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TAYLORSVILLE — For just over three quarters, the East girls basketball team danced around a three- or four-point lead against Brighton in the Class 5A state tournament opener at Salt Lake Community College.
After one quarter: 13-10.
After two: 23-19.
After three: 32-28.
With six minutes remaining, the Leopards turned it on and pulled away for good.
Liana Kaitu'u had 11 points and 13 rebounds, and East ended on a 12-4 run to pull away from the Bengals 49-37 and advance to the 5A state quarterfinals.
“I think Brighton did a great job of slowing us down, trying to pack in the lanes, and doing what everybody has been doing to us all year,” East coach Olosaa Solovi said. “I tip my hat to Brighton; they did a great job defensively, and fought for it.
Final | @HighlandHighSLC 51, @CCHSSportsLIVE 45.
— KSL SportsBeat (@kslsports) February 20, 2018
Chargers become the THIRD one-seed to fall in the opening round of the @UHSAAinfo 5A state tournament. pic.twitter.com/hik6dkS8ZV
“For a lot of these guys, it’s new territory and a big stage. We’re just happy and grateful to be here.”
Rae Falatea had 12 points, six rebounds and two steals and Rita Satini added 10 points and three assists for the Leopards (20-2), who advanced to face Viewmont in Wednesday’s quarterfinals.
“We came together as a team in the end, and finished through all the way. That’s all that mattered,” Kaitu’u said. “I think for being the first day of state, there was some nerves. Our coach told us to get the nerves out in warmups, and we should’ve done a better job.”
Emily Moss led Brighton (19-11) with 12 points and three steals, and teammate Annabelle Warner added eight points.
After a tight three quarters, and just as the Leopards were finding their rhythm, Sidney Kaufmann pulled the Bengals within three, 34-31 with a put-back basket with 5:56 remaining.
Falatea drained a 3-pointer just 20 seconds later, and the Leopards ran out five-consecutive buckets to pull away for the win.
“We’ve been in tight games for all of region. We don’t really pull away until the end, kind of similar to this,” Solovi said. “Some of it is inexperience, some of it is coaching. But I don’t care if it’s (a win) by 20 or by one; I just want to advance.
“At the end of the day, win and advance. It doesn’t have to be pretty.”
