Wasatch wallops Springville

HEBER CITY — Wasatch's Kelsi Remund is the floor leader for the Wasps basketball team. She is expected to score, be the defensive leader and get her teammates the ball. On Wednesday, she did just that by scoring a game-high 21 points to lead the Wasps to a 64-44 preseason win over Springville.

"Everybody knows she is our go-to player," Wasatch coach Roger Pyper said. "She is our defensive specialist and just an all-purpose player."

No. 3 Wasatch has won every game by more than 11 points, while Springville has lost every game by 12 points or more. Springville is young, as its starting line up consists of three juniors and two sophomores.

Jessica Bradford and Lisa Priest, both juniors, led the young Red Devils with eight points each.

"Springville has excellent athletes," Pyper said. "Our players wanted to put a lot of pressure on their young kids to see if they could handle it."

In the first quarter, Springville could not handle the quickness of the Wasps' pressure. The Red Devils turned the ball over 19 times for the game, seven coming in the first quarter. Springville did not hit a field goal the entire first quarter and trailed 19-2. Cori Nielsen scored the Red Devils' first field goal with 6:13 left in the first half.

Springville did score the first eight points of the second quarter to cut Wasatch's lead to 19-10 following a basket by Bradford with 5:18 left in the first half.

Springville's momentum did not last long as Wasatch extended its lead to a 17-point halftime lead at 33-16. Wasatch led by as many as 32 in the second half at 59-27 following a basket by Jennie Gardner with 5:52 left in the game.

"Our kids did a good job, I thought, of keeping the intensity," Pyper said. "I like the foot speed we have that allows us to run and press."

Pyper was also pleased with the play of 6-foot-3 senior Brittany Berg in the post and his point guard, Jamie Bond.

Berg netted 12 points, while Bond dropped in seven.

"Bond handled the game very well," Pyper said. "She had the kids spread out and made sure they were spaced wide enough. Our big kid (Berg) stayed in the post and made some nice moves."

Pyper hopes his team's intensity continues as they travel to East on Friday. On Tuesday, they host No. 4 Ogden.

"There are some good teams coming, really good," Pyper said.