High school girls basketball: Pleasant Grove caps off perfect season with 5A title

Pleasant Grove’s girls basketball team stamped its record book season with a dominant win over West in the 5A championship game Friday at the Huntsman Center.

The top-seeded Vikings took off in the second quarter and never looked back in beating No. 3 West, 45-30.

“I don’t have the words for how this season went,” said Pleasant Grove coach Angela Villa. “I knew they were talented and I knew I had an idea of what I wanted to do with this talent. It was just teach them how to play ball.”

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In her first season with Pleasant Grove, Villa and her staff were able to do just that by focusing on structured basketball with set plays and — more importantly — bringing a culture of fun to the program.

It was evident throughout the game Friday as the Vikings were able to set screens that resulted in great shots for Zuri Nordstrom and Janiece Sikander, while also outrebounding West on the defensive side 24-15, led by Cash Connors’ and Sutton Villa’s efforts.

For Pleasant Grove, another key to the season was the gelling of transfer players with mainstay Vikings to build a roster that went undefeated and brought home the school’s first girls basketball title.

The Vikings hit on all cylinders Friday to bring home that title, making adjustments when they needed to while playing feisty defense all game to hold the talented Panthers to 24% shooting while limiting standout Kylee Falatea to only 14 points.

The team effort for Pleasant Grove left everyone playing their part and stepping up when needed to cap off the magical season.

“One of the things as a former player I hated was being unsure of is it my job to be the dominant scorer? And what is my spot on the team?” Angela Villa said, “and with such a rock star, talented group of girls — even my freshmen who some of you haven’t even seen yet are very talented — I wanted them all to know there is a role.”

Sikander was a prime example of this strategy, as the junior finished with a game-high 21 points and controlled the tempo of the game throughout with Nordstrom. Sikander recorded an eight-point third quarter off a field goal and 6 of 6 shooting at the free throw line.

“I worked on (free-throw shooting) so much and just feeling that form and all that practice and knowing that in this moment, I need to step up,” Sikander said.

The junior also made plays when the Vikings weren’t finding success inside with their bigs.

“Janiece was in full control, and I’m really proud of her,” said coach Villa. “What she did today, it was unreal.

“She’s like, ‘OK, Sutton’s not getting the shots. Fine, my (5-foot-2) self is going to step into it, like set the screen. I’ll go.’”

What was impressive with Sikander’s effort was that when she needed to be the vocal spark, she was, and when she needed to calm herself at the charity stripe, she did that too, showing her adaptability and energy.

“In the locker room, she just had this crazy, like crazed, fiery look and it was like, ‘She’s ready,’” Villa said.

Sikander added five rebounds and two steals to her line, while the Vikings defense was led by Connors’ eight rebounds and two steals, and Sutton Villa’s six rebounds and four blocks.

Nordstrom chipped in nine points.

For coach Villa, who by the way admitted she made a rookie mistake by not bringing an extra pair of clothes because she wasn’t used to getting a Gatorade bath, she’s committed to a long term run with the Vikings.

“We want to create a legacy at Pleasant Grove,” she said. “I want the community to be involved in the girls basketball program.”

Friday was a great start with what Connors dubbed the largest crowd the team has had all season and one that helped get the team going in the second quarter to pull away early.

Deseret News 5A All-Tournament Team

MVP – Janiece Sikander, Pleasant Grove

Zuri Nordstrom, Pleasant Grove

Sutton Villa, Pleasant Grove

Kylee Falatea, West

Milika Satuala, Bountiful

Abby Christensen, Fremont