Pioneers plow by Duchesne

LEHI — Michelle Harrison scored 30 points to lead Lehi to a 70-41 victory over Duchesne in prep girls basketball Wednesday. The Pioneers, coming off an emotional one-point victory at Delta on Tuesday night, improved to 11-1 on the season.

"This can happen in a playoff situation," said Lehi coach Michael O'Connor. "We try to simulate those experiences as much as we can during the season."

O'Connor drilled into his team the effects of what can happen if you "don't get after it from the beginning" after the close call against Delta. The Pioneers responded with a 16-0 run in the first quarter before Duchesne's Tai Marett was finally able to nail a jumper with seconds in the quarter.

The teams traded baskets in the second quarter before Lehi took charge again and ran off another 13 straight points, taking a 35-8 lead into the locker room. Harrison and Andrea Durrant, who received three stitches in her nose after Tuesday night's game, accounted for 28 of the Pioneers' 35 first-half points.

"We came out and played right from the start, executing things really well," said O'Connor. "We have a lot of ways to score with our guards and Michelle's inside-outside attack. I'm really proud of our unselfish play."

Harrison finished with 18 of her 30 points in the first half, including two 3-pointers to complement her strong inside game. Durrant finished with 16 points and Tristen Sunderland came on strong in the second half with two 3-pointers and eight total points. Kayla Burningham added a trey and nine points for the Pioneers.

Lehi also got after it on the defensive end, holding Duchesne's leading scorer Lindsay Mullins scoreless through three quarters and to only five points in the game. Jessica Fabrizio got it going in the third quarter for the Eagles with seven of her team-high 13.

The Eagles held their own against the tough Lehi squad through much of the second half, though they couldn't cut into the deficit.

"We lost a little focus in the second half, especially on the defensive end," said O'Connor, who was still proud of the overall effort, calling Duchesne (10-2, 5-0) a tough team.

Marett hit Duchesne's only 3-pointer and finished with nine points, while Jolynn Ivie added 10 in the losing effort.

In other girls prep basketball games Wednesday:

REGION 3