GARLAND – Bear River led by 16 with just over five minutes left in the game after controlling the game the whole way before Mountain Crest found some offense. The Mustangs cut it to 10 over the next 90 seconds. Both teams traded baskets for the next four minutes. Mountain Crest was down nine with 64 seconds left but their last five possessions were a miss, a three, a miss, a turnover and a turnover while Bear River hit enough free throws to win 69-58.
The Bears’ size was a problem all night for the Mustangs as Bear River constantly got second and third shots off of misses. Freshman Gherig Marble started and abused Mountain Crest in the paint. Marble finished with a game high 21 points, including nine in the third quarter. Bucket Jones also had 15 points down low and went 4-6 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter. Chase Admas was in double figures for the Bears as well, finishing with 11. Eight different players scored for Bear River.
Mountain Crest struggled on offense through the first three quarters, only scoring 36 points, before scoring 22 in the final period. Leading scorer Nick Lefevre finished with 14, seven in the fourth, and Joseph Hunsaker led the team with 16, 13 in the second half. Preston Wiberg finished in double digits with 10, eight in the second half. Seven players scored for the Mustangs.
With two of Mountain Crest’s tallest, and top, players Tanner Bone and Caden Jones lost for the season they couldn’t keep Bear River off the boards. However, late turnovers stalled their comeback. The Mustangs were down eight with 46 seconds left when Lefevre was called for a carry. Bear River hit one free throw on the next possession and then Wiberg was called for a travel on the next offensive possession. Mountain Crest finished with 13 turnovers, four in the last quarter, to Bear River’s eight, but six of the Bears’ turnovers were in the fourth quarter.
Bear River led by as many as 20 late in the third quarter. The biggest play of the night came when Gherig Marble went to the line with the lead only 10. Marble missed both free throws but the Bears got the rebound and and Kaleb Barfuss hit a three. That was a dagger after the Mustangs went on a 20-10 run over five minutes to cut it to ten. The Mustangs cut the lead to nine and eight around the one minute mark, but the Barfuss three was a dagger to their momentum.
Sky View 42 at Ridgeline 51
Green Canyon 46 at Logan 58
Next Games Wednesday, Feb. 17
Logan AT Bear River
Green Canyon AT Sky View
Ridgeline AT Mountain Crest