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OREM — The Morgan Trojans capped off a dominant season with a well-earned 3A state title, defeating the Richfield Wildcats 47-32 at the UCCU Center on Wednesday night.
Morgan (26-1) entered the final game riding a 21-game win streak, looking to secure its first championship since 2019. The game was a defensive battle early, but the Trojans found their rhythm in the second half, fueled by junior guard Bracken Saunders' 26-point performance.
Richfield struck first, with Gage Yardley putting up the opening points and leading the Wildcats to a quick 5-0 lead. Morgan struggled to connect early, going scoreless for the first four minutes until Saunders drilled a 3-pointer out of a timeout.
Yardley's presence was undeniable, scoring all seven of Richfield's first-quarter points, keeping the game tied at 7-7 heading into the second.
Both defenses continued to dominate in the second quarter, with neither team allowing easy looks. Morgan capitalized on free throws to take a narrow 15-14 lead at halftime.
"At halftime, it was an even game basically, and I told them in the locker room, 'We are players you've invested in. Let's take a deep breath, slow down, and go out and play Morgan basketball, and we'll be fine,'" head coach Scott Hunt said.
Morgan exploded in the second half, led by Saunders' dynamic scoring and the energy of Jake Hansen, who provided key buckets early in the third quarter. Brody Peterson came off the bench and hit a clutch corner 3-pointer, sparking a run that pushed the Trojans to their largest lead at 28-17.
Despite a late push from Richfield, including a crucial 3-pointer by Malik Fautin to cut the lead to 7, Morgan's defense held firm. The Wildcats struggled with turnovers and missed opportunities, allowing the Trojans to maintain control.
Packed Morgan student body here for tonight's 3A boys basketball title game with Richfield. pic.twitter.com/X1kl7FHNGv
— Standard Sports (@standardexsport) February 27, 2025
With two minutes left, Morgan extended its lead to 13, sealing the win as Hansen knocked down critical free throws in the final minute. "Ice it, Jake," Saunders told his teammate before Hansen sank two more at the line to put the game out of reach.
"It's a lot of feelings. I'm really happy we ended on a high note, but it was a nice game with a couple of seniors, so that's what's coming to me," said Peterson, who contributed 7 points and strong minutes off the bench. "Knowing my time was coming and getting ready to get in there and execute what I did."
Morgan's relentless preparation paid off, with Hunt noting that the team "committed ourselves all summer long."
"We played over 50 games just with our high school, they were playing AAU ball, three days a week at open gym and on Saturday mornings. They were there and they were committed," he said. "I knew they had something special."
The Trojans' fourth title since 2013 was a testament to that hard work, with Saunders nearly tripling his scoring output from the semifinals. Hansen added 10 points, and Nathan Pace grabbed nine rebounds in the win.
"We're going to celebrate with all these boys," Peterson said. "It's hard work. We've worked all summer and all season for it."
As Hunt predicted at halftime, Morgan did indeed win by 15, closing out a near-perfect season in dominant fashion.
