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Salem Hills dominant on both ends of the floor in Region 7 win against Maple Mountain

By Darnell Dickson - | Jan 17, 2025
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Brooke Warren of Salem Hills (23) drives to the basket against Maple Mountain in a Region 7 girls basketball game on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025.
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Chenielle Nye of Salem Hills (33) prepares for a shot against Maple Mountain in a Region 7 girls basketball game on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025.
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Maple Mountain's Jemima Griffin (right) jumps center against Chenielle Nye of Salem Hills in a Region 7 girls basketball game on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025.
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Kate Barton of Salem Hills drives the baseline in a Region 7 girls basketball game against Maple Mountain on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025.
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Maple Mountain's Makayla Smith (right) defends a pass thrown by Brianna Frampton of Salem Hills in a Region 7 girls basketball game on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025.
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Maple Mountain defenders surround Alexa Vance of Salem Hills in a Region 7 girls basketball game on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025.
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The Salem Hills girls basketball team gets ready for a Region 7 game against Maple Mountain on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025.
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Maple Mountain's Leah Bailey is introduced before the start of a Region 7 girls basketball game against Salem Hills on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025.
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A Salem Hills student plays the national anthem on a trumpet before the start of Region 7 girls basketball game against Maple Mountain on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025.
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Reagan Beck of Salem Hills (3) defends against Maple Mountain in a Region 7 girls basketball game on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025.

Salem Hills girls basketball coach Taylor Jones said his players have bought into the defensive end of the floor this season, and that’s a big reason why the Skyhawks are the No. 2 RPI team in Class 5A.

Salem Hills isn’t bad on offense, either.

Seniors Brooke Warren and Chenielle Nye combined for 38 points on Friday — all 18 for Salem Hills in a big third quarter — to lead their team to a convincing 68-48 Region 7 victory against Maple Mountain.

The 68 points represented a season high for the Skyhawks.

“We know we’re a good team no matter what comes of our defense but when we start scoring and making our layups, we can be that elite team in the state,” Jones said. “We knew that some games we’re not going to be able to score very well and the girls have just bought into the defensive aspect we have. It’s not a new defense we’re running but there are a few different principles and they’re just super excited about it. I credit my seniors and my team leaders. They just love playing basketball and getting stops.”

Warren (20 points) and Nye (18) led the big second half surge that kept Salem Hills near the top of Region 7.

“I feel like our team, we’re just all good friends and we have good relationships,” Warren said. “We’re all such good players that you can’t just focus on one of us. You have to focus on the whole team because we all have different strengths and we’re all scoring, and we’re all rebounding, so we’re doing everything.”

Maple Mountain scored well from beyond the arc in the first half, trailing 13-9 at the end of the first quarter and closing to 21-18 in the second on back-to-back triples from Leah Bailey and Ashlynn Lainhart. With seven points from Warren, Salem Hills extended its lead to 30-20 at halftime.

The third quarter belonged to Warren and Nye on the offensive end. Warren scored ten straight points and had 12 in the quarter, the other six points coming from Nye as an 18-7 scoring advantage pushed the Skyhawks out to a 48-27 lead after three quarters.

“We knew we couldn’t lose to Maple Mountain so we knew we had to lock in,” Warren said. “Halftime always helps us to reset. It’s a new game and we came out strong.”

Nye had ten in the fourth as Salem Hills led by as many as 28 points, 68-39, with three minutes left.

Bailey led Maple Mountain (7-9 overall, 1-3 in Region 7) with 16 points and Lainhart finished with 12.

Jones and the Skyhawks (14-3, 5-1) are looking forward to a rematch with Wasatch, the state runner-up in 5A last season, on Tuesday. The Wasps came to Salem on Jan. 7 and earned a hard-fought 47-42 win.

“We didn’t play an awful game last time against Wasatch, but we missed some easy looks,” Jones said. “We probably missed five or six paint touches, looks we usually make. So I know that we need to be focused on that aspect. We missed some key free throws too, and we need to take care of the ball. I feel confident that we can be good enough defensively that we can be in the game.”