It’s been three years since Bountiful won back-to-back state championships, so the stars of those teams are well into their college careers now.
But sophomore guard Camron Chism was wise to his team’s ways a few seasons back when he faced questions after Bountiful’s 80-62 win over Skyline that sent the Braves into the Class 5A state semifinals.
“That’s big. We’re glad to be back,” said Chism, a sophomore who finished with 21 points Wednesday.
Chism had a big role in the victory as Bountiful (12-12) had to overcome Skyline scoring the first 12 points in the game. He drained 4 of his 8 attempts from 3-point range and 8 of his 13 attempts overall as the Braves eventually pulled away from a one-point lead late in the third quarter.
“Cam Chism tonight shot the ball really well, and that helps spread them and then I get the ball down inside,” said Brig Willard, who had 18 points for the victors.
It was Skyline (11-14), which upset Timpview in the first round, that had everything clicking early. The Eagles were led by Andrew Clark’s 12 points, and the magic from Monday’s win was still present for Skyline through three minutes.
Skyline led 12-0 when Hollan Schweitz canned a 3-pointer with 5:02 remaining.
“It’s the funk of the tournament,” veteran Bountiful coach Mike Maxwell said about the slow start. “The kids get out here with the bright lights of the Huntsman.
“I’ve seen it too many times, and you’ve just got to weather the storm. I love that little Chism. He’s got no conscience.”
Skyline still was up 28-21 in the second quarter when Bountiful reeled off seven straight points as part of a 12-1 run heading into half.
The last bucket in that streak came on an inbounds play with 1 second left when David Stevenson found Willard in the lane for a field goal and a 33-29 advantage.
“We weren’t worried,” Chism said. “We just weren’t playing well on offense. We didn’t score at all, and they hit every shot they took. We knew we’d come back.”
Bountiful only led by four entering the fourth quarter, but the Braves started with an 11-2 run to gain some breathing room.
Bountiful will face undefeated Olympus in the state semifinals. The Braves were tied with the Titans at halftime before falling to the unbeaten Titans 84-70 earlier in the season.
“We’ve got a young team. I’ve got four underclassmen out there,” Maxwell said. “They hadn’t seen this before. It’s going to be nice next year when they all come back and they’ve been here. It’s going to be a good thing for us.”
BOUNTIFUL 80, SKYLINE 62 <br>• Bountiful registers a 21-5 run that started late in the third quarter to take control. <br>• Camron Chism scores 21 points while Brig Willard adds 18 in the win. <br>• Skyline scores the first 12-0 points of the game but sees that lead disappear by halftime.
