High school boys basketball: 5A stars slip past 4A in overtime

SANDY — For Utah's 4A and 5A boys basketball all-stars, it's not all about fun and showboating. There is still some work involved. And when they got down to business Saturday night at Jordan High School, it took more than the standard four quarters to decide who has bragging rights.

The 5A squad scored the overtime period's first four baskets to help them pull away and come out on top, 122-116.

"It's a game to come out and have fun," West Jordan's Jordan Weirick said after pouring in a game-high 28 points, including six 3-pointers. "But I don't like to lose any game."

Weirick was a big part of the 5A team holding a lead for almost the entire night. They led 29-17 after the first quarter and 53-42 at halftime.

But their 4A counterparts refused to go away and threatened several times to take the lead themselves. That's something they finally did with 5 1/2 minutes to go. With the score tied at 87-87, Olympus' Corbin Green was fouled on a 3-point attempt and made 2-of-3 free throws that gave 4A its first lead of the game. That began an 11-2 run that seemingly put the 4A squad in control.

But Pleasant Grove's C.J. Wilcox nailed a 3 to knot the score at 102-102, and that was all the scoring there would be in regulation.

The 5A stars immediately took control of the overtime period with a 9-0 spurt that included a key 3-pointer and layin by Skyline's Ryan Osterloh.

Tyler Stahle of Woods Cross hit a 3-pointer to cut 5A's advantage to 114-111, but in the end, 5A pulled away one last time to seal the victory.

Even though the season ended recently for Weirick — with a 5A state championship — his job hasn't been completed.

"I've been working in the offseason, working in the gym on shooting," he said. "Having that rest and working on that has been good for me, so I just came out shooting, and I guess I felt pretty good tonight."

Stahle led 4A with 25 points, including five 3-pointers. Teammate Alex Mortenson of Springville contributed 19 points, while Green (four 3-pointers) and Provo's Brandon Davies each had 16 points. Markus Duran of Murray chipped in with 15 points, including five 3-pointers.

For 5A, C.J. Wilcox of Pleasant Grove scored 22 points, while Jordan Bernardo of Jordan had 12, Osterloh 11 and Remington Peck of Bingham and Clearfield's Jordan Hanson put in 10 apiece.

2A/3A All-Star game