1 / 11

Players and coaches on the Timpview bench react during a 5A boys basketball state quarterfinal game against Alta at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025.

Darnell Dickson, Daily Herald

2 / 11

Timpview junior Dean Rueckert drives to the basket during the 5A quarterfinal game against Alta at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

3 / 11

Timpview junior Will Openshaw shoots a shot during the 5A quarterfinal game against Alta at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

4 / 11

Timpview' Dean Rueckert (1) takes a jump shot against Alta in a 5A boys basketball state quarterfinal game at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025.

Darnell Dickson, Daily Herald

5 / 11

Timpview's Max Cleveland (13) and his teammates react to a 3-pointer in a 5A boys basketball state quarterfinal game at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025.

Darnell Dickson, Daily Herald

6 / 11

Timpview junior Callen Tollestrup gets fouled as he drives into the lane during the 5A quarterfinal game against Alta at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

7 / 11

Timpview boys basketball coach Israel Ingle (right) chats with an official during a 5A state quarterfinal game against Alta at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025.

Darnell Dickson, Daily Herald

8 / 11

Timpview junior Jackson Palmer tries to drive to the basket during the 5A quarterfinal game against Alta at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

9 / 11

Timpview's Dean Rueckert (1) goes for a layup against Alta in a 5A boys basketball state quarterfinal game at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025.

Darnell Dickson, Daily Herald

10 / 11

Timpview junior Callen Tollestrup goes up for a layup during the 5A quarterfinal game against Alta at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

11 / 11

The Timpview student section reacts during a 5A boys basketball state quarterfinal game against Alta at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025.

Darnell Dickson, Daily Herald

❮ ❯

The word of the day for the Timpview boys basketball team on Tuesday was “composure.”

Thunderbird junior forward Dean Rueckert said it at least a half dozen times during his postgame interview and Timpview head coach Izzy Ingle said it a few more times when he talked to reporters.

Think it was important?

There were times during the 5A quarterfinal game at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City against No. 6-seed Alta where the No 3-seeded Thunderbirds looked like they might be on the verge of losing their equilibrium.

Each time, however, Timpview got things together and the result was that the Thunderbirds were too much for the Hawks to overcome and Timpview advanced with the 61-51 win.

“These state tournament games are always going to be close games,” Rueckert said. “Everyone’s always going to fight and give it their best shot. And in these games, it’s just about composure. Composure is the name of the game.”

The moments that epitomized what Rueckert was saying came late in the third quarter.

The Thunderbirds appeared to be comfortably in control with a 42-31 lead but Alta senior Dash Reiser got fouled as he went up for a shot. When the teams lined up for the free throws, Timpview was called for an additional technical foul.

After Reiser calmly made all four shots, the Hawks got the ball back and Reiser got fouled again on a 3-point attempt. He stayed perfect from the stripe, giving Alta what could’ve been a game-changing seven-point possession.

“They got seven free throws in one possession and made all of them,” Ingle said. “So it went from an 11-point game to a four-point game, and then we’re up just two to start the fourth. I think last year’s team probably would have folded once we lost that momentum, but I think our guys did a really good job coming together, keeping their composure, and just kind of grinding it out.”

The Thunderbirds needed an answer in the final period to staunch the Alta push and started with a Rueckert layup and an and-1 3-point play by junior Aisa Galeai.

After a Hawk trey kept it a two-possession game, Rueckert drained a 3-pointer of his own. He then got the ball to junior Mason Ford for another bomb from downtown and once again Timpview had control.

“The key was slowing things down and having each other’s backs,” Rueckert said. “Getting those shots were huge. They weren’t falling in the first half, so it felt good in the second half to get some looks to go in and get in a flow. That helps us on defense too.”

Ingle joked that it was all coaching before explaining that the Thunderbirds simplified things and let Rueckert make some big plays.

“The truth is that sometimes the best coaching is just staying out of the way,” Ingle said. “We weren’t doing a great job getting our shots and they were mixing their defenses, so we just put the ball in Dean’s hands. We let our best player go make a play or make a read. He made the shot or found the open guy. He’s just a phenomenal player.”

Rueckert and junior Callen Tollestrup were the big scorers for the Thunderbirds as they put in 18 points each. Rueckert also had eight rebounds, while junior Will Openshaw had seven points and 10 rebounds.

Reiser paced Alta with 17 points and also had four assists.

Timpview now turns its attention to a massive 5A semifinal showdown against No. 2-seed Olympus.

“it’s always fun and not fun to play Olympus at the same time, especially since it’s like a home game for them (at the Huntsman Center),” Ingle said. “They always have the best fan support and one of the best coaches ever in Utah in Matt Barnes. He’s always got his players doing the right thing, so it should be a fun little battle.”

Rueckert said the key will being knowing the game plan and having everyone take care of their roles.

“The key is knowing their personnel and staying with their shooters,” Rueckert said. “We also have to stay composed and not put our heads down after any big plays they make.”

The Thunderbirds and Titans will play in the late semifinal game at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City with tipoff scheduled for 9 p.m.