MORELAND — The first game of the 2012-13 season could not have gone any better for the Snake River High School boys’ basketball team.

    The runner-up in last year’s 3A state tournament came out aggressive on defense, cruising past the visiting Malad Dragons 60-32 Saturday night at Snake River High School.

    “For the first game of the season things went pretty good for us,” Snake River head coach Robert Coombs said. “We were sick and tired of beating up on ourselves, so it was good to get out and play somebody else.”

    The Panthers used their aggressive and opportunistic defense to force Malad into turnovers. The turnovers led to easy baskets on the other end of the floor.

    “We are going to get out and run the floor when we can,” Coombs said of his fast-paced offense.” But when that doesn’t work we are a little bit bigger than everybody so I am more than happy to run our half court offense and shove the ball down the defense’s throat.”

    Post players Wyatt Wray and Curtis Keller were the beneficiaries of many of those early baskets. Wray scored six points in the opening quarter and Keller added eight as Snake River’s up-tempo offense was too much for Malad to handle.

    The Panthers blew the game open in the first quarter behind a 15-1 run.

    Before that, the Panthers led 6-4. After the run it was 21-5. Malad was never able to regroup.

    With the big lead, Snake River’s defense took over in the second quarter.

    After Brian Roedl’s jumper got Malad on the board, Snake River held the Dragons scores less for the next four minutes. Malad scored just one more point in the quarter and trailed 38-11 at halftime.

    “I thought our defense played pretty darn good,” Coombs said. “We are a pretty versatile team and I think tonight the fans got to see that a little bit.”

    Snake River’s options on offense are not limited to their post players. The Panthers’ front court of Adrian Castaneda and Brad Coombs can shoot the ball from the perimeter while senior Cole Rushton provides both an inside and outside threat.

    “This is the biggest team I have ever coached,” Coombs said. “This also may be the best ball-handling team I have had. We can do a lot of things well.”

    Wray and Keller led the Panther with 14 points. Jacoby Johnson scored 10 and Coombs added nine.

    Nishon Neal led Malad with 14 points.

    Snake River (1-0) plays at Blackfoot Friday. Tipoff is 7:30 p.m.

Snake River 60, Malad 32

Malad    8    3    12    9 — 32

Snake River    23    15    13    7 — 60

Malad — Cort Goddard 2, Nishon Neal 14, Brian Roedl 8, Kyle Daniels 6; Snake River — Wyatt Wray 14, Brad Coombs 9, Cole Rushton 6, Curtis Keller 14, Jacoby Johnson 10, Kade Harral 3, Mason Watt 4.