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South Jordan • Madison Loftus admitted it was hard to stay positive as she huddled with Bingham teammates during a timeout early in the third quarter Thursday night.

The scoreboard overhead showed a 17-point lead for visiting Riverton, and a likely end to unblemished record.

But Bingham used a swarming defense and some hot shooting to chip away and emerge with a thrilling 52-51 overtime victory.

"We know we've worked hard and our time will come as long as we keep going," Loftus said. "We just had to stay positive and keep playing our game."

The Miners (9-0) didn't allow a field goal in the fourth quarter and three Loftus 3-pointers helped erase a 34-17 deficit in the final 12:30 of regulation.

Loftus' second 3-pointer, one minute into the fourth quarter, capped a 12-0 Miners run and cut the score to 39-36. Her final 3-pointer put Bingham ahead for the first time in the second half with 16 seconds left. But Riverton (6-2), which missed six free throws in the fourth quarter, forced overtime with a Tiena Afu free throw with 7.1 seconds left.

Riverton senior Tess Campbell ended the team's 11-minute drought from the floor with two baskets in OT, but Bingham's Marlee Malohee had scored twice in the post and Loftus' free throw with 52.8 seconds left was the game-winner.

"She's a competitor," Bingham coach Charron Mason said of Loftus. "She likes to play and she likes to win and likes to be involved in all of it."

Riverton's Kirsten Spencer had 12 of her game-high 16 points in the first half and Campbell added 12 points for the Silverwolves, who led by 12 points at halftime.

Loftus finished with 14 points and Leya Harvey added 12 as she battled through early foul trouble.

"There's no 17-point play," Mason said. "We just had to battle every possession and whittle it as much as we can. We told them we have to work every possession, that's all we could do." —

Bingham 52, Riverton 51, OT

• Madison Loftus scores seven points in the fourth quarter and overtime, including the game-winning free throw in the final minute.

• Riverton's Kirsten Spencer makes three 3's and finishes with a game-high 16 points.

• Bingham improves to 9-0 for the second time in three seasons. The Miners started 23-0 in 2012-13.