Payson 63, Mountain View 57
OREM — Payson has a good memory when it comes to playing Mountain View.
Payson remembers how Mountain View beat the Lions three times in the summer. How could the Lions forget last year's 3-point loss in the Lions Den?
And Payson remembers well the last time it played at Mountain View on the Bruins' home court two years ago — the Lions were run out of the gym.
You can bet Payson won't forget Wednesday night's game at Mountain View. Not after the Lions pulled off a 63-57 upset win.
The win snapped Mountain View's 24-game home court winning streak. The last time anyone beat Mountain View on its own court was February 13, 1998, when Orem celebrated a rare win on Mountain View's court.
"We lost to them three times in the summer, and they were all close games," said Payson forward Alan Marvin. "We remember — we didn't want it to happen again."
Marvin scored 15 points for the Lions, but it was two key rebounds off missed Payson free throws that helped the Lions secure the win.
Marvin opened the fourth quarter with one of his four 3-pointers to give the Lions a 52-40 lead.
Payson's lead almost was big enough. After sitting out half of the second quarter and most of the third quarter with foul trouble, the Bruins got center Karl Riding back in the fourth quarter.
An offensive rebound bucket from Riding cut Payson's lead to 56-53 with 2:47 left in the game. Riding then blocked Rhett Rowley's shot that set up a Dan Henry bucket to cut the lead 56-55 with 1:55 left in the game.
Rowley then scored a crucial basket when Skyler Crouch drew a double-team inside the key. Crouch bounced a pass to Rowley, who laid it in.
Marvin then came up big. When Crouch was fouled with 30 seconds left, he missed the first one, but Marvin was there to grab his first rebound of the game. Marvin then passed off to Jeff Bailey, who was fouled with 23 seconds left.
Bailey copied Crouch, making the first one and missing the second. No problem. Marvin was there again. He grabbed the ball and was fouled. He made one of two free throws to put the game away.
Crouch led Payson with 20 points. Point guard Brady Buys scored 15 points and passed out eight assists.
Henry led Mountain View with 21 points and 11 rebounds. Riding also managed a double-double despite his foul trouble. He finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds.