This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Springville • The Springville boys basketball team outhustled a much taller team Thursday afternoon in the FreeTaxUSA Shootout and went on to an impressive 54-42 victory over BC Christian from Canada.
The Devils got a huge lift from their efficiency at the free-throw line as their normally productive 3-point shooting was neutralized by BC Christian. Springville was 30-for-40 from the line overall.
In addition, the Red Devils were relentless on defense and showed their superior ball handling on both ends of the floor. BCC committed eight more turnovers and Springville had a 10-2 edge in steals, helping to produce a 27-11 edge in points off turnovers.
Senior guard Josh Elison sparked the Devils with 17 points and three steals. Senior guard Bennet Hullinger stood tall among the trees with 12 points and senior center Andrew Slack chipped in 11 points and eight boards in limited minutes.
"Our guys were really excited for this game," said Springville coach Justin Snell. "They're really long and we're not. It was nice to see our guards succeed playing our style of game."
Slack got into foul trouble and had to sit on the bench for extended periods, but he was capably backed up by Mark Gallagher. "Mark did a fantastic job of making them work inside, especially in the second half," the coach said.
The Devils raced out to a 17-9 advantage in the first quarter and that helped set the tone for the evening. "Building a quick lead like that helps take the pressure off," Snell said. "You can relax and play some ball when you have a cushion."
The coach noted that participating in a tournament like this should pay dividends down the road.
"Playing good teams helps expose your weaknesses and shows you what you need to work on before you get to region play," Snell concluded.
Other games
Mountain View (Ariz.) 68, Kearns 54 • Senior guard Nick Valles led Kearns with 16 points and junior guard David Andrew added 14. Sophomore forward Majok Kuath added eight rebounds and four blocks before fouling out.
Wasatch Acacemy 71, Lone Peak 58 • The nationally-ranked Tigers led the Knights most of the evening, but the visitors pulled within two points in the fourth quarter. However, Wasatch Academy made enough plays and free throws down the stretch. Junior guard Damion Squire had 19 points and seven boards to lead the Tigers, while junior guard Emmanuel Akot had 17 with seven rebounds, junior guard Zion Young scored 14 and senior forward Josip Vrankic added 13 points with 11 rebounds. For Lone Peak, senior Nate Harkness had 19 points, junior Steven Ashworth 18 and junior Chantry Ross 10.
Wakefield (Va.) 79, Orem 60 • The Tigers fell behind the Warriors quickly but recovered and fought their way back by the end of the second quarter to take a 33-29 lead into the break. However, Wakefield mounted a 23-5 assault in the third period and Orem wasn't able to recover. Sophomore Puka Nacua topped the Tigers with 22 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals. Junior Ross Reeves added 14 points and junior Taylor Hockersmith had 10. Warrior senior guard Alan Treakle led all scorers with 28 points and also had five steals.
Timpview 61, Smoky Hill (Colo.) 60 • The Thunderbirds fell behind 9-0 and closed within four points at the ed of the first quarter, took the lead in the final minute of the third quarter and then held off a late rally to win. Junior Hunter Ericson scored a game-high 23 points, including three 3-pointers, plus nine rebounds. Senior Jordan Sagers added 12 points with five assists and junior Adam Santiago made 11 points and three steals.