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The Pleasant Grove girls came out firing early in the Region 7 match-up against Timpanogos.
The Vikings (10-8, 5-3) -- usually a team known for the inside threat -- took advantage of the early zone defense by the Timberwolves (10-9, 5-3), draining three 3-point baskets in the first minutes of the first quarter. They then spent the rest of the game defending their lead
"They came out in a zone, which surprised me," said Vikings head coach Glenn Larson. "No one really has zoned us before because we have such height. We have such good 3-point shooters that we took advantage of it and enjoyed that lead."
The T'Wolves were able to score the first basket of the game, but never led again as the Vikings earned a solid 68-60 win.
Viking Sarah Clement was a tremendous threat with her inside game and earned a solid double-double with 18 points and 15 rebounds, as well as swatting three shots away.
Clement and fellow Viking Jennifer Hamson, who grabbed 15 of her own boards, took really helped control the scoring.
"They both rebounded really well for us," Larsen said. "They didn't wait for the ball; they went out and found it and I really think that made the difference for us."
Unable to get low post points, Timpanogos sophomore Morgan Bailey managed to find a sweet spot from the top of the key and avoided the long arms of the Vikings. She scored six consecutive points to bring her team within six points of the lead with five minutes remaining in the game.
But the Vikings never panicked.
They answered the Timpanogos runs with great free throw shooting to score 11 of their 14 free throws to avoid any threat to their lead and the six point deficit was as close as Timpanogos would get.
P.G.'s Whitney Giles -- who hit four of her team's six 3-pointers -- finished with 19 points to help keep Timpanogos at arms length.
"The last few games I have really been stressing not panicking when the other team scores. It's going to happen and that's what they did," said Larson. "They (Timpanogos) are a very good team and they kept fighting to bring it close."
Bailey finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds for the T'Wolves.
TIMPANOGOS (60)
Bailey 15, Freestone 15, Weitzel 8, Bishop 7, Larsen 7, Anderson 6, Sanders 2. Totals 24 9-10 60.
PLEASANT GROVE (68)
Giles 19, Clement 18, Dircks 11, Miles 7, Hamson 7, K. Carter 6. Totals 24 14-24 68.
Timpanogos 14 10 10 26 - 60
Pleasant Grove 20 13 13 22 - 68
3-point goals: Timpanogos 3 (Freestone 2, Bishop), Pleasant Grove 5 (Giles 4, Miles, K. Carter). |
