The Cedar Valley Aviators had already won three in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 12.7 points), and they went ahead and made it four on Friday. They walked away with a 69-58 victory over Salem Hills. Having run the score up that high, both teams might be doing some extra defensive drills very soon.
Cedar Valley's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Owen Bawden, who scored 14 points along with six rebounds and two blocks. Bawden hasn't dropped below two blocks for seven straight games. The team also got some help courtesy of Obed Borruel, who scored six points along with five assists and five rebounds.
When it comes to explaining why Salem Hills lost, one person who can't be blamed is Chase Degraffenried. Despite the final result, he scored 30 points along with five rebounds and two steals. Another player making a difference was Kason Averett, who scored 14 points.
Even though they lost, Salem Hills smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 14 offensive rebounds. That's the most offensive rebounds they've managed all season.
Cedar Valley's win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 9-6. Those victories were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 67.7 points per game. As for Salem Hills, they have been struggling recently, as they've lost three of their last four matches, which put a noticeable dent in their 6-9 record this season.
Both squads will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Cedar Valley will challenge Orem at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Orem knows how to get points on the board -- the team has finished with flashy point totals in its past six games -- so hopefully Cedar Valley likes a good challenge. As for Salem Hills, they will head out on the road to challenge Springville at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. The matchup should be an exciting one, as these teams are ranked near one another in Utah (Springville is ranked 46th, while Salem Hills is ranked 56th).
