Knights drop T-Wolves from region unbeatens

HIGHLAND — Lone Peak won the battle of the Region 4 girls basketball unbeatens, defeating the visiting Timpanogos Timberwolves 66-54 Friday in a fast-paced, high-scoring shootout.

Senior Caitlyn Sears scored 22 points and pulled down nine rebounds, helping her team run away in the fourth quarter.

"Caitlyn is our leader," said Lone Peak coach Keith Flood. "I think she's one of the best offensive players in the state."

But even with her three 3-pointers, Sears said the key was defense.

"We know defense wins games," she said. "We came out in the second half and just played team defense."

The Knights held Timpanogos to just 11 fourth-quarter points, using their size to clog up the paint and force the T-wolves to shoot outside. Shannon Harmer had five of Lone Peak's 11 steals to go along with her 15 points.

"She was a big spark for us in the second half," Flood said.

It was a game of runs. Timpanogos opened the first quarter with seven unanswered points, only to see the Knights come back with eight straight. The opening period ended in a 16-16 tie. Then Sears took over.

The 5-foot-11 guard hit her second three, opening up a five-point lead early in the second. Sears scored eight more in the quarter, and a Harmer fastbreak layup gave the Knights a nine-point halftime lead.

But the T-Wolves stayed close with hot outside shooting. Junior Megan Bishop banked in one of her three triples early in the third, cutting Lone Peak's lead to single digits. After another Bishop-bucket, 6-2 forward Amy Weitzeil picked Sears' pocket in the back court for an easy lay-in, making it a four-point game, 45-41.

But Lone Peak's tough interior defense took its toll in the fourth, as Timpanogos was outscored 17-11. The T-Wolves went cold from outside and struggled to penetrate, while the Knights took advantage of turnovers for easy points in transition.

With the win the Knights gain sole possession of first place in Region IV with a perfect record of 4-0. The T-Wolves drop to 3-1 but will get another shot at Lone Peak at home, Feb. 13.