Overtime trey lifts San Juan girls to 1st 2A quarterfinal since 2011


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OREM — There was only one thing San Juan could do to pick up a win Friday afternoon against Wasatch Academy.

Broncos sophomore Bodell Nielson executed it perfectly.

Nielson drained her fourth 3-pointer of the game from the left wing with just a few seconds left in overtime, and the Broncos survived the Tigers 58-57 in overtime of a Class 2A state play-in game at Orem High School for their first postseason win in six years.

“I was just thinking to shoot, and it went one,” said Nielson, who led San Juan with 21 points. “We were up and we’d better not let them score again. But we did it.

“I was open on the three, so I thought to just shoot it.”

Delaney Palmer added 19 points for the Broncos, who advanced to face Region 13 top-seeded Kanab in a 2A state tournament game Feb. 23 at the Sevier Valley Center in Richfield in their first trip to the 2A state quarterfinals since a 43-37 win over Parowan in 2011.

As soon as Nielson’s shot went through the net, she didn’t think of celebrating; she ran back and defended Wasatch Academy standout Emanuely Oliviera on a potential game-winning bucket with four seconds remaining.

“I knew we couldn’t let them score again, so I’d better get back on defense,” Nielson said.

Oliviera scored four of her game-high 29 points in the final 1:10 of regulation to help the Tigers force overtime, then gave Wasatch Academy a 56-54 advantage on a 3-point play with 2:03 left in the extra period.

Vanessa Medina hit a free throw with 21 seconds left to keep the Tigers in front in overtime, and San Juan coach Justin Moon drew up an easy play for the final ticks of the clock.

“It was a read; if we had a layup, we wanted the layup,” Moon said as his heartbeat still fluttered moments after the win. “If Nielson was open on the 3-point line, then take it. They’ve been shutting down our offense so hard there, but she got open.”

Medina scored 12 of her 19 points in the second half for the Tigers, including her fourth 3-pointer, to give Wasatch Academy a 44-40 lead with 6:30 left in the game where the Region 14 No. 2 seed trailed early but rallied for a 26-22 halftime advantage.

But the Broncos refused to quit.

“These girls have been awesome all year long at playing for each other,” Moon said. “I’ve got two seniors in tears because they didn’t get in, but they never once haven’t put the team before themselves. Every kid wants to be on the floor, and it was a total team effort.”

In other 2A play-in games, North Sevier routed Rowland Hall 68-28 to set up a quarterfinal bout with Region 16 champions North Summit.

More results will be posted as they become available. Watch every game from the Class 2A state tournament on live.ksl.com.

Class 2A girls basketball state tournament
Play-in games at Orem High
North Summit 55, Millard 38
Hunter Vernon scored 13 points to help the Braves pull away from a 25-22 halftime edge.
North Sevier 68, Rowland Hall 28
North Sevier’s Peyton Torgerson had 14 points and Hailey Higgs 13 in a rout of the Winged Lions.
Kanab 45, Maeser Prep 31
Katelyn Church scored 10 points to help the Cowboys hold off the Lions.
San Juan 58, Wasatch Academy 57 (OT)
Bodell Nielson’s 3-pointer in the final seconds of overtime lifted the Broncos past the Tigers for their first state quarterfinal berth since 2011.
Beaver 57, Summit Academy 33
Jacoy Christensen scored 14 points to lead the Beavers to a rout of the Bears.
Layton Christian 59, Gunnison Valley 40
Jada Wyms scored 24 points, and teammate Danyle Thomas added 20 to help the Eagles roll by the Bulldogs.
Emery 71, Waterford 20
Megan Jensen had a game-high 18 points as the Spartans routed the Ravens.
Enterprise 35, South Summit 28
Halle Drake had nine points, and the Wolves outscored South Summit 12-3 in the final period to pull away for the win.

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