Spenser Heaps

For much of Tuesday night’s Region 4 basketball contest between Lone Peak and American Fork at UVU, it felt and sounded more like March than January.

Two of the state’s best teams fought toe-to-toe through the first half, then each made a run after the break, but the Knights were just enough ahead to hold off the late surge by the Cavemen and hang on for a 68-59 victory.

There wasn’t any one single factor that made the difference; rather, it was a combination of things.

One was American Fork’s inability to contain Lone Peak guard TJ Haws, who burned the nets for 36 points, including seven from long distance, along with making six rebounds and five assists.

The Cavemen also struggled at the free throw line, making just 8-of-19 at the stripe. If a few more of those had fallen, that would have changed the game.

American Fork’s big men dominated down low, and they worked especially well in combination. Senior center Ryan Andrus led his team with 21 points and junior forward Tyler Rawson added 12.

The Knight post players were in constant foul trouble, but they were rotated frequently and were thus able to keep some pressure on Andrus and Rawson.

Ultimately, however, Lone Peak’s experienced guards were better on defense and a bit more efficient on offense. Sophomore Frank Jackson had 15 points and four assists, while Zach Frampton added 10 points, eight boards and five steals.

For American Fork, sophomore Brendan Bailey hit a couple of big treys in the late run and finished with 12, while sophomore Spencer Johnson contributed 12 more.

The teams went back and forth in the initial period, and a pair of foul shots by Johnson gave the Cavemen a 19-18 edge going into the second.

They continued to battle through that quarter, but 3-point bombs by Frampton and Haws lifted the Knights to a 36-30 advantage at the break.

Lone Peak returned from the locker room with energy and built a 20-point lead in the first five minutes, entering the fourth with a 57-39 margin.

However, American Fork wasn’t quite done yet. The Bailey 3-pointers and good work by Andrus and Rawson quickly cut the deficit to 10 and the Cavemen managed to pull within seven with 1:08 to play, but the Knights held on for the win.

“I think the first quarter was about what I expected from both teams,” said Lone Peak coach Quincy Lewis. “That was as high a level of a game in those first two quarters as you get.

“In the third we were really good, but in the fourth, they fought back,” he said. “They’re a dang good team and this is a rivalry game, so nobody quits.

“TJ was really focused tonight,” the coach said. “He’s been in so many big games in so many places, he didn’t get rattled but just did his thing.

“Our post guys were really challenged, but we knew they would be,” Lewis said. “Fortunately, we have four or five guys we can put out there, and I thought our legs were fresher when both teams got tired at the end.”

The coach said Jackson hit some big buckets after the early Haws blitz and Frampton’s active floor game also helped tip the scales in their favor.

The Cavemen (7-5, 0-1) are headed to Herriman (6-5, 0-2) on Friday, while the Knights (10-2, 2-0) next host Pleasant Grove (11-1, 1-0) on Tuesday. Both games are set to tip off at 7 p.m.

Beky Beaton can be reached at bbeaton@heraldextra.com. Follow her on Twitter at @BeatonWrite.

Lone Peak 68, American Fork 59

Lone Peak (68)

Jackson 15, Haws 36, Z. Frampton 10, S. Curtis 4, N. Curtis 3. Totals 22 15-20 68.

American Fork (59)

Bailey 12, Andrus 21, Harris 2, Johnson 12, Rawson 12. Totals 24 8-19 59.

Lone Peak 18 18 21 11 68

Am. Fork 19 11 9 20 59

3 point goals: Lone Peak 9 (Haws 7, Frampton, Jackson); American Fork 3 (Bailey 2, Johnson).