REDMOND — Late in the season, coaches generally try not to wear their players down in practice to avoid injuries and to keep them fresh for a postseason run.

But for the Mountain View boys basketball team, in the midst of a midseason swoon after a hot start to the season, the players took it upon themselves to increase the intensity at practice.

“At practice we started bringing it,” said junior guard Quincy Townsend. “We’ve been diving on the floor, competing like crazy. That’s what is going to help us win and get us to that next level.”

A rough start to Intermountain Conference play has flipped for Mountain View (13-5 overall, 6-4 IMC), which picked up its fourth consecutive win Tuesday night with a 67-50 victory over Ridgeview (6-13, 1-9).

The Cougars started the season 7-0, and their only nonleague setback was an overtime loss to Roseburg at the Oregon Holiday Hoopfest.

But once conference play began, a promising season suddenly began to go sideways, as the Cougars lost four of their first six IMC games, including a double-digit loss to open conference play against Redmond, followed by a loss to Bend and then a blowout by Summit.

Mountain View won its next two games against Ridgeview and Caldera to finish the first round of conference play. But Redmond — playing without its star Evan Otten — stole a victory away from the Cougars when Wyatt Horner knocked down a jumper at the buzzer to give the Panthers the series win over the Cougars.

“I personally was really upset with that,” Quincy Townsend said. “It wasn’t (the buzzer-beater) that won them the game, it was that first quarter they had eight straight points off of lay-ins. And that was on us for not coming out prepared.”

With the second round of IMC play off to a rocky start with Bend and Summit looming, Mountain View coach Bob Townsend could not help but worry that maybe his team would fold. But he trusted that his experienced players would ultimately right the ship.

“They are tough-minded kids,” Bob Townsend said. “I felt like it was just a matter of time, if they could start to see a few baskets go in, it could change the mentality. That is certainly what happened, and that is how the tides turned from there.”

Then came a revenge 47-41 win over Bend, followed by Mountain View’s first win over Summit in four years.

“Nathan (Hoisington) has been twice as aggressive this second time through,” Bob Townsend said. “He’s been the biggest difference for us that we didn’t have in those first-round games.”

Mountain View would go on to beat Caldera, then pick up its fourth straight win Tuesday night over the Ravens. Quincy Townsend led all scorers with 26 points, and he leads Class 5A in scoring with 23.9 points per game. Hoisington added 11 points, and senior Joe Vacarro knocked down two 3-pointers to finish with eight points.

But the win over Ridgeview was far from easy, especially in the first half when the Cougars took a narrow 30-25 lead into halftime.

Sophomore Brady Muilenburg had the hot hand in the first half for Ridgeview, scoring all 12 of his points in the first half, and hitting three 3-pointers in the second quarter to give the Ravens a brief lead.

Meanwhile senior Jeremiah Schwartz attacked the basket for 10 of his team-high 16 points in the first half.

But Mountain View would score nearly each time it had the ball in the third quarter, outscoring the Ravens 22-10 to pull away and cruise to the win.

“We got fired up after halftime,” Quincy Townsend said. “We were looking to be the best team we can be and we showcased that.”

With the third round of IMC beginning Friday, the Cougars might not be able to make up the ground needed to contend for a conference title. But coming in at No. 4 in the OSAA rankings Wednesday afternoon, the chance to host a home playoff game and make the 5A state tournament is well within Mountain View’s grasp.

“The goal of making the state tournament is right there depending on how we finish,” Bob Townsend said. “There are no extra motivational speeches needed. We feel good. We know Bend, Redmond and Summit are going to be tough games. Our end goal is to get to the final eight and the kids realize that is all in sight, so they are really motivated.”