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South Jordan • Who's ready for Round 3?
It's not hard to make a case for Bingham and Copper Hills to once again meet for the Class 5A state tournament title, after the host Miners evened the season series with a thrilling 58-51 victory Tuesday night.
Bingham (15-3, 6-1) looked every bit the defending state champion as it repeatedly fended off Copper Hills rallies through most of the second half.
Dason Youngblood scored 14 points and Lleyton Parker and Branden Carlson each added 10 for the Miners, who avenged a two-point loss to the Grizzlies (14-4, 6-1) on Jan. 6 and moved into a first-place tie atop the region standings.
"We came in prepared, we know these guys really well," Youngblood said of the Miners' must-win approach. "We really wanted to get this win."
Bingham's outcome looked bleak when big man Carlson went to the bench 1:29 into the game with two fouls. But the Miners survived poor outside shooting (1 for 11 from 3-point range at halftime) and a low-scoring second quarter.
Carlson picked up two more fouls by the 3:46 mark of the third quarter, but Copper Hills couldn't capitalize. Stockton Shorts scored 13 of his 22 points in the second half, but the Grizzlies led just once in the third quarter, despite nipping at the Miners' heels until midway through the fourth.
Carlson returned to the floor and scored six points in the fourth quarter, including two on a thunderous dunk off an assist from Youngblood.
"Lleyton [Parker] passed it to me; I didn't know I was going to get the ball," Youngblood said. "I drove to the hoop and thought, I've got to pass it off to Branden for the dunk."
Bingham iced the game at the free-throw line, where it made 11 of 12 in the final quarter, a testament to the Miners' calm amid the storm of the raucous atmosphere and two boisterous student sections.
"A lot of these guys have been in a lot of big basketball games and big football games, and I like to think the pressure doesn't get to them," Bingham coach Jake Schroeder said. "Eleven of 12 from the foul line backs that up. It was a gutsy win. They were tough as heck tonight."
Bring on Round 3. —
Bingham 58, Copper Hills 51
R The Miners break open a tight game by making 11 of 12 free throws in the fourth quarter to move into a first-place tie with the Grizzlies atop Region 3.
• Bingham's Branden Carlson scores 10 points in just 12 minutes of action because of foul trouble.
• Copper Hills' win streak ends at nine games; Bingham has won six straight.