Sandy » The Jordan boys' basketball team's 54-52 victory over top-ranked West Jordan on Friday had all the makings of a playoff atmosphere. In fact, based on the crowd's reaction on each side of the ball alone, one could have thought a state championship was on the line.

In the end, the Beetdiggers overcame a low-scoring start with a stellar second-half performance to eventually take over the lead in the fourth quarter. If it wasn't for Jordan's third quarter, in which it outscored West Jordan 13-7, the Beetdiggers may not have been able to catch up.

But according to Jordan's Curt Follett, the solution was simple.

"We just had to pick up our defense to meet them," said Follett. "They are too good of a team not to."

Jordan did plenty to meet the Jaguars' firing offense as well. Over the closing two minutes, neither team could miss, draining eight consecutive field goals as Jordan held onto a precarious one-point lead after overcoming an eight-point halftime deficit.

Jordan's Kevin Goldsmith kicked off a dizzying final 30 seconds of play by hitting arguably the two biggest free throws of his season to put the Beetdiggers up 54-52, rushed for a steal on the other end and lobbed the ball to Curt Follett, who was fouled on the play. Follett missed both free throws, giving the Jaguars one final chance to tie or win the game with five seconds left on the game clock.

West Jordan's D.J. Tialavea drew a foul of his own but couldn't connect on either opportunity, sending the Jordan sideline into a frenzy as the final seconds drained from the clock.

It was a close call for Jordan, but the Beetdiggers seem to be increasingly more comfortable when pushed up against the wall.

"We missed a bunch of free throws there, but when we needed to score, we did," said Jordan's Colton Burgon, who finished with a team-high 13 points.

"Both teams had players with just great games. It was just a great high school basketball game," said Jordan coach Rob Geertsen. "But our real season starts next week. The hope is that we are now battle tested enough."