CEDAR CITY, Utah (February 20, 2026) - Hosted by Southern Utah University through its Larry H. Miller Utah Summer Games department, the 3A State Boys'-and-Girls' Basketball tournament concluded an exhilarating semifinal round in the America First Event Center on Feb. 20. With their seasons on the line, the girls teams for Layton Christian and Morgan and the boys teams for Morgan and American Heritage secured the chance to battle it out in tomorrow's state championship games.
3A Girls
No. 5 Layton Christian Eagles hold out against No. 8 Union Cougars 52-40
The Eagles burst to a huge early lead, thanks to a strong scoring attack led by Ava Smith with 11 first-half points. Their defense shut down Union, holding them to only 12 first-half points in a 34-12 start to the game.
An even-spread offensive outburst by Union shoved them into 10-point comeback range, but Layton Christian rallied together in the late fourth to maintain their advantage. Smith ended the game with a team-high 21 points and 10 boards.
No. 6 Morgan Trojans push past No. 7 Grantsville Cowboys in 53-48 thriller
The Cowboys and Trojans tipped off to a bitter back-and-forth battle. Each of Grantsville's starters cashed in on at least one basket in the first half, allowing them to take a 22-19 lead at the close of the first half.
The second half was just as intense as the first, with the game ending after 12 separate lead changes. Down the stretch, it was Morgan's Zoe Rockenfield who gave her team the edge, finishing the game with 17 points and lifting her team to the win.
3A Boys
No. 1 Morgan Trojans slide past No. 12 Grantsville Cowboys 67-41
Morgan jumped to an early lead with an 8-2 opening run, but a Grantsville scoring spree tied it up at the close of quarter one. The Trojans defense quickly recovered, holding the Cowboys to seven and allowing Morgan's Brody Peterson to score his way to 10 first-half points.
An aggressive third quarter heavily favored Morgan as they jumped to a 22-point lead. They coasted on to a chippy 67-41 victory, with three Trojans surpassing 14 points on the night, led by Peterson with 16.
No. 2 Richfield Wildcats vs. No. 3 American Heritage Patriots 44-40
The first half between the Wildcats and Patriots turned into a shootout between Richfield's Jorgen Southwick and American Heritage's James Matsen. Southwick ended with 12 and Matsen ended with 11 as they set up a 22-19 game in favor of Richfield.
The Wildcats retained their lead through the end of the third quarter, but the Patriots gained control in the fourth quarter, shooting 45.5% from the field. The dominant paint presence of American Heritage's Josue Kajinga, who ended the game with 13 rebounds and four blocks, sealed the game in the Patriots' favor.
Next Up
Girls State Championship
No. 5 Layton Christian vs. No. 6 Morgan: Feb 21, 5:00 p.m.
Boys State Championship
No. 1 Morgan vs. No. 3 American Heritage: Feb 21, 7:00 p.m.
Larry H. Miller Utah Summer Games Basketball
The Larry H. Miller Utah Summer Games will host their annual boys' and girls' high school basketball tournament from May 28-30, 2026. Registration for the tournament is open until May 6, 2026, at https://utahsummergames.org/sports/2023/12/14/basketball-high-school.aspx.
