No. 5 LCA advances to play in the championship game. This story will be updated.
Layton Christian 52, Union 40
After a crazy Thursday night of upsets in the 3A tournament where all top four seeds lost, Friday’s first semifinal was a game between two up and coming teams.
LCA immediately came out with the same intensity that it used Thursday against Canyon View. Using a man defense, the Eagles got out to a 12-6 lead at the end of the first quarter as the Cougars made just three of 14 shots.
LCA wasn’t great offensively early but did make three 3-pointers in the first quarter, including one from 30 feet out as the quarter buzzer sounded.
The second quarter was when the Eagles really gained separation. In the quarter, they forced 10 turnovers, which led to 14 points. Senior Ava Smith had all 13 of her points in the quarter as LCA won it 22-6 to go up 34-12 at halftime.
“We knew that we had to have that defensive identity, out whole culture and identity is built off defense. Without that we aren’t talented enough offensively to carry the game. We had to get our offense through our defense,” said LCA coach Mark Burton.
Union cut into the deficit a bit in the third quarter as it started attacking the basket and getting to the free throw line. The Cougars finished the quarter 7 of 11 from the free throw line and won the frame 13-6 as LCA shot just 2 of 10.
Five different Union players scored in the quarter as the Cougars trailed by 16 heading into the fourth.
Then in the fourth quarter, Union cut the deficit all the way down to five, led by Halle Oakley, but LCA’s Fabiana Lopez and Ava Smith were clutch at the line, making a combined seven free throws in the last 90 seconds to seal the win.
“I felt we went into a mindset just trying not to lose, not just playing the game and playing against the clock and conservatively,” Burton said. “ I told them that we needed to stay aggressive and take the game. Finish out the game so we can play tomorrow.”
With the victory, the Eagles advance to their first girls basketball championship game in school history, where they will face the winner of the other semifinal between Grantsville and Morgan.