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Draper • Efficiency is a beautiful thing to watch. Copper Hills girls' basketball program doesn't feature national recruits or a tremendous size advantage. The Grizzlies aren't quicker or stronger than most.

But they execute on both sides of the ball and hardly ever squander opportunities. Make a bad pass? The Grizzlies are there for the turnover. Leave an open shooter? Count it. In an all-around display, Copper Hills improved to 6-1 on the year with an impressive 40-29 win over Highland at the Corner Canyon Winter Classic at Corner Canyon High on Thursday afternoon.

"Defensively we were very strong. We mixed up our defenses a little bit, and I think that threw them off-balanced," said Copper Hills coach Ben Morley. "We were worried about their rebounding, they're a good rebounding team, so I couldn't be more pleased on the defensive side. Offensively, we played to our strength. We tried to get open shots."

Copper Hills started off hot from the perimeter, knocking down back-to-back 3-point attempts to close the first quarter with a 12-8 lead. Both shots were hardly contested after the Grizzlies methodically moved possession until an open look was available.

Both programs primarily defended from a 2-3 zone, but Copper Hills' ball movement and ability to hit outside shots exposed gaps, whereas Highland (2-3), more capable on the interior, struggled to generate consistent offense on the block.

However, the Rams were able to keep the game close with second-chance points and transition buckets.

Copper Hills led 21-12 at halftime. The Grizzlies were stuck on that number for a significant duration in the third quarter, allowing Highland to crawl to within 21-16 — a deficit that could have been much smaller if the Rams connected on free throw attempts.

But the Grizzlies responded with a quick 9-2 run, fueled by two freshmen — Eleyana Tafisi and Lenisi Fineanganofo — to return fully into a comfortable position entering the final quarter.

"They made plays out there when the rest of us were struggling," Morley said. "I think that kind of got us over the top."

Twitter: @trevorphibbs —

Copper Hills 40, Highland 29

R Copper Hills improves to 6-1 overall on the season.

• The Grizzlies generate clean offensive looks against Highland's 2-3 zone with crisp ball movement.

• After the Rams close the gap in the third quarter, Copper Hills responds with a 9-2 run to take control.