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Taylorsville • The Timpview coaching staff immediately knew how to turn around things. Trailing by two against Logan at halftime, the group pulled out the Thunderbirds' season-long shot chart to show the players what they were doing wrong.
They were shooting outside shots when they'd made the playoffs largely predicated on their versatile inside attack.
"I challenged them," Timpview coach Casey Cooke said.
They responded.
The Thunderbirds dominated the third quarter, scoring nearly all 20 points of the period in the paint en route to their 53-49 win over Logan in the first round of the 4A girls' basketball tournament Tuesday night at Salt Lake Community College.
"You saw the real Timpview in the second half," Cooke said.
Hard to argue that.
The Thunderbirds were assertive in the paint, pinging the ball around, looking for the open player and finding her. Fueled by sophomore twins Lacy (13 points) and Lindie (nine points) Haddock off the bench, Timpview was able to counter a relatively passive first-half performance with an equally aggressive last 16 minutes.
"They're so competitive," Cooke said about the Haddock duo. "They're huge for us and have been huge for us this season."
Those who helped flip the switch on the game in the second half along with the Haddocks were Courtney King, Lauryn Dela Cruz, Lennon Mangum and Audrey Smith, all of whom partook in the layup extravaganza during the last two quarters.
It was an ideal response for a group Cooke said is relatively inexperienced on the postseason stage.
"I think every team I've seen play today had those state jitters," she said. "That was one thing I was worried about."
The Thunderbirds eased the nerves of their coach and now face a very familiar face with a shot at the semifinals on the line. Timpview will play Region 8 rival Orem in the quarterfinals Thursday.
"We've beat them twice," Cooke said, "and it's hard to beat a team three times."
Thursday will be Timpview's shot to make it a trifecta.
Twitter: @chriskamrani —