3A girls high school basketball: Judge rocks Hurricane in quarterfinals

WEST VALLEY CITY — Judge took a step closer Thursday night to the 3A girls basketball championship rematch a lot of people are expecting.

The veteran Bulldogs jumped all over the youthful Hurricane Tigers rolling to the 60-46 victory at the E Center in the 3A quarterfinals. Judge dominated throughout leading by seven after the first quarter, 16 at the half and as many as 25 early in the fourth quarter.

"I thought defensively we just did a great job early slowing down (Megan) Clyde. We really just tried to take them out of offensively what they wanted to do," said Judge coach Jeremy Chatterton.

Judge faces Region 8 champion Emery in today's semifinals at 2:30 p.m. The Bulldogs know they can't look past an Emery team that crushed Morgan on Thursday, but a win could create a potential championship game rematch with Wasatch — assuming Wasatch wins its semifinal game as well.

Mikelle Mancini and Tina Fakahafua led Judge Thursday night with 13 points apiece while Alison Brann chipped in with 12.

Even though Hurricane leading scorer Clyde still finished with 20 points, only three of them came in the first half as Judge's smothering defense was giving her fits.

Chatterton knows his team has its hands full today against Emery, the team it upset in the quarterfinals last year.

"We're going to have to come with the same type of intensity and really defensively we're going to have to come with the same edge," he said.

E-MAIL: jedward@desnews.com