Game Recap: Pleasant Grove vs. Layton

Pleasant Grove used a big 3rd quarter surge to pull away from Layton, earning a 74–67 win after a tightly contested first half. Layton moved the ball well early and controlled the glass, creating transition opportunities and second-chance points. Pleasant Grove stayed within striking distance behind Blackett's efficient scoring and playmaking and Mosman's physical interior presence, cutting the deficit to three at halftime.   The game turned after the break as Pleasant Grove came out with more energy, highlighted by a stretch of corner threes from Palmer that pushed the lead to nine. Layton battled late with defensive pressure and hustle plays, trimming the margin to as close as three, but Pleasant Grove answered each push and closed out the game behind its third-quarter run.    Blackett set the tone early with efficient scoring, getting to the free-throw line and knocking down a three while also showing strong passing instincts. He consistently made the right play, steadied Pleasant Grove during Layton runs, and impacted the game on both ends without forcing offense. Great showing of his ability to pass when the defense collapses and led to a bunch of open shots.     Miller handled primary ball-handling duties and was very effective in transition, where he finished through contact and hit tough shots, including a key late jumper to keep Layton within reach. He competed defensively and picked the opposing guard's pockets multiple time. He's a great shooter with next-level range. He's able to pull up right over the defender and hit some tough shots with heavy contests. He tallied 26 of Layton's 67 points.     Mosman was Pleasant Grove's most reliable interior presence, using his size and strength to score through contact and control the paint. He battled on the glass, provided second-chance opportunities, and anchored the interior when Pleasant Grove needed stability, particularly during the third-quarter run. He had such a great impact on the game, until he came in, PG was really struggling to hold the paint and grab rebounds, and he flipped the script. If he can work on his agility he could excel at the next level.     Palmer delivered the game's most momentum-shifting stretch, knocking down three straight corner 3s in the third quarter to break the game open and another shortly after. His shot-making forced Layton to adjust defensively and played a major role in Pleasant Grove's separation after halftime. A great shooting performance really willed his team to win, and I hope to see him get on the court more for this team.     Nic was the option Layton went to a lot in the 1st half with teammate [player_tooltip player_id='1724368' first='Karter' last='Miller'] taking on a lot of attention and he was effective. He was able to get into the teeth of the defense and toss a few mid-range shots in when their offense was hitting a wall. It helped keep the lead for them up until Pleasant Groves big run in the 3rd. He played hard defense and hustled for offensive rebounds all game loved the effort I saw from him.

Pleasant Grove used a big 3rd quarter surge to pull away from Layton, earning a 74–67 win after a tightly contested first half. Layton moved the ball well early and controlled the glass, creating transition opportunities and second-chance points. Pleasant Grove stayed within striking distance behind Blackett's efficient scoring and playmaking and Mosman's physical interior presence, cutting the deficit to three at halftime.