Girls hoops end slide with a 44-18 win over 4A Stansbury
Jan 09, 2024 10:07AM ● By Brian Shaw
To say this season has been a struggle would be the understatement of the century for the Morgan Trojans girls’ basketball team.
When veteran head coach Sterling Mack told one reporter at the Morgan Sports Network that he wanted to “play like some of the great UNLV run-and-gun teams” this season, it appears that the lessons Mack has been teaching his Trojans this preseason might finally be sinking in.
On Thursday, Dec. 14, Morgan [2-8] recorded a 44-18 win over Stansbury, their second victory of the season, thanks to an 18-point performance from junior Eva Birkeland. Not only were these points one of Birkeland’s best outings of the season, it ranked second to the 20 she poured in at North Summit Dec. 7.
Birkeland drained three three-pointers in Thursday night’s 26-point home victory over Stansbury that started with a 13-0 first quarter and headed into the locker room with a 19-8 lead at halftime. Junior Alexis Burt chipped in five points, while Abby Titus, Keira Brewer and Leah Birkeland scored four in the win that saw the Trojans extend their lead to 23 points at 37-14 by the end of the third quarter.
The emphatic victory was Morgan’s first since Dec. 2’s 58-18 drubbing of Timpanogos during the Morgan Winter Classic.
What’s ironic about Morgan’s 26-point win on Friday, Dec. 14 was that the Trojans nearly broke what turned out to be a 3-game losing streak at Fremont on Dec. 12.
Morgan may have lost that battle to Fremont 46-48, but the reigning 3A champion Trojans gave the 6A semifinalists everything they could handle and then some.
The Trojans actually led the game through three quarters at 39-33, but faded down the stretch to be handed a 2-point loss.
Abby Titus and Leah Birkeland each scored 11 points to pace Morgan, while Kaydence Wardell pitched in nine and Eva Birkeland seven for the Trojans, who will travel to American Fork on Dec. 18.
Trojans drop two games in a row
For the Morgan boys basketball team, this week might be one they might want to forget.
The Trojans fell behind 14 points by halftime at Wasatch Dec. 13 en route to a 47-71 loss. Kolton Asay paced Morgan with 14 points while Bracken Saunders added nine.
Morgan [2-7] was back at home two nights later to face Bear River. Another slow start in the first half led to a 12-point deficit at 19-31 and the Trojans couldn’t pull any closer in the 49-62 loss. Bracken Saunders scored 20 points and Asay 18 to lead Morgan, who will next host Granger, Dec. 18 and APA West Valley on Dec. 19. λ
