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Sandy • The Timpview girls' basketball team overcame a double-digit deficit to reduce Alta's advantage to a single point with 2:37 remaining, but the Hawks responded quickly and made the plays down the stretch to secure a 70-62 win.

In an important Region 7 battle, Alta led the Thunderbirds by as many as 15 points in the first half before the visitors settled down and began to whittle away at the gap.

They reduced it to 10 points by the break and five points by the end of the third period.

The margin went up and down throughout the final quarter, but the last of five triples on the night by senior guard Sierra Neves followed by a free throw from sophomore guard Jasmine Espinoza drew Timpview as close as it got.

The Hawks immediately added a bucket by sophomore Deserae Falatea, followed closely by a trey from sophomore long-ball specialist Kemery Martin. The home squad then converted four foul shots in the final half-minute to wrap up the victory.

Alta senior forward Lexington Walbeck was really effective in the paint on both ends of the floor. A potential problem arose for her team when she was whistled for her third foul just three minutes into the second quarter.

She made a trip to the bench but her stay was a short one, and she managed to avoid committing any more fouls for the remainder of the contest.

"I relied on my team to help me," she said. "It's all about trust. I was counting on someone being behind me if I got beat so I wouldn't have to foul, and they were." Walbeck finished with 15 points and multiple rebounds along with solid defense.

Martin's big shot in the fourth quarter produced the most critical of her game-high 21 points, but she said she wasn't even aware that the outcome was hanging in the balance at the time.

"The game was actually closer than I thought," she said. "I knew I had to score to help get some separation, but I didn't realize until later the exact circumstances."

Walbeck pointed out that her teammate is smart at finding her shot, which she did in this game-turning situation.

Martin termed the event a learning game. "We were not at our best tonight," she said. Walbeck added, "You never know what other teams can do. We've got to learn to give our best every night and to play a complete game." —

Alta 70, Timpview 62

R With the win, Alta remains a game behind Mountain View in Region 7 at 7-1, 14-1 overall.

• Mariah Martin scores 13 points, and Kacey Blackner adds 12 for the victors.

• Timpview's record falls to 10-4, 5-3 on the season, but the T-birds remain in solid position for a playoff berth. Sierra Neves and Ella Pope lead the Thunderbirds with 17 points apiece.