The Hillcrest Huskies boys' basketball team has had a tough couple of years.

The Huskies haven't finished above second-to-last place since winning the Region 2 title back in the 2006-2007 season -- and even then they lost in the first round of the state playoffs.

They were due for a change.

Sam Richins, the assistant under former coach Brad Tingey, was given the nod to take over coaching duties when Tingey took the athletic director position at Copper Hills. And in his first game last week, the Huskies pulled out a win against the favored Riverton Silverwolves.

Keeping a similar system in place, the Huskies have thrived despite the coaching change. A strong offseason of conditioning has put Hillcrest on the right path, though the Huskies have hardly forgotten the disaster that was last season.

"I would say we're very guarded," said Richins. "We're optimistic but guarded with it. It's been a tough couple of years and all we can do is show up and play our guts out."

Richins also credits the Huskies' solid start with strong leadership from his seniors. The intensity of practice has been higher than ever, according to Richins, and there is a newfound sense of responsibility in each player.

Hillcrest also figures to get better as some of its players adjust to basketball after playing football in the fall. Senior Bridger Dallimore played receiver and defensive back for the Huskies' football team, and was also the hero in the win over Riverton, knocking down a three-pointer at the buzzer. Coming off a broken collarbone suffered during the football season, Danny Thompson also figured to make an impact on the Huskies' success.

And then there is 6-foot-8 senior James Jongejan. By all rights, it's a miracle Jongejan is even playing at all, let alone being a cornerstone of the team. During the summer Jongejan fell from the top of a truck while at work, suffering severe brain trauma that not only put his basketball future in jeopardy, but also his life. However, Jongejan has since fully recovered and come into the season ready to play.

Olympus

The Titans got the basketball season off to a good start last week, easily handling Layton in a 66-54 win.

The Titans made it to the Class 4A semifinals after a very successful regular season that included a third straight Region 6 title, and their final defeat came against the eventual 4A champion West.

One game is too small a sample to judge an entire season, but the Titans are certainly picking up right where they left off. Six-foot-6 senior forward Connor Brady was second in team scoring last season, behind since-graduated Corbin Green, and he didn't show much rust as he put up a strong 13 points against the Lancers. And if Green did leave much of a hole, it doesn't look like it's anything senior Nick Paulos, also 6-foot-6, can't fill as he dropped 15.

Coach Matt Barnes has established a tradition of wining at Olympus and it's hard to imagine the Titans won't be vying for their fourth straight region title by season's end.

Taylorsville

The Warriors didn't open with a win this season, but it was certainly a more promising result than they're used to.

The Warriors' losing streak, dating back to last season, stands at 14 after a 56-53 loss to a Cottonwood team that may have been expecting an easier win.

Shooting guard Wesley Wright made quite the impression as he scored 19 points, more than three times his high from last season. The 5-foot-9 senior was a big reason why the Warriors were in the game at all. Andrew Togiai scored 13..