ROY — Despite a career-high scoring night with nearly a triple-double, Cortney Porter was more proud of her defense.
The Lakers junior point guard limited Roy High’s Kaitlyn Hurley, who came in as the No. 1 scorer in the state 4-A ranks averaging 20.57 points per game with a state best 39 3-pointers, to a season low seven points and only one triple on 1-of-11 shooting.
“That’s rock-solid defense by Cortney on who we consider one of the best players in the state,” said Bonneville coach Mike Russell, in reference to Hurley, a junior point guard.
Porter and Fresno State signee Emilie Volk combined for 41 points Tuesday — matching the Royals total — in the Lakers 59-41 Region 5 victory in Ted Smith Gymnasium.
“Cortney knew for three days that was her assignment,” Russell said. “Cortney is a good offensive player, and tonight she showed what she can do on defense. Cortney knows defense comes first in our program.
We played straight man-to-man except for one possession.”
The defending league champion Lakers (15-0 overall, 4-0 league) shot 48.0 percent (24 of 50), including 50.0 percent (7 of 14) from deep, and outrebounded Roy 40-31.
“I was just feeling it. I was open and hit the shots,” said the 17-year-old Porter. “I’m happier with my defense, and this was definitely a team effort.”
Porter splashed in a career high 26 points on 9-of-16 shooting — 6 of 9 from 3-point range — with seven boards, seven assists and two steals for undefeated Bonneville, which committed 17 turnovers with 17 assists and nine steals.
“I knew I had a lot of points, but not that many,” Porter said. “I wasn’t keeping track.”
Volk was 7 of 15 from the floor for 15 points. She grabbed 10 rebounds and dished off seven assists for the Lakers, who led by 17 points at 6:11 of the second quarter on Porter’s second 3-pointer.
A 12-0 spurt got the Royals within 30-26 at 6:54 of the third quarter.
“We played well overall, but we can’t have those lapses and lulls in the game,” Russell said. “We’re definitely happy to get a win here at Roy. I would attribute those lapses to being physically tired and our brains turning off.”
Kayla Eilertson had nine points on 4-of-9 shooting with three rebounds and three blocks for Bonneville, one of the state’s four unbeaten girls basketball teams.
The Royals (7-8, 2-2) dropped their second straight and are just 3-6 in their last nine games.
Senior combo forward Jordynn Barrera missed her second straight game Tuesday, and is scheduled for surgery Thursday for a torn meniscus in her left knee.
Whitney Hatch rang up a double-double with a team-high 12 points — going 4 of 12 from the floor — and 12 boards for Roy, which shot a frosty 22.4 percent (13 of 58) and was 23.1 percent (3 of 13) on 3-point attempts.
Sydnee Bodily had seven points, 10 rebounds, one assist and two steals for the Royals, who committed 12 turnovers with a season low five steals.
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Tara Goldman had 18 points, 10 rebounds and nine steals.
Box Elder trailed 35-18 at halftime.
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