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Taylorsville • Apparently, Dani Barton playing at 40 percent is enough for Brighton right now.

The ailing Bengals star scored 15 points and added five rebounds and two assists to lead her team to a difficult 50-46 quarterfinal victory over Layton on Wednesday in the Class 5A girls' basketball tournament at Salt Lake Community College.

"It's sore," said Barton about her left ankle, which she injured in Monday's first-round victory, another four-point thriller. "I don't feel it during the game when the adrenaline is going."

The Brighton star said she was playing at about 40 or 50 percent of normal because of the injury.

"I don't like being slower and not being able to jump," she said.

What has become obvious, though, is that Brighton is more than a one-player team. The Bengals got big games from Lindsey Johnson, McCall Christensen, Alyssa Hirschi and Jade Summerhays as they staved off numerous Layton rallies.

"She is a great player," said Brighton coach Jim Gresh of Barton. "But I have other experienced players. I have four seniors who have been with me four years. They are veterans. They know what to do."

This was a game of runs and comebacks. Brighton raced out to leads of 18-9 and 29-20, only to watch Layton come back. The Lancers, behind a vicious press and the play of Hailey Bassett, scored 10 straight points to take a 30-29 early in the second half, only to fall behind 43-32 at the end of three quarters.

Layton then put together a frantic fourth-quarter rally to move to within three points twice with under a minute to go.

But Barton and Hirschi each hit big free throws in the final seconds to preserve the win.

"I was shaking," admitted Barton, who limped out of the gym with her ankle wrapped in ice. "I had confidence in us. I know we could pull through. When it got close at the end, I knew we had to dig in."

Gresh credited Layton.

"You know Layton and [McKenzie] Vanuitert are going to come at you until the end," he said. "You never have them beat. They fought hard, made some shots and got a couple of steals at the end."

In the end, though, Brighton and a Dani Barton at 40 percent had enough to advance to Friday's semifinals.

Twitter: @tribtomwharton —

Brighton 50, Layton 46

R Dani Barton, playing on a bad ankle, scores 15 points to lead Brighton.

• The Bengals lead by 11 at the end of three quarters, but have to hold off a furious Layton rally in the final minutes.

• Lindsey Johnson contributes 11 big points for Brighton.