Boys 3A State Tournament: Slow start dooms Warriors in quarterfinal loss to Bear River

Written by Darren Cole
February 25, 2016

CEDAR CITY – The Snow Canyon Warriors could not overcome a first half where they shot horrid from the field against Bear River in the quarterfinals Thursday afternoon, eventually falling to the Bears 66-49 in the state quearterfinals.

snow-canyon-logobear-river-smThe Warriors hit only one of their first 14 attempts and faced a double-digit deficit by the end of the first quarter 14-3.

Things did not improve much in the second quarter. The Warriors did get two more baskets and to the line but their deficit nearly doubled going into halftime down 32-11. Brock Staheli led the Warriors with five points at halftime.

Snow Canyon's Hunter Barney (23), Snow Canyon vs. Bear River, 3A State Basketball Tournament, Boys Basketball, Cedar City, Utah, Feb. 25, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Snow Canyon’s Hunter Barney (23), Snow Canyon vs. Bear River, 3A State Basketball Tournament, Boys Basketball, Cedar City, Utah, Feb. 25, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News

“Bear River is a senior-laden team,” said Snow Canyon head coach James Brown. “Their players all have had experience in the playoffs. For us, Staheli is the only one who has been here before. I think in the early going, our shots were not falling. We told them at halftime. Attack the basket. When your shots are not falling you need to get to the rim and/or to the foul line.”

The Warriors continued to play with intensity in the second half and finally saw some shots go through the basket. In the third quarter they doubled up the Bears 18-9 to pull within 41-29. Staheli hit three 3-pointers in the run.

Snow Canyon’s aggressiveness, however, got them into foul trouble and got the Bears into the bonus early.

“We got hurt on the boards, too,” said Brown. “They were longer than us, and probably more athletic. They got to some loose rebounds quicker than us.”

Staheli and Hunter Barney found themselves on the bench with four fouls apiece before the third quarter ended.

Snow Canyon's Hunter Barney (23), Snow Canyon vs. Bear River, 3A State Basketball Tournament, Boys Basketball, Cedar City, Utah, Feb. 25, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News
Snow Canyon’s Hunter Barney (23), Snow Canyon vs. Bear River, 3A State Basketball Tournament, Boys Basketball, Cedar City, Utah, Feb. 25, 2016, | Photo by Robert Hoppie, ASPpix.com, St. George News

In the fourth quarter, the Warriors got to as close as 11 points on Caeden Barney’s steal and layup. But that was as close as they could get. Hunter Barney fouled out shortly after reentering the game in the fourth quarter. Three minutes later, Staheli joined him on the bench.

“It wasn’t just our shooting tonight,” said Staheli. “We were out of position at times defensively and we did not block out as well as we should have. “

The Bears hit their free throws and outscored Snow Canyon 8-2 down the stretch to the 66-49 final score. Snow Canyon drops to 9-13 and moves to the consolation bracket, where the Warriors will face Logan on Friday (12:50 p.m.).

Bear River moves to 16-7 and will face the Dixie Flyers in the semifinals on Friday night, 7:30.

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Twitter: @oldschoolag

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2016, all rights reserved.

 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Darren Cole recently returned to sportswriting after a 20-plus year hiatus. While pursuing other studies, he developed an early passion for sports writing as a senior writer and sports editor for the Ricks College Scroll in 1988-89. Darren has spent the last 20 years writing legal memorandi and appellate briefs. In addition to his legal career, he has also taught legal and criminal justice courses at the university level for nine years as an adjunct professor. Darren is married to wife Lisa, has two sons and is a confessed sports junkie.

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