Eagles' defense stifles Lynx

WEST JORDAN — Sasha Noel said it doesn't matter what the score of the game is, the Layton Christian Eagles try to play their game.

"We just keep playing our hardest no matter who we're playing," the senior guard said after the Eagles cruised past Salt Lake Lutheran 64-44 Thursday night in the semifinal round of the Region 17 Tournament at West Ridge Academy.

"It doesn't matter what the score is."

That philosophy is one of the reasons the Eagles are ranked No. 1 and stayed undefeated in region play. The other reason is that the team is loaded with talent including Noel, senior guard Marquina Hicks, junior forward Tess Lawrence and freshman forward Jasmine Porter.

The Eagles put so much defensive pressure on the Lynx from the game's opening tipoff that they held them scoreless for the first four minutes of the game.

"We're always really concerned about defense," said head coach Craig Geis. "We know we can take a lot of pressure off ourselves if we play good defense and create an up-tempo game."

That is exactly what the Eagles did with Hicks leading the scoring with 22 points and six steals. Lawrence added 11 points and eight rebounds, while Porter finished with 11 points and seven rebounds. Hicks, Noel and Lawrence only played three quarters before Geis rested them for the tournament's final game Friday night against Intermountain Christian.

"They're one of the best teams in 1A," Geis said of ICS. "They're a strong team and they never give up. We have trouble with them."

The Lynx also played hard despite trailing the entire game. They were led by senior forward Shalimar Davis, who finished with 12 points, all from the 3-point line, and senior guard Carly Barner, who scored nine points. Lindsey Plant played a great game in the paint and added seven points, while Ashley McMillan scored six points.

Geis said he'd prefer not to play a region tournament for seeding, but he uses the extra games to make sure the players are focused and sharp.

"It's nice to have a chance to give all of them a chance to gain some experience," he said of being able to use his bench for significant minutes. "It's a good opportunity for them to grow."

The Eagles know the upcoming games will only get tougher but said they're ready for the challenge.

"We know there is nobody easy at state," said Hicks. "But we're up to the challenge."

The girls said they're enjoying their successful season, especially because their seniors.

"I like this year because we play like a team," said Hicks. "You might have Sasha one night, or Tess another or Jasmine. It's not just one player. We're a team."

ICS and Layton Christian play for the Region 17 championship at 7 p.m. Friday at West Ridge. Salt Lake Lutheran and St. Joseph's play for third place at 5:30 p.m. and West Ridge and Christian Heritage play for fifth place at 4 p.m.

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E-mail: adonaldson@desnews.com