One thing’s for sure about the Mountain Ridge boys basketball team: the Sentinels will be battle-tested by season’s end. 

The Sentinels faced some strong foes this past November and December in non-region play, where they built an 8-2 record. Mountain Ridge’s only three non-region defeats were at Crimson Cliffs on Nov. 22, at Viewmont on Dec. 9 by the count of 66-56 and at Farmington on Dec. 19, 76-68. Five of the team’s eight wins during this stage were by double digits. 

Finding the basket wasn’t difficult for the most part during the early going. Head coach Andre Ashton said his team can shoot well, and he expects that to continue now that region play is in full swing. 

“I think one thing this team does really well is shoot the basketball,” Ashton said. “It's definitely one of the strengths and something we need to continue doing moving forward in the season.” 

Through 16 games, Mountain Ridge was 11-5 overall. At this point, four Sentinel players were averaging in double figures in points, with one more player—senior guard Carter Price—at 9.8 points per game. The leader in this category is junior guard Dylan Hatton, with an average of 14.8 points a contest. Senior guard Isaac Langston scores 11.9 points each game, while sophomore guard Jordan Horsely and junior forward Spencer Dow are at 11.3 points and 11.1 points a contest, respectively. Horsley hit 40 three-pointers in the first 16 games to pace the Sentinels. Dow’s 7.6 rebounds a game led the team. Hatton dishes out 4.9 assists a game, topping the squad. 

The offense has been productive, but Ashton is looking for more efficient, effective defense and rebounding. He is using practice time to work on these aspects. Ashton knows that defeating the top teams in Region 2 and being successful in the upcoming state tournament will only happen if Mountain Ridge can improve in these areas. 

“We're hoping to continue to improve on defending and rebounding,” he said. “At the end of the day, that's really what matters most, especially once you get into region and play. Our success for this year will depend on how well we can defend and rebound against teams.”

The long boys basketball season heats up once region play begins. As of Jan. 19, the Sentinels were 3-2 in league action. Region 2 isn’t for the faint of heat. The region includes Westlake, which, at our press deadline, was a perfect 16-0. The Sentinels put up a valiant fight at Westlake falling 80-65 when the teams first met on Jan. 16. Mountain Ridge defeated Bingham, 75-65 on Dec. 30 to open region play and also took down Herriman (70-57 on Jan. 6) and Copper Hills (87-75 on Jan. 9). The Sentinels also fell at home to Riverton on Jan. 2 by the count of 59-57. 

What matters most, Ashton said, is that the Sentinels are at their best once the postseason begins. 

“Our goals for this season is just to continue to grow and become better basketball players and teammates,” he said. “We want to be playing our best basketball heading into early January and hopefully late February.”

Mountain Ridge doesn’t rely on just one player or even a few members of the team. Ashton said for the team to achieve its goals, every player in the program needs to do his part and fill an important role. 

“For us to be successful, we need to just have everyone contributing and doing what they need to do to get the job done,” he said. 

The Sentinels have used an eight-man rotation, so several players contribute every game. Ashton said Mountain Ridge enjoys a good mix of seniors and underclassmen who are equally valuable to the team’s success. He said Langston, Horsley, Price and senior Keaton Richardson “have all had huge impacts on our game so far this season.” 

Ashton loves what Hatton and Dow have brought to the team this season. 

“[Dow] is our anchor down there in the middle and is a heck of a defender and rebounder, and an offensive threat,” Ashton said. “Dylan so far has been our leading scorer and general on the floor.” 

Sophomores Jordan Horsley and Boston Gertsch and making their presence known. Jordan Horsley started last season, while Gertsch is becoming more and more of a key player for Mountain Ridge. 

As a first-year coach, Ashton has had some ups and downs at Mountain Ridge. But he said he loves the players and appreciates how everyone in the program treats one another and enjoys being a Sentinel. 

“It's been really fun coaching this group,” Ashton said. “It's my first year, so it's brought challenges, but it's also brought us together in a way. There were moments when the kids were just as happy for the coaching staff as they were for themselves. It's just been a really fun group who seems to like each other—all the way from the coaching staff to the players.”