Payton Wilgar hits winner at the buzzer to lead Dixie past Desert Hills

St. George • It was an ending for the ages.

Dixie and Desert Hills entered Friday’s game unbeaten in region play, and the game more than lived up to the hype.

Payton Wilgar scored the winning basket as time expired to give the Flyers a 54-52 home victory over Desert Hills.

“It’s amazing,” Wilgar said with a smile as his teammates and friends high-fived, hugged and even tackled him after making the basket. “I was just in the right place at the right time. I know Tanner was going to get a good look, and so I just wanted to put myself in a good position to make something happen in case it didn’t go in.”

Wilgar, a star on the football field, too, used his strength to muscle his way into the paint. After his first tip didn’t go in, he followed it as time expired to help the Flyers stay unbeaten and atop the Region 9 standings.

“I’m so happy for him,” Dixie coach Ryan Cuff. “Not only did h hit the game-winning shot, but he was perfect from the foul line, too.”

Wilgar stepped up and hit both free throws with less than a minute to go in the game. He finished the game with a double-double — 12 points, including 8-for-8 from the free-throw line, and 13 rebounds.

Dixie’s Tanner Cuff, who came in averaging nearly 17 points, put on a big performance despite being held to just three points Wednesday against Snow Canyon. The 6-foot-6 junior broke out of his slump by scoring a game-high 21 points and answered every run from Desert Hills with clutch shots and rebounds.

“I came in more mentally focused after a disappointing game against Snow Canyon,” Tanner Cuff said. “Our home crowd was unbelievable, and it was easy to feed off their energy and play for them.”

The standing-room-only crowd saw one of the best games of the high school season as each team came up with big plays down the stretch.

“Hats off to Desert Hills for playing a great game,” coach Cuff said. “It was one of those games where whoever has the ball last is going to win.”

Desert Hills was led by Tucker Peterson’s 15 points. Ryan Marz added 11 points and six rebounds, while Tyler Marz and Tyler Webber each had nine points in the loss.