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Even with a busted lip, Morgan Kane helps Riverton oust defending state champ American Fork

(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Riverton's Makenzie McCombs (35) passes as Riverton faces American Fork in the 6A High School Girls' Basketball Tournament at SLCC in Taylorsville, Tuesday Feb. 20, 2018.

(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Riverton's Makenzie McCombs (35) passes as Riverton faces American Fork in the 6A High School Girls' Basketball Tournament at SLCC in Taylorsville, Tuesday Feb. 20, 2018.

Taylorsville • Riverton forward Morgan Kane put her hand to her face and felt something wet. Red smudged across half of her upper lip as she turned to the referee.

“I’m bleeding,” she said, a hint of surprise in her voice, as her team pushed forward on offense.

Kane played with a bandaged lip for the rest of the game, over three-quarters of it. She led the team in points and rebounds on Riverton’s way to a 68-52 win over American Fork in the first round of the Class 6A girls’ basketball state tournament at Salt Lake Community College.

In addition to logging 20 points and 14 rebounds, Kane’s presence in the paint opened up shots for the Riverton guards, who sank 11 3-pointers.

“I love my guards,” she said. “I know they do great. They can really knock those down. So if the post is cluttered, outside is wide open. And if outside’s cluttered, inside’s wide open. So we’re a great team because we have that diversity.”

Kane, who has committed to Iowa State, maintained her aggressiveness under the basket even after taking an elbow to the face as she fought for a rebound in the first quarter. She said she will have to get stitches.

“It’s a doozy,” Kane said after the game, removing a wad of bloody gauze to reveal a 2-centimeter gash that opened up like an envelope.

American Fork’s arrival on the court was delayed by the snow, and whether or not their hurried warmup ahead of a game that was pushed back 15 minutes played into the Cavemen’s slow start, Riverton led by as many as 10 points in the first quarter.

American Fork overcame that slow start when guard Jamie Shepherd cut off a pass and took off the other way midway through the second quarter. She dished the ball to Addison Holmstead, who passed it right back. Shepherd was fouled on her way up for the shot and went to the line with the chance to give American Fork a lead. She sank both free throws to go up 24-23.

“American Fork made some really good adjustments,” Riverton coach Ron Ence said, “and I’m glad that we countered it and did what we were supposed to do.”

The Silverwolves held the Cavemen to 9 points in the third quarter, and Kane went on to score 16 points in the second half to help Riverton advance to Thursday’s state quarterfinals, where it will face Fremont.