What some teams in the 5A tournament haven't realized yet is Orem - the same team that stumbled its way through a disasterous 3-6 preseason - isn't the same team it was in November and December.
Viewmont, a team that handled Orem in the preseason found that out in Monday's opening round. West Jordan, another Orem preseason opponent, got in a stare-down with the new-look Tigers and didn't like what it saw - losing 53-41 Wednesday."We're playing better defense and we're getting better shots," Orem coach Matt Logan explained. "In the preseason we were shooting 44 percent, but since then its gone up to around 50 percent."
In Wednesday night's win, Orem shot 55 percent from the field behind the inside play of Ryan Bott.
Bott chewed up the Jaguars defense with 19 points on 9-of-11 shooting and helped Orem open some breathing room in the third quarter. The Tigers held a 21-18 lead at the half, but Bott grabbed an offense rebound and scored, then Tyler Webb came up with a steal and fed Brad Clark, who scored and was fouled going in for a layup. Clark added the free throw, then Bott followed with another basket to boost Orem's lead to a game-high 10 points at 39-29.
The Tigers finished the third quarter with a 38-26 lead when Blake Gardner hit a 12-foot jumper as time expired.
West Jordan, however, wasn't dead, the Jaguars bombed away with five 3-pointers in the fourth quarter. West Jordan's Ryan Newmelka three-point strike with 2:54 left in the game, cut the Orem lead to 43-39, but another basket by Bott and a pair of free throws by Jason Clark helped the Tigers put the game away.
Orem now moves on to play Alta in Friday's semi-finals. The Tigers are the only Utah team to beat the Hawks this year.
"We shot shot 68 percent when we beat them," Logan said. "The way they're playing we might not even shot up."
Alta beat Bingham 76-62 on Wednesday to move into the semi-finals.
In consolation play:
Viewmont 60, Fremont 57
Viewmont's Jeremy Jeppesen hit a three-pointer with two seconds left in regulation play to tie the game and give the Vikings the momentum in overtime to beat Fremont 60-57.
Viewmont pulled away in the extra session on a pair of free throws from Cody Skinner and three free throws from Scott Burningham. Viewmont held Fremont off by hitting 7-of-10 free throws in overtime.
Jeppesen, who led the Vikings with five points in the overtime, finished with 18 points. Fremont's Jake Brian paced the Silverwolves with 12 points.
*****
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
5A boys tournament at the Huntsman Center
Thursday's games
Championship quarterfinals
Highland vs. Layton, 4:10 p.m.
Taylorsville vs. Mountain View, 8:10 p.m.
Consolation bracket
Brighton vs. Hunter, 2:30 p.m.
Weber vs. Davis, 6:30 p.m.
Friday's games
Championship semifinals
Alta vs. Orem, 6:20 p.m.
Mtn. View-Taylorsville winner vs. Highland-Layton winner, 8 p.m.
Consolation bracket
West Jordan vs. Bingham, 11 a.m.
Viewmont vs. Bountiful, 12:40 p.m.
Weber-Davis winner vs. Brighton-Hunter winner, 2:30 p.m.
Mtn. View-Taylorsville loser vs. Highland-Layton loser, 4:40 p.m.