On Thursday, Hillcrest lost to Pleasant Grove on the road by a decisive 69-52 margin. While losing is never fun, Hillcrest can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Utah basketball rankings (they are ranked 61st, while Pleasant Grove is ranked 20th).
Despite the defeat, Hillcrest saw an underclassman step up: Ezra Bell scored 12 points along with five rebounds and three steals. Bell continues to roll, besting his previous point total in each of the last three games he's played. Another player making a difference was Anton Mahler, who scored nine points.
Hillcrest has traveled a rocky road recently, as they've lost four of their last five matchups, which put a noticeable dent in their 5-5 record this season. As for Pleasant Grove, the win was the sixth in a row for them, bringing their record for this year to 8-1.
Hillcrest and Mountain View will face off at 1:00 p.m. on December 29, 2023 without much rest after finishing up games yesterday. Allowing an average of 54.8 points per game, Mountain View has struggled on the defensive end, but that doesn't have to be the case in this game. Pleasant Grove's road trip will continue as they head out to face Brighton at 7:00 p.m. on December 28, 2023. Brighton will be looking to keep their four-game home win streak alive.
