4A girls basketball semifinal: T-Birds overcome sluggish start

TAYLORSVILLE — It can't hurt to have a little experience, especially if you're embroiled in a highly intense situation like a state basketball tournament.

And the Timpview T-Birds used all the experience they could muster from last year's championship run to defeat Region 7 rival Springville 47-38 to advance to the 4A championship game for the second straight season.

That experience helps you rebound from a two-point first quarter without falling apart because of the jitters jumping through your body.

"It's still just as exciting, but I feel a lot calmer because I've been here before, and I know what to expect," said Timpview point guard Kellie Woodfield, who finished with a team-high 12 points. She also added six assists and five rebounds to her well-rounded effort.

That experience also helps you survive a tough game against a good opponent when all three of your stars are having off nights. Though the T-Birds got only seven points from Chelsea Bridgewater and six each from Alexis Kaufusi and Gabrielle Pinegar, they still maintained control through most of the contest.

"It was a total team effort. You might be able to stop one of us, but you can't stop all of us," added Woodfield with a smile.

The first quarter of the game between two teams that know every nuance of each other's games was not a pretty effort, especially from the offensive end, for either team, but at the end, the Red Devils had managed to wrench out a 4-2 lead.

"I think that was probably the first (two-point quarter) we've ever had. We just couldn't put it in," said Timpview coach Kawika Akina, who stressed to his team after snaring a 16-15 halftime lead that "you've gotta step up another notch, find another gear."

And they definitely found that gear, possibly after Jennifer Saxton came off the bench to throw in a shot at the buzzer to give them the one-point lead.

The T-Birds got an extra shot of adrenaline when Kelsey Kimball launched an off-balance trey at the hoop and it went in at the end of the third quarter to extend their lead to 34-23.

"I stressed all day yesterday during practices that somebody else was going to have to step up, and they were ready to contribute to the team," said Akina, who had to be happy with the effort of Adaiza Greenhalgh, who came off the bench for eight points, including 2-of-2 from the 3-point line.