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.
“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.
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.
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
Snow Canyon's Hunter Hammer (33), 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 Justin Loveless (50), 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 Brock Staheli (10), 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 Kobe Tupu (32), 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
Snow Canyon's Kobe Tupu (32), 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 Brock Staheli (10), 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
Snow Canyon's Justin Loveless (50), 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 Justin Loveless (50), 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 TJ Taimi (24), 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 TJ Taimi (24), 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 TJ Taimi (24), 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 Kobe Tupu (32), 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 Caeden Barney (11), 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 Hammer (33), 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 Justin Loveless (50), 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
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 Brock Staheli (10), 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 Justin Loveless (50), 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 TJ Taimi (24), 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
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