Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
OREM — South Summit's latest state championship was 14 years in the making.
But it took the Rams less than a half to grab hold of it, and never let go.
Raidon Barney had 21 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and two blocks as the Rams jumped out to an 11-2 lead after one quarter and pulled past South Sevier 59-44 to clinch the Rams' first 2A boys' basketball championship since 2012 Wednesday night at the UCCU Center at Utah Valley University.
Krew Redd added 17 points, three assists and three steals and teammate Cannon Hessey had 9 points and five rebounds for the Rams (19-9), who were motivated by last season.
That was when South Sevier took a 22-4 record into the 2A championship game, only to be undone by a 34-25 second half to Kanab.
"Taking second sucks. It really sucks," said Barney, who had 2 points in the championship game a year ago. "This year, we were all just in it together. We played as a team, our defense was incredible, and that's what we were really big on."
Defense, and a fast start.
The Rams held South Summit to a single first-quarter field goal, and Redd lifted South Sevier to a 13-2 advantage in the opening minute of the second in a game the No. 6 seed would never trail.
The Wildcats trailed by as much as 12 in the first half. But Billy Harris and Maddox Welch hit back-to-back 3-pointers to help South Summit pull within 24-16 at halftime.
"We want to come out, and we want to punch first," Barney said. "We want to make our opponents quit by halftime. That's kind of the goal."
Still, the Rams never let up. Fueled by the intensity of a seemingly home crowd — Barney joked that "only a few" of the 2,711 residents in Monroe made their way to the 8,500-seat UCCU Center — the kept their foot on the gas.
Knock 'em on their heels, and "hopefully keep that lead," South Summit. coach Carson Christensen said.
South Sevier shot 11-of-16 from the field in the second half, canned four triples, and held off a late surge that included two quick buckets from South Summit's Blake Osgurthorpe, who finished with 10 points, seven rebounds and three steals.
"This community is awesome," said Christensen, the former 2A state MVP of the Rams' 2006 championship squad. "I've got a lot of ex-players here, all coming to give me hugs. It's awesome, and I couldn't be happier for this group of boys righ there. They put in a lot of work."
Maddox Welch led South Summit (17-10) with 17 points, four rebounds and two assists, and Joey Harris supplied 11 points, five. assists and three steals for the Wildcats.
But South Sevier's 34-28 second-half edge did just enough to see the Rams to their 12th championship in state history, the third-most since the Utah High School Activities Association sanctioned the sport in 1908.
"We're a big basketball school, and we haven't won in a long time," Barney said. "It's awesome to win again; it's frickin' awesome."
Added Christensen: "It's been a heck of a ride. These boys just bought in this year," Christensen said. "Last year we were just on the short end. It feels good to be on the right side of things."
