The Rich Rebels are headed back to the 1A girls championship game. Rich survived a furious fourth-quarter Panguitch rally on its way to a 37–34 semifinal win Friday on the campus of Salt Lake Community College. “These last couple of games it’s been like whatever it takes to win,” Rich coach Cody Lundgren said.
The Rich Rebels are headed back to the 1A girls championship game.
Rich survived a furious fourth-quarter Panguitch rally on its way to a 37–34 semifinal win Friday on the campus of Salt Lake Community College.
“These last couple of games it’s been like whatever it takes to win,” Rich coach Cody Lundgren said. “Panguitch played great defense on us. We had some things not go right for us and we missed a few shots. We kept grinding and did what we had to do to win.”
Rich held a 34-28 after Braylen Pugmire hit a pair of free throws with 50 seconds remaining, but Panguitch’s Tayt Miller responded by knocking down a 3-pointer that cut the lead to a single possession.
With 30 seconds remaining Molly Weston hit a pair of free-throws as the Rebels led 36-31 before Panguitch’s Makena Owens hit a baseline 3-pointer that trimmed the lead to 36-34 with 13 seconds left.
Weston then went back to the free throw line, making the first and missing the second, setting up a game-tying possession for the Bobcats.
But Miller’s 30-footer at the buzzer drew front rim and the Rebels, who hit 5 of 6 free throws down the stretch, advanced.
“It’s a great accomplishment and a great honor to go back to the championship,” Weston said. “Our coach always tells us to shoot free throws with confidence, and that’s what I did.”
Pugmire led Rich with 12 points and 11 rebounds while Laci McKinnon added nine points and three steals and Weston and Dottie Morse combined for 13 points.
“I just gotta do my job and be a presence in the middle,” Pugmire said. “If I’m open I know my teammates are going to get me the ball.”
Both teams started slowly Friday as they combined for just 10 first-quarter points. The Rebels scored the first five points of the game as Panguitch didn’t get on the board until less than two minutes remained in the first quarter.
Rich led 7-3 after the first period and 14-8 at halftime before Panguitch cut the deficit in half at 24-21 heading into the fourth quarter.
Miller led Panguitch with 16 points while Katie Hatch and Owens combined for 13 points.
Category: General Sports
