Lehi Sports
Lehi boys earn tough hoops win at Westlake
The Lehi boys basketball team came from behind in front of a raucous crowd to prevail in a shootout on the road as Region 3 play continued last week.
Jan. 16: Lehi 79, Westlake 73
Encouraged by their vocal fans, the Thunder started hot and raced out to a 20-12 advantage after the first quarter. The Pioneers surged back in the second period and tied the score at 40 apiece heading into the locker room for the break.
The second half was almost a mirror copy of the initial one. The teams battled through multiple ties and lead changes, but Westlake hit some big shots late in the third quarter and enjoyed a 59-52 margin heading into the final period.
Lehi responded quickly, using effort plays on both ends of the court to regain the momentum. Senior forward Kaleb Moore blocked a shot on the first Thunder possession and senior forward Grayson Brousseau ended up with the ball. He later sent it to senior guard Cooper Lewis for a layup.
Next time down the court, Brousseau’s pressure led to a miss and Moore got the board. The first Pioneer shot didn’t fall, but Moore collected the ball again and fed it to junior wing Easton Hawkins on the perimeter for a triple to cut the lead to two in all of one minute.
A short time later, Lewis tipped the ball to Hawkins for a steal and then raced down the court, getting the ball back for a fast-break bucket and a Lehi lead with five minutes left to play.
The margin expanded with two Lewis free throws, a give-and-go from Brousseau to Lewis for a layup plus one and another Brousseau dish to senior guard Bryson Bromley for a triple with no answer from the hosts. They never got any closer as the Pioneers closed out the victory.
Lewis shot lights out and finished with 37 points plus seven assists with no turnovers and a block. He was 8-of-14 (57%) from long distance, setting a new Lehi all-time school record for most threes in a single game.
Hawkins added 19 points with five rebounds, two steals and a block while Brousseau scored 11 points with seven boards, five assists and two blocks. Bromley had six points with four rebounds. Moore had a great floor game, tallying eight rebounds, five assists and a block.
The team netted 13-of-22 (59%) treys, registered 23 assists on 28 field goals, outrebounded the Thunder 33-26 and turned the ball over just four times.
“We did a great job at the beginning of each quarter and that was key,” said Coach Quincy Lewis. “Kaleb gave us some outstanding minutes and did a great job overall. Grayson played a very intelligent game, and the kids all did an excellent job of communicating with one another on the court under pressure.
“It was another fun atmosphere tonight and we appreciated our students and fans supporting us in a hostile environment,” he added. “They made their presence felt and that really made a difference here. Any win you get on the road in this league is well earned.”
Following the game at Skyridge Friday (see separate story), the Pioneers (13-3, 2-1) will be at home for both Region 3 games next week as they complete the first round of league play.
They will face Lone Peak (8-7, 2-1) on Tuesday (Jan. 23) and Pleasant Grove (11-5, 1-2) on Friday (Jan. 26) in the double-header format. The varsity girls play at 6 p.m. with the boys immediately following about 7:30.
