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Layton • A little geometry went a long way for Layton on Friday night against the defending Class 5A state champs.

The Lancers' diamond-and-one and triangle-and-two defenses stifled Fremont senior sharpshooter Shelbee Molen for most of the game and the host Lancers held on for a 52-40 Region 1 victory.

"Our game plan from the start was to shut down Molen, try to keep her under double digit points," said Layton senior guard Megan Benson, who drew the primary defensive assignment on Molen. "We did a diamond-and one and a triangle-and-two to try to keep the outside shots to a minimum. We did a pretty good job of that."

Molen, a senior who averages 17 points per game this season, had just two baskets and six points through three quarters as Layton (10-3, 3-0 Region 1) built a 15-point lead.

"We might have caught them off guard with a few things defensively," Layton coach Van Price said. "[Molen] can hit that long, extended, NBA, even five yards past that, shot. We weren't going to let her have that."

The Lancers were 0 for 1 from the field in the fourth quarter, as the Silverwolves (10-4, 2-1) turned to a physical full-court press that resulted in punishing fouls and lots of free throws. Layton scored all 16 points of its fourth-quarter points on free throws, and finished the game 25 of 40 from the line.

The win just might help all those bruises heal a little quicker.

Junior guard Sunnie Martinez scored a game-high 19 points, including four 3-pointers, as the Lancers went on a 17-4 run after halftime.

"My team set screens for me, they helped me get open," Martinez said. "I couldn't have made the shots without the picks. It was a team win."

Molen finished with 18 points after a flurry in the final quarter pulled Fremont to within 39-32 with 5:16 to play. The Silverwolves couldn't get closer the rest of the way.

"It came down to a mental perspective," Martinez said. "We kept pointing to our heads, saying 'It's mental, we've got to keep our heads up, and stay positive.'

"It's mentally and physically exhausting."

The Lancers dominated the boards and outrebounded Fremont 36-24, including eight from Hailey Bassett to go with nine points. —

Layton 52, Fremont 40

• Layton shoots 16 of 27 from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter to move into sole possession of first place in Region 1.

• Fremont's Shelbee Molen scores 12 of her 18 points in the fourth quarter as the Silverwolves tried to climb back from a 15-point deficit.

• Layton's Sunnie Martinez leads all scorers with 19 points, including four 3-pointers.