High school girls basketball: Springville girls upset No. 3 Snow Canyon

SPRINGVILLE — The Snow Canyon Warriors got a chilly reception when they invaded the Springville gym for a friendly game of girls basketball.

The Red Devils, despite missing two talented starters, upset the No. 3 Warriors 55-44, pulling away at the finish. Point guard Holli Averett came back to the team this week after going through two surgeries in the past few months, but she's still unable to practice full speed or play in games.

Springville coach Nancy Warner noted that they'll play Averett's return by ear, and she might be relegated to limited playing time for the near future. Sharpshooter Genna Brown is working her way back from a broken arm, and the team is hoping to have her back for the start of region season.

But in the end against Snow Canyon, the solid Red Devil team didn't need either one of them, except for the cheers they sent over from the bench as the defensive intensity picked up late in the third quarter and continued through the end of the game. The Warriors might also have been a little tired after losing a close one to Alta on Thursday night.

"This was a great team effort. It all started on the defensive end. In the beginning we kept giving up open shots, but we finally took pride and got together as a team and got some key layups there because of our defense," said Warner.

She noted just how all of her players stepped up and filled their roles when they were called on, as eight players saw time.

"That's the way we have to be. When players go down we have to step up because we're a team," said Warner.

The Red Devils started the game fairly well with a 12-8 first quarter against Snow Canyon, but the second quarter belonged to the Warriors as five players stepped up for 15 Snow Canyon points while limiting Springville to eight.

But midway through the third period, the Red Devils took charge, scoring almost as many points in one period as they had through the entire first half with 18 to Snow Canyon's eight. The Red Devils took their biggest lead of the game to that point into the fourth quarter, where Lexi Eaton took over with some solid free-throw shooting and some nice inside play.

Eaton plays bigger than her stature and was picking up key rebounds and recording a pair of putbacks in the third. Eaton finished with a game-high 20 points, while teammate Ashley Kroneberger added 17 as the team's superstars each came away with a solid night. Eaton also made it through the contest unscathed on the free-throw line as she knocked down a solid 8-8 from the stripe.

Sadie Clements finished the contest with 10 as the Red Devils put three girls into double figures. But it was the defense that gave them opportunities and took the same away from the Warriors. The Red Devils did a good job of shutting down Taylar Barney and holding her to only five points after the Snow Canyon senior put in 21 against the Hawks the night before.

Liz Ricks led the Warriors with 14 points, and Kylie Moore added 10, but the stingy Springville defense wasn't giving much up on the Snow Canyon half of the court.

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