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Taylorsville • The long-anticipated game between unbeatens Layton and Copper Hills offered the kind of overtime drama, comebacks, controversial calls and finish that rarely happen in a contest of this magnitude.

In the end, the Lancers captured a 46-44 overtime victory behind the play of Hailey Bassett, Clara Wood and Livia Borges. But it wasn't easy, and a few officials' decisions in the last moments of regulation and in overtime will be long discussed.

The game didn't begin like a classic. Layton's blistering press shocked Copper Hills early and the Lancers rallied behind Bassett to roar to a 17-3 lead.

Then the Grizzlies Shirtsen Wissinger decided her team's magical season wasn't going to end without a fight. With her scoring nine second-quarter points, the half ended with Layton clinging to a 23-22 lead.

That set up a memorable second half in a physical battle that saw bodies flying all over the floor, fans screaming and coaches and players exhausted.

Layton coach Van Price said it best.

"I am totally drained," he said. "I am elated, but emotionally drained. That was a hard game. It was typical of 23-0 teams. It was the kind of game you want. That's the kind of game the fans came to see and that's the kind of game we gave them."

The contest was tied seven times in the second half. Until overtime, the largest lead of the half was two points.

Things got pretty strange.

Wissinger, who finished with 22 points, fouled out on a controversial offensive foul that could easily have gone either way in the final moments of regulation.

In the overtime, the officials lined up the players wrong on the opening jump ball. As Price frantically told his players to go the other way, both teams looked confused. Layton looked as if it were going to shoot at Copper Hills' basket. It then discovered its mistake, though more than 10 seconds had likely passed at that point. The play resulted in Wood getting an uncontested layup.

"I ran down the court and I was kind of scared it was going to be the wrong basket," said Wood.

Bassett, who flew to Phoenix on Thursday night to play in a soccer game Friday morning and arrived back in Salt Lake at 3:30 p.m., was also a little nervous.

"I looked at the scoreboard and said 'please go to our side, please go to our side,' she said.

Borges scored a basket and Wood added her 11th and final point to give Layton a 44-38 lead with 1:11 to play.

Still, Copper Hills would not give up.

Amberly Lazenby hit a 3-pointer to keep it close. Layton hit only one of its next four 3-pointers. And Copper Hills' Mikelle Magalogo tossed in a 3-pointer with 10.8 seconds left.

Borges hit one of two free throws, and Layton survived a couple of missed shots, including a 3-pointer at the buzzer to survive.

That ended a memorable game between two teams that had seasons to celebrate.

Twitter @tribtomwharton Storylines

• After leading 17-3, Layton survives a furious Copper Hills rally to advance to Saturday's 5A title game against Sky View.

• Hailey Bassett scores 16 points, Clara Wood adds 11 and Livia Borges adds eight after flying home from Phoenix after playing a soccer game Friday morning to pace Layton.

• Shirsten Wissinger leads Copper Hills with 22 points before fouling out.