Lehi Sports
Falcon girls hoops goes 2-1 in league games
Beky Beaton / Lehi Free Press
The Skyridge High School girls basketball team fell to 6A’s top team but followed that up with two victories in Region 3 play in the past two weeks. The Falcons are in second place in the league at 3-1 and have an overall record of 12-6.
Jan. 16: Lone Peak 68, Skyridge 54
The Falcons competed against the No. 1 Knights on the road but weren’t able to keep pace offensively well enough to challenge for a win.
Sophomore guard Hallee Sheffield led the Skyridge effort with 18 points, eight rebounds, four assists and a block in a great all-around outing.
Senior guard Lily Grant netted three triples and finished with 15 points plus four boards. Sophomore guard Elena Chiara chipped in for 11 points along with five assists and four steals. Sophomore forward Emmie Mahe collected five rebounds.
“We weren’t able to get the stops on defense we needed but it was a big learning opportunity for us and helped us see what we need to work on and improve,” said Coach Shaylee Nielsen. “Hallee Sheffield was relentless against Lone Peak and found ways to make an impact on both ends of the floor.”
Jan. 20: Skyridge 82, Corner Canyon 50
The Falcons started hot at home against the Chargers, working to a 19-11 lead after the first quarter and then widening it to 43-19 by the break. Corner Canyon competed more closely in the second half against many Skyridge reserves but couldn’t cover the spread.
Ten players scored and the team combined to net 14 triples. The Falcons outrebounded the visitors 36-29, made 23 assists and registered 17 steals and five blocks in the contest.
Chiara had a busy night, scoring a game-high 21 points to go with five rebounds, seven assists, five steals, a block and no turnovers. Sheffield also had an active floor game yielding 17 points, six boards, four assists and two steals.
Grant provided 12 points with three rebounds, senior guard Kyah Perkins gathered nine boards and made three assists while senior forward Aiden Beck posted seven points with three rebounds.
“It was a great team win against Corner Canyon,” Nielsen said. “A lot of players got to get minutes and contribute. Elena had a big night scoring and a lot of it was her willingness to run the floor and play off the ball. It was a fun night offensively as we scored a lot from long distance.”
Jan. 23: Skyridge 45, American Fork 44
The Falcons struggled against the talented Cavemen on the road and trailed most of the contest but made the plays down the stretch to pull out a thrilling victory, outscoring their hosts 16-5 in the final quarter to get it done.
“We couldn’t find a rhythm all night,” the coach said. “It was one of those games when everyone was just a little off. The last 4-5 minutes of the game the girls showed some real grit and committed to the press, and we were able to cause a lot of turnovers.
“Huge shoutout to Ava Habbas (Jr. G) who came in the last few minutes and was a huge energy boost for us,” Nielsen continued. “She had three deflections and two steals in five minutes as well as the game-winning three.
“Aiden Beck also hit a huge three for us with 20 seconds left to bring us within one and Elena Chiara assisted on that shot as well as the game-winner. I’m really proud of our resilience and how the girls found a way to win a tough game on the road,” she concluded.
Chiara finished with 13 points and three rebounds while Beck contributed 10 points with five boards and Grant had seven points. Mahe garnered six rebounds.
The Falcons begin the second round of Region 3 play on Tuesday (Feb. 3) as they visit Lehi for a 5:15 p.m. varsity contest, followed by the boys varsity matchup at 7 p.m. On Friday (Feb. 6), Skyridge hosts Lone Peak with varsity start times of 6 p.m. for girls and 7:30 p.m. for boys.
