Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
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WEST VALLEY ICE — Merry Christmas, from the KSL Sports family.
And in case you haven’t felt the full effects of the holiday season by Sunday night’s winter snowstorm, TBS’ 24-hour "Christmas Story" marathon, or the day filled with love, family and close friends, here are three stories to help warm your heart like chestnuts roasting over an open fire.
As always, click the video above to see the full video of the week.
Sailor daughter, Grizzlies superfan reunited for holidays
Diane Baldwin has been taking her children to Utah Grizzlies days for years, but when her daughter Cozette enlisted in the U.S. Navy, they weren’t sure if she’d be around for the 2017-18 hockey season — or more importantly, Christmas.
That’s where the Utah Grizzlies stepped in.
Mom thought she had been chosen for a special intermission game at the Maverik Center last Saturday. But when Diane got to the end of the rink and opened a giant Christmas present, out popped Cozette, home in time for the holidays.
If you don’t like that video, your heart is probably two sizes too small. Watching soldiers reunite with their families will never get old.
Santa delivers scholarship to Nebraska basketball player
As teams were wrapping up the pre-Christmas break portion of the college basketball season, Nebraska coach Tim Miles led the Huskers to an 85-68 win over Delaware State.
But that’s not what this story is about.
After the game, Miles got a little help from Santa to deliver a special Christmas cookie to one of his players, walk-on Tanner Borchardt.
Watch his teammates’ reaction as Borchardt is awarded a scholarship to the university.
Santa Miles had one last gift to deliver last night.
— Nebraska Basketball (@HuskerHoops) December 23, 2017
CONGRATS @Borchardt_4050!#GBRpic.twitter.com/uP71ufqSX2
Riverton High grad comes through in the clutch
Shelby Richards helped Riverton High to the Class 5A girls basketball state title in 2013, but her college career has passed through a long road.
The 5-foot-8 former first-team all-state guard started her career at Salt Lake Community College, where she averaged 13.1 points and 4.6 rebounds for the Bruins in 2014-15. The next season, she transferred to Odessa Junior College in Texas, where she posted 13.1 points and shot 43.3 percent from the field in 33 games in 2014-15.
That caught the eye of UT Arlington, but the South Jordan native averaged just 4.5 points in 17 minutes per game as a junior.
Last week, Richards came up clutch. The former Silver Wolf posted a career-high 16 points, including the game-winning 3-pointer with six seconds remaining, to help the Mavericks rally by San Francisco, 56-54 to finish non-conference play at 6-5.
Here’s the gutsy final shot.
Check out the game-winning shot from Shelby Richards for @LadyMavHoops as they knocked off San Francisco 56-54! #MavCity#BringYourAGame#SCtop10pic.twitter.com/8tGD7Alb6U
— UTA Athletics (@UTAMAVS) December 22, 2017
Richards and the Mavs open Sun Belt play Dec. 29 at Coastal Carolina. The Mavs were picked to win the league in the preseason coaches’ poll.