1A high school basketball: Roundy leads Bryce Valley to first title-game appearance

RICHFIELD — After picking up his fourth foul with 31/2 minutes to go in the third quarter of his team's mammoth semifinal game against Monticello, Bryce Valley junior Kace Roundy walked over to the bench and started crying.

Knowing just how much was at stake — Bryce Valley was trying to advance to the state title game for the first time in school history — Roundy was overcome with the feeling that his team, which was down by six points at the time, was going to the lose and that he wasn't going to be able to do anything about it.

In that singular moment, however, Bryce Valley coach Eric Jessen put his arm around Roundy and told him to he was going to be OK.

Roundy regained his composure a few moments later, and once he got back on the floor in the fourth quarter, he turned in a performance that will be recounted by the folks in Tropic for years to come.

Roundy scored 15 of his game-high 25 points in the fourth quarter and powered Bryce Valley to a pulsating 57-52 come-from-behind victory over Monticello Friday night at the Sevier Valley Center.

Bryce Valley's student section absolutely erupted on several occasions down the stretch when it became apparent that the Mustangs were going to do something that no previous Bryce Valley boys basketball team had ever done — make it to the state title game — and everyone associated with Bryce Valley's program was beaming with pride afterward.

"There's no way to put it into words," said Jessen. "After the game, I told my assistant to pinch me because I'm not sure if this is a dream or whether we're living in reality.

"This is the first time for Bryce Valley, and if you go to Tropic tomorrow, you could rob or get anything you want because there's not gonna be anyone there. Everybody will be here."

Bryce Valley will meet Piute for the 1A state championship at 5 tonight at the Sevier Valley Center.

So many people inside Bryce Valley's basketball program did so many things to make it possible for the Mustangs to go from being just 3-18 last year to appearing in the state championship game this year. But when the Mustangs' season was hanging in the balance on Friday, they turned to Roundy to make the difference.

And he came through with a performance for the ages.

Roundy, who moved with his brother Kam from Escalante before this season, returned to the floor at the start of the fourth quarter with his team trailing, 35-32.