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TAYLORSVILLE — There have been a lot of words used to describe Copper Hills senior Breaunna Gillen.
Scorer. McDonald’s All-American nominee.
Winner with the Region 3 champion Grizzlies.
Add another to the list, if you didn't know it before: clutch.
Gillen had 19 points, two assists and three steals as Copper Hills pulled away from Westlake, 53-36, in the quarterfinals of the Class 6A girls basketball state tournament Wednesday at Bruin Arena at Salt Lake Community College.
“Whatever word you want to use to describe her — clutch, whatever — she’s just good,” Copper Hills coach Ben Morley said of his leading scorer. “She’s been here before, she’s been starting for us for three years, and she’s a little different player than she was even last year.
“She just rarely gets frazzled out there, and always plays under control. There’s no question: when we need a play to be made, we have a lot of players who can do it, but we’re going to rely heavily on her to do her thing.”
Lenisi Fineanganofo added 13 points and seven rebounds for the Grizzlies (22-2), who got six assists and five steals from point guard Eleyana Tafisi — including a dart to Gillen in the final seconds of the half that Gillen converted into a trey that put the No. 2-ranked Copper Hills up, 25-17 two days after both teams coasted into the quarterfinals.
“It’s so fun because E and I know exactly what we’re doing,” Gillen said of that pass from Tafisi and subsequent play. “She made the pass, and I knew I had to make it. But it felt so good, knowing we were moving the ball and having fun.”
Tafisi made the pass, which she did often, assisting on six of the Grizzlies’ 20 made baskets (Copper Hills had 11 assists as a team).
But the craft junior gave all the credit to her teammates, including Gillen and Fineanganofo.
“She can do everything. She can shoot. She can post up, even though she’s only 5-foot …” Tafisi said of Gillen, before stopping with laughter. “I know I can always trust her, always pass to her, and always know she is going to convert on everything when I give her the ball.”
The Grizzlies held Westlake’s starting five to seven points, including a combined 0-for-5 effort from leading scorers Sam Hester, Rian Fullmer and Marissa Scoresby.
Ashley Parry led Westlake (17-6) with eight points and seven steals, and Susan Fano added seven points and three rebounds. The trio of Hester, Fullmer and Scoresby combined for seven points, 11 rebounds and three assists.
Gillen’s halftime trey gave Copper Hills all the momentum, and the Grizzlies capitalized with a 12-3 run to open the third quarter, capped by Gillen’s scoop shot to go up 37-20.
The run was also spurred by Copper Hills’ defense, including Emily Larsen, who finished the game with 11 points, eight rebounds and three charges taken.
“Our focus was on the defensive end, and (let) whatever happens, happens on offense,” Morley said. “But our defense definitely won us this game.”
