By Travis Barton | [email protected]

West Jordan boys basketball

The Jaguars are in their third season under head coach Mason Sawyer. After a 17-8 record a year ago that featured a Region 2 championship and quarterfinal loss to eventual state champion Fremont, West Jordan is in an uphill battle at the moment. 

As the team got region play underway at press time, the Jags had lost its opening two games to Hunter (60-54) and Kearns (54-48) before responding with a big win at Granger 62-29. Preseason saw West Jordan go 2-5 grabbing victories against Viewmont and Mountain Ridge while losing to future region rivals Herriman and Riverton as well as its city rival, Copper Hills. 

West Jordan’s biggest difficulty may be on the offensive end as the team has only once scored more than 60 points, averaging 49 points per game while allowing almost 54. 

The Jags have time to turn it around as five of their remaining seven region games are at home. 

Copper Hills boys basketball

At press time, Copper Hills was 7-3 with its three losses coming in a week span in mid-December. All three came against contenders Skyridge, Davis and Layton.

Other than that week, the Grizzlies were spotless through 10 games featuring wins over West Jordan, Cyprus, Syracuse, Cedar City and Hillcrest in preseason while starting off with two victories over West and Riverton. 

The Region 3 contenders have a balanced offense with three players averaging double figures: senior Carson Butler (12 per game), junior Quincy Hills (11 per game) and junior McCoy Langston (10 per game). 

West Jordan girls basketball

The Jaguars were 3-7 at press time having defeated West, Cedar Valley and region rival Granger. The team was 2-5 in preseason losing to pedigreed teams such as Herriman, Lone Peak and East. 

Multiple girls have chipped in on the scoring this season, but after 10 games Madison Anderson leads the team with almost 10 points per game. 

Copper Hills girls basketball

Semifinalists a year ago, the Grizzlies entered the year with a new coach in Jake Timpson. The young team was 5-6 at press time, going 4-5 in preseason before splitting its first two region games. 

Copper Hills lost to contenders Fremont and Lone Peak as part of a tough preseason. And tipped off region with two lopsided games, a 66-23 victory over West and a 69-38 loss to Riverton. 

The Grizzlies had five players averaging more than five points per game, but none averaging more than eight.