Knights edge Toros in GWS hoops finale

Gut-check time.
After self-destructing against Orem Friday night in the Great Western Shootout, the Lone Peak boys basketball team faced another daunting challenge from Mesa Mountain View, the defending Arizona 5A champion, in Saturday's final round.
Trailing by as many as seven early in the fourth quarter, the Knights fought their way back into it with tight-fisted defense and clutch baskets, eventually pulling out a 41-39 victory.
It was a tough battle in the trenches all the way. The game was characterized by long possessions on both ends of the court as the teams worked the ball around the outside trying to find a little opening to take a shot.
"They ran a triangle-and-two on us," said Lone Peak coach Quincy Lewis. "We've practiced against that, but sometimes it feels a little different in a game.
"It took us a little longer than I hoped to be as aggressive as we needed to be to attack that," the coach continued. "However, the real story of this win is our defense."
One of the challenges of playing the Toros was their interior length, with 6-foot-6 Camyn Boone and 6-8 Payton Dastrup inside. Those two accounted for nearly half of Mountain View's points, but they'd scored much more in the earlier games.
"Talon Shumway, Chase Hansen, and Josh Buck in the first half, just shut those guys down," Lewis said. "In addition, our guards did an exceptional job of pressuring the ball."
That was a critical component of the comeback run. The Knights forced a pair of turnovers on 5-second calls, made five steals and caused several other disruptions in the fourth quarter which helped turn the tide in their favor.
"I thought in that last period, our kids finally showed the toughness and heart that won us a championship last year," the coach added. "Unlike last night, we demonstrated the poise it takes to be a champion. We beat a good team."
Nick Emery had a game-high 15 points, while Brody Berry sank three critical 3-pointers to help Lone Peak keep pace. The third of those was followed by another long bomb from Shumway to draw the team within one point of the leader with 3:10 to play.
TJ Haws had just one field goal but it proved to be the game-winner. He also had six rebounds and four steals.
The Knights (3-1) will visit Skyline (4-1) on Tuesday at 7 p.m. before heading east to play in the Beach Ball Classic national invitational tournament Dec. 28-31 in Myrtle Beach, So. Car.