OREM — Copper Hills' boys basketball team has prided itself on balanced scoring through the 2015-16 season.

The balance was on full display Tuesday.

Stockton Shorts and Charlie Olsen each scored 15 points, and the Grizzlies used a 15-3 first-quarter to roll past Syracuse, 61-43, at Utah Valley's UCCU Center in the first round of the Class 5A state tournament.

"We've got several good seniors and a junior that plays a lot of minutes," Copper Hills coach Andrew Blanchard said. "We played really balanced on the defensive end with rebounds and run-outs, and that fed us into the offensive end.

"We try to win each quarter. After the first quarter, we forget about that and win the second."

Copper Hills' offense was clicking early. The Grizzlies (20-3) jumped out to a 15-3 first-quarter lead after Olsen dropped in a teardrop at the quarter horn.

The run continued through the second quarter, culminating in Olsen's buzzer-beating triple from the angle to go up 45-30 at halftime.

The key to the Grizzlies' quick start, though, was defense. Copper Hills forced 15 turnovers, including 12 steals, and the Grizzlies held Syracuse to 36.2 percent shooting with just one 3-pointer.

"We came out and tried to focus on defense mainly, getting to the hoop and to the free-throw line," said senior guard Preston Sanchez, who had eight points, five rebounds and three assists. "We really focused on help-side and team defense."

Copper Hills also scored seven points in transition and 12 on second chances, including Shorts' layup off a double-putback effort during an 8-1 run in the fourth quarter. The Grizzlies outrebounded the Titans 36-31, including 12 boards from Shorts.

"Our defense is our offense," Sanchez said. "We like to get the easy points, and layups are the easiest buckets we can get. That's how we do it."

Syracuse attempted to make a run in the fourth quarter behind Andrew Carlson, who had a team-high 14 points and three steals. But Olsen cued up a 3-pointer from the top of the arc to give the Grizzlies a 51-35 advantage with 4:12 remaining.

Kalvin Mudrow added 13 points and three blocks for the Titans (12-11).

"We've got guys who have been in this situation before, and I think (the lack of pregame jitters) is on their own accord," Blanchard said. "The senior leaders really help prepare this team."

LONE PEAK 79, MOUNTAIN CREST 66

OREM — Lone Peak pulled away from Mountain Crest in the fourth quarter of its first-round 5A boys basketball tournament game to earn a 79-66 win.

The Knights held just a three-point lead heading into the final period, but outscored the Mustangs 20-2 over the first few minutes of the fourth to create an insurmountable 75-54 advantage.

"The biggest thing that (Mountain Crest does) well is transition," Lone Peak coach David Evans said. "(Jaxon) Brenchley's a good player. We didn't transition well on our defensive end. Second half was a big improvement. Our defense leads to good transition points on offense, so that little run in the fourth quarter — that's what got it going."

Following layups by each team to start the last period, the Knights extended their defense to put pressure on Brenchley as he tried to set up the Mustangs' half-court offense.

After Brenchley drew a reach-in foul, Tyson Doman forced him to dribble backward and Steven Ashworth poked the ball away, which resulted in a Lone Peak fast break and an uncontested layup.

Nate Harkness hit a 3-pointer in the corner on the Knights' next possession, and Talmage Gunther drew a foul away from the shot to set up two free throws that gave Lone Peak a 64-54 advantage less than two minutes into the final period.

"The biggest thing is Tyson Doman is a hurricane out there," Evans said. "We had him guard Brenchley in the second half and he did a really, really good job. When people turn their back he's going to be there. He makes things happen. He plays so hard. I don't know that he scored a point in the second half, but he made probably the biggest difference in the game in the second half."

Brenchley helped keep the Mustangs close in the first half and throughout the third quarter with a number of difficult baskets in traffic. The junior finished tied for the game high with 23 points, while adding nine rebounds, five assists and two blocks in 30 minutes.

"Coach said we knew we were going to have at least one gut-check game," Gunther said. "At halftime he just challenged us. He said who's going to go out and stop No. 23 because it all starts with him. And we had Tyson Doman step up big time and shut him down in the second half."

Frank Jackson, a Duke signee and the state's leading scorer, paced Lone Peak with 22 points, eight rebounds, four assists and three steals. Harkness had 23 points to aid in shouldering the offensive output, and Gunther finished with 14 off the bench.

"That was a tough one," Evans reiterated. "We had a couple of bench guys that came in and did a really good job. Talmage (Gunther) came in and hit some nice shots, and in the first half we had Max Brenchley come in and do a really good job. He's a sophomore. That was a big test."

Jackson said he thought it was beneficial for the Knights to go through a close game in the first round.

"When you wear Lone Peak across your chest, guys come at you," he said. "We're used to it. They came out strong. We got down. I think in that second half our defense just kind of picked it up and realized we got to wake up a little bit."

For the team that led 5A in scoring per game during the regular season, it was how the Knights played without the ball in the fourth quarter that finally allowed them to create separation.

"When we play good defense no one can touch us," Jackson said. "We know that. Sometimes we slack a little bit, but at the end of the day I think we know it's going to take defense to win a state championship." — Kyle Spencer

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