Sandy » Alta's Jordan Brown spent most of the first half on the bench due to some early foul trouble. So when he got in the game in the second half, he wanted to make sure his presence was felt.

He accomplished that as he sparked the Hawks in a pivotal third quarter and helped his team to a 53-49 overtime win over Jordan on Wednesday.

The victory pulls the Hawks into a first-place tie with the Beetdiggers with 3-1 records in Region 4.

"I just didn't want to come out passive," said Brown, who finished with a team-leading 14 points. "I just wanted to keep the momentum going."

The Hawks had a slow start in the first quarter. They got in early foul trouble and their offense was choppy. At halftime, they trailed 29-19.

But a quick three-pointer at the beginning of the third by Brayden Beckham established Alta's momentum and Brown built on it. He drove hard to the basket and his three layups and another three by Beckham tied the game at 29-29.

While Alta's offense picked up, Jordan couldn't hold on to the ball. The Beetdiggers turned the ball over on three straight possessions and a Jordan player picked up a technical foul after questioning a call.

"[The game] imploded in about a six-minute span," Jordan coach Rob Geertsen said. "The third quarter did us in."

A 19-2 third quarter would knock most teams out but the Beetdiggers fought back. Jordan drove to the basket and went inside to tie the game at 39-39 by the middle of the fourth quarter. The Beetdiggers had a balanced attack as three players scored in double figures.

Jordan was able to hold on to push overtime but missed free throws and a big shot by Beckham with 34 seconds left that pushed the lead to three did the Beetdiggers in.

"It was such a rollercoaster game," Alta coach Jim Barker said. "We're a good second and third quarter team. We've been in a lot of tight games but we always believe we have a good of chance as anybody to win."

mthach@sltrib.com