Cougars, Warriors open boys hoop season

Four games into the new season, it seems that Kearns and Taylorsville High’s boys basketball teams have picked up right where they left off – on opposite ends of the spectrum.

While the Cougars started 3-1, the Warriors have now lost 11 consecutive games after a 0-4 start this season. Kearns won three of its final four regular-season games last year to qualify for a play-in game for the 5A tournament while Taylorsville lost its final seven games and finished 4-17 overall.

Kearns

The Cougars have defeated Stansbury 38-35, Hillcrest 51-47 and Tooele 66-59 and lost to Judge Memorial 64-53 as of our press deadline. Alta transfer Dayon Goodman is averaging 14 points per game, Jordan Harvey averages 11 points and Jarvis Andrews and Afuvai Leiato six apiece. Taylor Yeager averages five points per game, giving Kearns good scoring balance overall.

Goodman netted 16 points in the season-opening win over Stansbury. Leiato had 10 points and Harvey five, as Kearns outscored Stansbury 12-2 in the fourth quarter to prevail. Goodman totaled 18 points and seven blocks in the win over Hillcrest. Harvey had 13 points and Andrews 11, as Kearns overcame a three-point halftime deficit to outscore Hillcrest 31-24 in the second half.

Harvey pumped in 16 points, Leiato, Goodman and Tanner Westinskow each had eight points, and Skyler Peterson six in the loss to Judge, which led 27-17 at halftime. Yeager netted 18 points to lift Kearns over Tooele. Goodman added 13 points, Harvey 10, Andrews nine and Darrell Allen seven. The Cougars clung to a 37-32 halftime lead and kept Tooele at bay in the second half.

Kearns finished 9-13 overall and 4-8 in Region 3 last year, losing to Alta in the play-in game. The Cougars were scheduled to host Copper Hills on Dec. 14 and Roy on Dec. 16.

Taylorsville

The Warriors have lost by double digits in each of their games thus far, losing to Roy 71-51, Juan Diego 56-33, Murray 63-47 and Orem 76-57. Taylorsville went 4-17 overall and 2-10 in Region 3 last year, being outscored by an average of 15 points per game – second worst among 5A teams.

Sidney Freeman is averaging 15 points per game thus far, while Jevin Warren is averaging 11 points, Jackson Roper eight and Jamahl Jones six.

Warren had 15 points, Freeman 14 and Roper and Jones had 10 apiece in the season-opening loss to Roy. Kia Delacerna had seven rebounds for Taylorsville, which was outscored 42-22 in the second half. Warren tallied 11 points and Freeman nine against Juan Diego, which led 27-16 at halftime. Roper grabbed nine rebounds and Delacerna five, as the Warriors trailed 46-22 after three quarters.

Freeman made four 3-pointers and had 20 points in the loss to Murray. Warren added 14 points and Roper five, as Murray led 29-18 at halftime. Freeman paced the Warriors with 17 points against Orem, while Roper and Jones each scored 11 points, Robbie Daniels had eight and Warren and Delacerna five apiece. Orem led 41-29 at halftime and didn’t allow Taylorsville back in the game.

The Warriors were scheduled to play Woods Cross on Dec. 16 and Cyprus on Dec. 20.