Diggers take out Cougars

SUGAR CITY -- Sugar-Salem topped Firth at home Thursday night, but the 52-40 final score is deceiving.

The game was tight most of the way, featuring nine ties. Aside from an early Firth lead, the two athletic squads remained within three points of each other until Sugar-Salem stretched a lead to six halfway through the fourth and held on to earn the win.

The difference in the decisive fourth quarter, Firth coach Scott Adams said, was execution. On back-to-back possessions, Sugar-Salem wing Brennan Bean scored lay-ins on baseline cuts, one on a no-look bounce pass from guard Kevin Walker. Bean finished with a game-high 15 points.

"We didn't do a good job of attacking it or running our offense for whatever reason," Adams said. "We didn't play our game. I have to give them credit. They took us out of what we wanted to do."

Bean said Sugar-Salem's goal with its 2-3 zone was to limit penetration, especially on the baseline by reigning 2A state Player of the Year forward Colter Reeves. Reeves scored 10, but Sugar-Salem successfully forced him and his teammates to the middle, where help was waiting.

"We knew they had guys like Colter Reeves who could drive," Bean said. "We wanted to shut off the drives, especially on the baseline, and play tough down low. We did that more in the second half, and that's what made the difference for us."

Wyatt Jolley led Firth with 11 points. Cameron Hastings and Bryden Morris scored 10 apiece for Sugar-Salem. Reserve forward Jordon Ostermiller scored only two points, but he grabbed a team-high seven rebounds, and he snuffed two Firth possessions in the final two minutes with blocked shots to help seal the win.

Firth (7-4) and Sugar-Salem (7-1) play a similar style -- up-tempo offense and aggressive defense. Both teams boast talent and athleticism at every position. The most striking difference between the clubs was free-throw shooting. Firth converted just 7-for-15 from the charity stripe. Sugar-Salem nailed 14-of-17, including 4-for-5 in the final minute to ice the game.

Sugar-Salem coach Jay Miller said a win over two-time 2A defending champion Firth is a big step for his Diggers.

"Firth's a very accomplished team at any level, so we're thrilled with what we did here tonight," Miller said.