North Summit rallies to beat Duchesne
In a battle among two top-five 2A teams, the Braves fell behind early 13-6 but rallied to tie the game heading into the final period. After an offensive battle, North Summit edged out the Eagles 16-15 on its way to a 49-48 win. Chezlie Langston hit two free throws with 24 seconds left to flip the one-point difference in the Braves’ favor.
The game came down to two different types of basketball. Each team was able to make 18 field goals throughout the game, but Duchesne hit six 3-point shots compared to zero for North Summit. On the other side of the court, the Braves were able to find their way to the line more, shooting 13 more free-throw attempts than the Eagles which led to an extra seven points.
“It was a classic region battle that came down to the wire. It was back and forth all night. I was proud of our girls for maintaining their composure down the stretch,” said North Summit coach Jerre Holmes.
Desert Hills beat Snow Canyon
The Thunder moved to 9-0 in region play with a 45-34 win over the Warriors. Desert Hills took a one-point lead into the fourth quarter where it outscored its opponent 17-7 to run away with the victory. Olivia Hamlin led Snow Canyon in the first half, scoring 12 points to give the Warriors a narrow edge at the break. The Thunder picked up the defense in the second half to gain control of the game. Enid Vaifanua led Desert Hills with 16 points while Hannah Heaton added nine points off the bench.
The loss was Snow Canyon’s second in region play, giving Desert Hills room atop the standings. The Thunder now just need one win to clinch at least a share of the Region 10 title. They will look to accomplish that at home against Hurricane on Thursday before wrapping up the regular season next week with back-to-back road games at Cedar City and Pine View.
“We had a tough battle with Snow Canyon,” Desert Hills coach Ron Denos said. “They are a good young team but experience won out. Our team is built with experience and some hard-nose defense. The leadership with the experience is starting to show itself. They are figuring out how to win when we don’t play our best. We’ve got to keep working to get better each game.”
Bountiful wins vital game against Viewmont
Both teams entered the game undefeated in region play, but it was the Redhawks who escaped with a 43-41 road win at Viewmont. The teams found themselves tied at 17 apiece after the first quarter, but a defensive stand by the Vikings led them to an eight point lead with eight minutes left. A ferocious rally from Bountiful in the final minutes flipped the game in its favor. Allowing only three points in final period while scoring 13 gave it sole possession of the top spot in Region 5.
Bountiful was led by the three-headed monster of Claire Cook, Riley Johnson, and Lizzy McConkie who each scored in double-figures.
“Tonight was a real challenge. Our girls showed a lot of grit to keep fighting and competing. Viewmont is a good team that really make you work for everything,” Bountiful coach Joel Burton said.
Viewmont now trails the Redhawks by a game, but these same two teams wrap up their home-and-home with another game, this time at Bountiful on Friday night.
Morgan picks up road win at Grantsville
The Trojan offense scored at least 15 points in each quarter as their offensive explosion led them to a big victory over Grantsville. Elena Birkeland scored 24 points, hauled in eight rebounds, picked up four steals, and knocked down four 3-pointers to lead Morgan. Janel Blazzard added 17 points while Alex Trussell dominated the pain, finishing with a double-double of 18 points, 17 rebounds, and four blocks. Kenzie Allen had a great game on the other side, totaling 28 points for Grantsville.
Morgan coach Sterling Mack was excited about the win.
“The most important part of that game tonight was staying together and trusting the game plan and the player on the same side as us,” he said. “We needed trust and belief from each player, coach and spectator that came to support us. To compete for a title, it takes a night like this. We just beat a very, very good team on their on court in a playoff atmosphere. It was a very fun night.”
Davis dodged upset bid from Farmington
Davis continued its path towards a top seed in the state tournament and a chance at the Region 1 title with a narrow victory over the visiting Phoenix. Clutch shot making and key defensive stops allowed the Darts to keep their lead over Farmington late. A balanced attack all night was the key to their offensive success. Five different Davis players scored between six and eight points, contributing to the win.
Davis remains a game back of Region 1 leader Fremont. They will look to keep pace with a home game against Weber on Friday night.