5A boys basketball: Corner Canyon dominates interior, upsets Olympus in semifinals

OGDEN —

Olympus owned the first-class 1-2 punch in the nation all season; however, within the 5A semifinals on Friday night, it turned into the 1-2 punch of Corner Canyon that took the middle stage. Corner Canyon withstood a barrage of 2d and third-quarter 3-pointers from Olympus, after which executed on both ends of the floor almost entirely in the fourth sector to stun pinnacle-ranked Olympus 77-69 at Weber State. A dominant performance in the paint for the Chargers, who outscored Olympus with the aid of 14 within the fourth zone.

“In the paint, we had a big benefit. Whether it becomes Hayden (or) whether or not it changed into Gabe, I notion they have been mismatches for them,” said Corner Canyon train Dan Lunt. Those mismatches also brought about a 35-22 side at the boards for Corner Canyon. The win avenged back-to-lower back playoff ousters to Olympus for Corner Canyon, intending to be gambling in Saturday’s 7:30 p.M. Championship sport for the second directly yr. “I’d be lying if I didn’t tell you it didn’t sense accurate,” Lunt said. “Olympus is a superb software; they’re a super crew, they have got the first-rate subculture. They have suitable players, and they’re a category act.”

Corner Canyon knew it wanted a robust beginning towards Olympus, and it was given that while building an early 18-eleven lead. In the second region, Olympus went to its bench — mainly Jackson Frank — to climb right again into the game. With Corner Canyon main 26-16 midway via the region, Frank pulled Olympus back fast with three instantly three suggestions to cut the deficit to 26-25. A few possessions later, he converted a 4-factor play to push the Titans’ lead to 31-26 and then he made every other 3-pointer for the 34-29 lead. He scored 16 of his 18 factors inside the quarter. Rylan Jones had the new hand inside the third quarter for Olympus as he made three 3-hints, scoring thirteen of his group-high 25 factors inside the quarter. Olympus made 10 of its thirteen 3-tips inside the middle quarters, but in place of main by using double digits with that efficiency, the Titans handiest led 56-50 heading into the fourth region.

Corner Canyon matched Olympus’ efficiency in the course of the third region to stay within striking distance. “I’m happy with our children. They had a few resiliency. In specific times in the beyond, we might’ve panicked and started casting up 3s, and our youngsters refocused and got the ball in which we had the gain, and that became internal,” Lunt said. Corner Canyon scored on every ownership; however, one and all of those factors came both came at the rim or the unfastened-throw line. Olympus, meanwhile, kept going to the nicely, seeking to make three-tips; however, the nicely had dried up. During four minutes in the fourth sector, Corner Canyon became a fifty-eight-fifty-four deficit into a 64-fifty eight lead after Olympus ignored four straight three-pointers.

Jones eventually ended the drought for Olympus with a three-pointer at the 1:38 mark to reduce the deficit to 64-61, but the Chargers sealed the win from the unfastened-throw line. It made 17 of 20 unfastened throws in the fourth region. “I’m proud of our kids. They got herein, and I conceive the second one half we did our sports plan to a T. We felt that we had a massive advantage inside the paint, and we felt the first half of we didn’t utilize that,” Lunt said. In addition to the tremendous contributions from Toombs and Welling, Trace Ross scored 12 points for Corner Canyon, and Phil Harris got here off the bench and played splendid protection towards Jones on the fringe.