5A Girls Quarterfinals: Wasatch moves past Timpview into semifinals
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- Wasatch senior Peyton Behnke goes up for a layup during the 5A quarterfinal game against Timpview at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025.
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- Timpview players react after losing the 5A quarterfinal game against Wasatch at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025.
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- Wasatch junior Danielle Gardner shoots a shot during the 5A quarterfinal game against Timpview at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025.
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- Wasatch sophomore Mahala Speredon powers to the basket during the 5A quarterfinal game against Timpview at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025.
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- Wasatch senior Cicily Clark shoots a shot during the 5A quarterfinal game against Timpview at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025.
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- Timpview senior Lina Ballin gets a huge from Wasatch junior Filifaiesea Liava’a after the 5A quarterfinal game at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025.
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- Wasatch players celebrate a made 3-pointer during the 5A quarterfinal game against Timpview at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025.
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- Wasatch junior Filifaiesea Liava’a goes up for a layup during the 5A quarterfinal game against Timpview at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025.
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- Timpview senior Malia Latu shoots a shot during the 5A quarterfinal game against Wasatch at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025.
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- Timpview sophomore Leah Atuaia shoots a 3-pointer during the 5A quarterfinal game against Wasatch at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025.
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- Timpview head coach Haley Steed watches her team during the 5A quarterfinal game against Wasatch at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025.
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- Timpview senior Claire Burningham shoots a 3-pointer during the 5A quarterfinal game against Wasatch at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025.
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- Timpview players celebrate a made 3-pointer during the 5A quarterfinal game against Wasatch at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025.
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- Timpview senior Grace Erbstoesser has the ball knocked away during the 5A quarterfinal game against Wasatch at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025.
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- Timpview senior Lina Ballin shoots a shot during the 5A quarterfinal game against Wasatch at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025.
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- Timpview and Wasatch players battle for a loose ball during the 5A quarterfinal game at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025.
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- Timpview senior Malia Latu drives to the basket during the 5A quarterfinal game against Wasatch at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025.
SALT LAKE CITY — To get to the 5A semifinals, the Wasatch girls basketball team had to beat Timpview for the third time this season.
Hey, the road to redemption is SUPPOSED to be hard.
The No. 2 seed Wasps broke open a close game with a big fourth quarter on Tuesday at the Huntsman Center, taking a 56-46 victory against the No. 7 T-Birds.
Their reward? Another shot at Bountiful, which broke the hearts of Wasatch fans in last year’s 5A title game.
More on that later.
“My girls, I’ve just seen them do so many awesome things by not giving up, battling and playing together,” Wasps coach Audrey Hull said. “I love our toughness and we never surrender. It comes from their heart. We love each other and we fight for each other. That’s the way we’re going to win it.”
The quarterfinal game was tied at 43 when Peyton Behnke took over. After dropping in two free throws with 2:25 remaining, Behnke stepped up and drained a long 3-pointer for a 48-43 lead with 1:37 to play. The T-Birds went dry offensively and Wasatch made 8 of 10 from the line (4 of 4 from Behnke) to finish off the victory. Behnke scored 12 of the Wasps final 18 points.
Behnke and Mahala Speredon topped Wasatch (21-3) with 14 points each, with Behnke making 8 of 8 from the foul line and Speredon adding seven rebounds. Danielle Garner scored 13 points and Fili Liava’a added 10 points and six steals. The Wasps were best in crunch time, making 6 of 7 field goals and 11 of 14 from the line in the fourth quarter.
“We weren’t getting our box outs in the first half, so we made that our focus in the second half,” Behnke said. “We were really just flying around and making our defense the best we possibly could. I think that’s what really helped us. I love our sisterhood. We’re so close to each other and it’s just so fun playing with each other.”
Tasi Galeia made four 3-pointers and led Timpview (14-10) with 16 points. Lena Ballin contributed 11 points, three assists and four steals and Livia Eyre had 10 points and 11 rebounds.
Wasatch, the Region 7 champions with an 11-1 record, beat Timpview 72-66 on Jan. 10 and 45-42 on Jan. 31.
The quarterfinal game was a tremendous battle, featuring 10 ties and eight lead changes. Four points from Grace Erbstoesser and a 3-pointer from Galeia led Timpview to a 12-8 lead at the end of the first quarter. Speredon scored six for Wasatch in the second, leading her team to a 22-18 halftime advantage. An offensive rebound basket by Timpview’s Eyre tied things up at 31-all heading into the final frame.
The T-Birds grabbed a 43-41 lead with 3:06 to play on a triple from Galeia but Liava’a scored on a drive to tie the game up at 43-all moments later, setting up Wasatch to take control down the stretch.
In last year’s 5A title game — the Wasps’ first trip to the finals in 15 years — everything went wrong and Wasatch found itself on the short end of a 29-7 deficit at halftime. Bountiful went on to win 62-35 for the 5A title.
On Tuesday, No. 3 Bountiful had little trouble eliminating No. 22 Spanish Fork 57-16.
We’re definitely going to try and change the outcome (in the semifinals),” Hull said. “Bountiful is such a tough team and a deep team. We’re just going to hit the floor, give them everything we’ve got and hope we can come out on top.”
Behnke added: “I feel like we’re a lot more ready this year, especially because we’ve already played them once. We’re not as nervous as we were last time, so I think we’re ready to go for this.”
