Team Spotlight: Pleasant Grove Vikings

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Vikings enter Friday Night with a 9-6 record, which might not seem like much, but they have had a tough road, and their wins have been top-tier. PG has been able to rattle off wins against Layton, Herriman, Mountain Ridge, Davis, and Orem this season already as they head into the thick of region play.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Seniors</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ashton Palmer, 6'2</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1978893' first='Milo' last='Johansson'], 6'2</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1598261' first='Jaxon' last='Brown'], 6'6</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Kyle Jense, 6'3</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Brennan Turley, 6'3</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Adley, Ingals, 6'3</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>PG has a group of seniors who have experience. [player_tooltip player_id='1598261' first='Jaxon' last='Brown'], Ashton Palmer, and [player_tooltip player_id='1978893' first='Milo' last='Johansson'] might have the most experience out of this group. All three players have next level playing ability and they also bring positional size and a motor. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Ashton Palmer</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Palmer is a guard who can handle the ball a bit, and he can get going from beyond the arc. With a little bit of wiggle and a high quality catch and shoot player Palmer is a stretch the floor off the ball guard. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1978893' first='Milo' last='Johansson']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Johansson, a member of the Class of 2026, possesses significant upside and is poised to elevate his game to new heights in college. He is not only a skilled shot-maker but also a clutch performer, consistently hitting tough shots when needed. Johansson is always ready, excelling both as a catch-and-shoot player and a ball-dominant attacker.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1598261' first='Jaxon' last='Brown']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Watching Jaxon over the last few years and seeing his role increase and his game grow has been a treat. Brown has also grown into his frame at 6'6, which makes him an ideal 2-guard at the next level who can likely defend the 3s as well. Brown rebounds the ball well, and at the next level, he could continue to bring that stat-stuffing ability that he has now.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Juniors</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Owen Laersen, 6'4</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2125357' first='Brennan' last='Blackett'], 6'7</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cooper Young, 6'0</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Oliver Mossman, 6'8</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cash Chandler, 6'2</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1724363' first='Preston' last='White'], 6'3</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2125357' first='Brennan' last='Blackett']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2125357' first='Brennan' last='Blackett'] has undergone a remarkable transformation. Just recently, he was barely scraping 6'0, but now, he towers at 6'7. This guard continues to ascend and elevate his game. Increased speed and a more physical presence have contributed to his development. Averaging 13 PPG, he has successfully caught the attention of several Division 1 programs. Blackett is leading the team in 3-pointers made, and that has opened up his slashing game as well. Blackett has a bright future. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1724363' first='Preston' last='White']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>White has slowly started to rise, and his passing ability and playmaking skills are next-level. To add to that, he's a lethal mid-range scorer, showcasing exceptional skill and elite footwork. At 6'3, he brings a good amount of size to the point guard position. He is on track to become a standout player and should be attracting attention from college coaches.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Oliver Mossman</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mossman attended a PH Events, and watching him then compared to now, you can see he is trusting his skills inside more. He is a strong player down in the paint, and teams can't just spread him out or put him in a pick-and-roll due to his mobility and footwork. Mossman is built like a defensive end, and if he continues to work on his strength, he could be among the best PF/C in his class at the high school level.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Sophomores</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Nate McDonald, 5'10</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Noah Reeve, 5'9</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2951725' first='Dax' last='Valgardson'], 6'8</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2951725' first='Dax' last='Valgardson']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Although varsity minutes are limited due to a talented roster, he's an intriguing player. He possesses a slim, lanky frame and a soft touch when shooting the ball. He could develop into a stretch big.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Freshman</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='2809832' first='Victor' last='Lopez'], 5'9</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2809832' first='Victor' last='Lopez']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lopez is a top-tier freshman, showcasing exceptional strength and speed. His ability to create opportunities for himself and his teammates sets him apart. He is poised to become a prominent player in the near future.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Overview</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Pleasant Grove is a program that is just getting things going under a new coach. They have talent with their upperclassmen, and they also have some younger players that are up and coming. 5A is a tough classification, but they have the talent, length, and shot-making ability to beat anyone.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->