Boys' basketball: Kearns tops Skyline, but coach sees lack of 'cohesiveness'

Riverton • At the conclusion of his team's opening-round game at the Riverton Holiday Tournament on Friday, Kearns boys' basketball coach Dan Cosby sounded more like a leader of a team that had just lost by 11 rather than winning by that amount.

Maybe it's because Cosby sees the potential for much more in his still-jelling club.

Others, including spectators and the Skyline basketball team, got to see some of that ability as Kearns handled the Eagles 60-49 to move into the quarterfinals of the 16-team invitational.

"We're small and we've got to use our quickness," said Cosby after the triumph. "They think they can just jump and get a rebound. They forget to box out — things like that."

What Kearns (4-2) did display in the first game of the tourney was some sharp outside shooting, the ability to get buckets in transition and the capability to take care of the ball. The Cougars committed only seven turnovers in the game.

Leading the way was 6-foot-3 senior Dacraeon Vines. His game-high 22 points came in a variety of ways, including five 3-pointers in the first half.

Vines moved to Utah from Michigan just before the fall semester began.

"It's peaceful. I like it here. Lot of crime stuff back home," Vines said. "I like to go inside and out. I think we've got some ability, but we've still got to come together."

After falling behind 13-2 to start the game, Skyline (3-4) began to chip away behind the play of Michael Binford — who finished with 16 points. A 16-8 stretch in the middle of the second quarter made the score 29-26 before Kearns got a free throw heading into half.

The third quarter was mostly an even affair, as the Eagles were behind by five going into the final period.

Kearns pulled away at the beginning of the fourth quarter, with five players hitting 3-pointers. Bushmen Ebet began a 9-0 run with a field goal, and the stretch also included a putback bucket and a fast-break dunk by Vines. —

Kearns 60, Skyline 49

O After losing most of a 13-2 lead that started the game, Kearns pulls away with a 9-0 run in the fourth quarter.