Friday Night Lights: Who Will Be King

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There are 4 HUGE games that are scheduled for Friday Night. These 4 games have major implications in the RPI as well as the Region Championships. We start with a huge matchup in Region 1, then Region 2 has a match that could really cause a pile-up in 6A. Region 3 then has a matchup featuring one of the hottest teams in 6A. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Westlake vs. Herriman</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Game 1 was unreal, and [player_tooltip player_id='1278442' first='Carlo' last='Mulford'] stole the show. Will Game 2 between the two be the same, or will there be another storyline after the game? </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>What's at Stake</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>While Westlake was one of the last undefeated teams in the state, they have experienced some setbacks recently, though they remain a top contender in 6A. A Herriman victory in Game 2 would lead to a three-way tie for first place among Bingham, Herriman, and Westlake. Conversely, a Westlake win would secure them the outright championship. This game is sure to draw significant attention from fans across the state.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Who Will Need to Step Up</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1724364' first='Malik' last='Sika'], Westlake</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Sika had a monster game in the last meeting, and he has simmered down a bit since, but this is his chance to be big again, and he could play a major role on defense as well. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Cy Arnell, Herriman</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 6'5" SF needs to have a big game. He only had 2 points in the last meeting, but if he can score in double digits and rebound the ball well, he could help his team pull out another big-time win. Arnell is more than capable.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>American Fork vs. Skyridge</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Skyridge might be the hottest team in 6A right now, as they have won 5 in a row. The only team to beat them before the streak was American Fork. There is a lot to play for in this game as Skyridge looks to keep rolling into the playoffs and a win will cause a 3-way tie for second place in Region 3. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Players Heating Up</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2346735' first='Ryder' last='Gentry'], Skyridge</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Gentry's recent performances have been outstanding, averaging 21 points per game (PPG) over the last three contests. His team has relied heavily on his contributions in those crucial matchups, and they will need similar, impactful performances from him in this upcoming game. Gentry is actually a player that you need to consider as a next-level player. He brings high quality IQ matched up with a rising scoring skill-set. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1439711' first='Bryce' last='Mella'], American Fork</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>While Bryce has consistently been scoring in double digits the entire season, you can expect him to have a breakout game as there is anticipation that Skyridge will try to take [player_tooltip player_id='2089441' first='Jax' last='Clark'] away. Mella is a player who could heat up quickly. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Syracuse vs. Davis</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Syracuse has a solid team that could reach a new level anytime, as they can lean on more than one player. They have been able to keep things close with Davis in the past. If Syracuse can pull out this win, they will not only help themselves in the RPI, but they will also help Layton, who would also get a share of the Region Championship. There's a lot at stake in this game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Who Needs a Big Game</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2024667' first='Colton' last='Hoenigman'], Syracuse</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Hoenigman is going to need a monster game, and he will need to score 20+ in this one. He is capable, but he will need to be ready to take his game to the next tier for him to power his team to this upset. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1278451' first='JT' last='Turley'], Davis</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Turley possesses takeover ability and could execute it swiftly. He is currently operating at another level when attacking the rim. If the game is fast-paced, expect Turley to have another strong performance and dominate the stat sheet.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->