Typically, composure in close games is a characteristic that only can be learned through experience. But on Friday night, the young Judge Memorial boys' basketball team played like veterans, holding Bountiful to just two three-pointers over the final six minutes to pull away for the 57-47 win.

"We didn't lose our control, at least not that often," senior Will Whitt said. "The defense won the game altogether, but it was a big game for us all-around."

While defense certainly was key down the stretch, the Bulldogs couldn't pull out the win without scoring some points.

After a low-scoring first half, both teams caught fire after the break. Judge's scrappy and speedy point guard Zach Myaer, also the Bulldogs only returning varsity starter, was persistent against the Braves smothering defense and consistently found openings under the basket to create easy scoring opportunities for Whitt and Daniel Shiramazu.

"He's our team leader. He didn't score any points but he created almost every opportunity," Judge coach Jim Yerkovich said.

But neither team could make a run last for long. After the break, Bountiful was able to keep pace behind the precise jumpers of junior Nick Williams, who finished with 13 points.

But in a back-and-forth game of mini-scoring runs, the Bulldogs refused to implode.

Judge finally secured some momentum with two well-timed three-pointers from Shiramizu and Ben Zanolli to take a four-point lead into the final quarter -- just in time for Whitt to break loose with three blocks, two steals 11 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter. His six-of-seven performance at the foul line sealed the win as the free-throws played out the final minutes. Shiramazu was also near-perfect from the foul-line, hitting 10-of-12 attempts.

"That was the best mental poise I've seen from the team this year," Yerkovich said. "It was a 10-point game in the end, but it sure felt a lot closer."