Spencer Pincock:
The thrill of playing with
his brother
led him to be one of team’s
top players
By Bruce Smith
Matchup
Pleasant Grove basketball has always been a family affair
for the Pincocks.
Growing up, Spencer and his younger brother, Forrest,
were taught the game by their father. After hundreds of games on outdoor courts
and various gyms, the two got a chance to guide the Vikings during the 2011-12
season.
While they may not have been among the most talented high
school players in the state, they were a good combination and coach Randy
McAllister was excited to see how well they could replace last year’s leading
scorer, his son, Cory McAllister.
“We had a lot of players who had never played varsity,”
McAllister said. “We played a lot of teams that were better than us, but found
out quickly that we could play with anyone.”
“It was a good season … still,” said Spencer, noting the
Vikings’ 4-17 record included a lot of close calls. “The numbers don’t show it,
but I felt good about it.”
Spencer averaged 7.6 ppg and 4.3 rebounds. He had a
career-best 16 in the Vikings’ win at Jordan and, in fact, most of his best
games came in Pleasant Grove victories. He was also the team’s assist leader.
The main reason Spencer felt good about the season was
due to the camaraderie developed with the team, and especially his brother. Many
of the guys had played together for several years, and the Pincock brothers had
a way of communicating unlike anyone else.
“I was nervous before the first game, but that’s it,”
Spencer said. “It was fun to always know what he (Forrest) was thinking. We could
always trust each other on the court. We had our own little language that
nobody else (opponents) understood.”
Almost all of Spencer’s varsity playing time came as a
senior. He ended up being the team’s second-leading scorer and rebounder and
Forrest wasn’t far behind. While most teams struggled early in the year,
Pleasant Grove was the anomaly. The Vikings took on eventual 4A champion Orem
in the Great Zuke Challenge at Utah Valley University and almost pulled off the
upset.
Pleasant Grove bolted to a 9-1 lead. Eventually, Spencer topped
the Vikings with 14 points and Forrest had 10, and each nailed a pair of
three-pointers. If not for an Orem basket at the buzzer, the outcome and,
perhaps the season, could have been different.
“We played together and saw each other so much, we all
got to be friends,” Spencer said. “We had a lot of chemistry.”
It grew during the season, and especially on the Vikings’
December road trip to California. Pleasant Grove played four games over the
Christmas break at the Maxpreps Holiday Classic in Palm Springs, Calif. The bus
ride, hotel living, off-court functions and games against unfamiliar opponents
brought the team together.
“We go somewhere every year,” said McAllister. “I came from
California and it’s very valuable. It’s a state-tournament format and the kids
can wear shorts and a T-shirt every day. It was good for them.”
Spencer said the California trip, as well as Pleasant
Grove’s 47-43 region victory over Bingham were among his favorite memories. The
best, however, was “Senior Night,” the Vikings’ final home game against
powerhouse American Fork.
“Our region was so high-profile that you heard a lot
about it,” he said. “All the teams were tough and it was fun playing in all
those important games.
“On Senior Night, there were a lot of emotions and I got
a lot of ‘and ones,’” he added. “Other than not winning the game, it was a good
way to go out. We had a lot of student support and the place (gym) was filled.
“My favorite play of the season came that night when I
caught a nice pass and put the ball over (American Fork’s) Austin Waddoups and
scored. I got fouled, and did a little fist pump after I made the shot.”
After graduation, Spencer said he would continue to be a
Pleasant Grove basketball fan and watch his brother. He planned to attend UVU,
where he earned an academic scholarship, and serve an LDS Church mission.
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