RedHawks

Two dominant guards in Dean Rueckert and Bryson Heath are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The Timpview Thunderbirds are headed away from home for the first time to take on the Bountiful RedHawks at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty point totals in their previous games.

Timpview is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another highly-ranked state team: Riviera Prep, who was ranked sixth in their home state at the time (Timpview was ranked second). It was close, but Timpview ultimately received the gift of a 66-64 victory from a begrudging Thunderbirds squad. The win made it back-to-back victories for they.

Timpview got their win on the backs of several key players, but it was Rueckert out in front who went 9 of 16 en route to 24 points. The match was Rueckert's seventh in a row with at least ten points. The team also got some help courtesy of Callen Tollestrup, who posted 15 points.

Meanwhile, Bountiful came tearing into Tuesday's contest with four straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 9.5 points) and they left with even more momentum. Everything went their way against the Bees as they made off with an 85-63 victory. That 22 point margin sets a new team best for the RedHawks this season.

Timpview has been performing well recently as they've won four of their last five games, which provided a nice bump to their 7-3 record this season. The wins came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 64.8 points per game. As for Bountiful, their win bumped their record up to 7-2.

Timpview won a matchup that couldn't have been any closer in their previous meeting back in December of 2023, slipping by Bountiful 54-53. The rematch might be a little tougher for Timpview since the squad won't have the home-court advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.