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Richfield • Layton Christian coach Bobby Porter didn't want to use the early-morning start time as an excuse for his team's slow start in the quarterfinals, but he wasn't naive to think it didn't have an effect on both teams, too.
So, slotted into the later tip in the Class 2A semifinals on Friday, it was imperative for the top-ranked Eagles to establish consistency early against Region 13 champion Beaver.
Mark Burton and Nicholas Aguirre ensured that happened. The two guards combined for 28 first-half points, with Burton finishing with a game-high 23 points and Aguirre adding 18, as the Eagles stampeded past the Beavers, 53-39, for an opportunity to claim their first title since 2012 when they were in the 1A classification.
"It's a situation, and I'm not taking anything away from anybody, but when you play that morning game, it is hard to get these kids to play," Porter explained.
Luckily for the Eagles, time is not an issue on Saturday when it plays the winner of Emery and Summit Academy for the title at 7 p.m. at the Sevier Valley Center.
The Eagles shot 46.3 percent from the floor, including connecting on 13-of-26 attempts in the first half, and regrouped after the Beavers started chipping away behind Kord Snyder, who tallied 14 points, 11 in the final two quarters.
"We worked hard all year and now the time has finally come, so we've got to really focus," Burton said. "... We realize it's right there for us. We feel like we're the best team every time we step on the court."
Layton Christian entered the year as the preseason favorite after a disappointing conclusion in 2015. The Eagles stumbled in the quarterfinals after removing four players from the program permanently for violation of team rules.
"It's been a two-year process. Last year we felt we should have been here," Porter said. "We've gotten better from it. Nobody is bigger than the program, and this year we're getting rewarded for it."
Twitter: @trevorphibbs Class 2A boys' basketball championship
Saturday, at the Sevier Valley Center
Layton Christian (19-5) vs. Emery (21-2)/Summit Academy (21-4), 7 p.m.