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Fremont High's Abigail Christensen, right, drives around Alta's Megan Johnson, left, during the quarterfinal round of UHSAA 5A girls basketball state tournament on Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, at the Jon M. Huntsman Center at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.

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Alta's Megan Johnson, left, and Fremont High's Ellie McArthur, right, battle for the rebound during the quarterfinal round of UHSAA 5A girls basketball state tournament on Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, at the Jon M. Huntsman Center at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.

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Fremont High's Ellie McArthur, left, drives past Alta's Olivia Stephens for a layup during the quarterfinal round of UHSAA 5A girls basketball state tournament on Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, at the Jon M. Huntsman Center at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.

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Fremont High's Lily Hall, left, swings the ball around Alta's Izzy Lewis, right, during the quarterfinal round of UHSAA 5A girls basketball state tournament on Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, at the Jon M. Huntsman Center at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.

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Fremont High's Mia McArthur, left, helps Abigail Christensen, right, up off the floor during the quarterfinal round of UHSAA 5A girls basketball state tournament on Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, at the Jon M. Huntsman Center at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.

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Fremont High coach Lisa Dalebout looks on during the quarterfinal round of UHSAA 5A girls basketball state tournament on Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, at the Jon M. Huntsman Center at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.

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Fremont High's student section gets loud during the quarterfinal round of UHSAA 5A girls basketball state tournament on Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, at the Jon M. Huntsman Center at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.

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SALT LAKE CITY — Minutes after Fremont High star Abigail Christensen hit her second triple to go up 16, fellow junior Mia Smith heaved up a deep try of her own. Swish.

Up nearly 20 now on No. 5 Alta, all five of No. 4 Fremont’s active players could read it plainly on each other’s faces as their opponent burned a timeout to regroup late Monday night. The Silverwolves are one more game away from the big one.

Fremont, pulling away from Alta 56-41 in a 5A girls basketball state quarterfinal, will return to the Huntsman Center on Thursday to contend with the state’s top seed, undefeated Pleasant Grove, for that chance.

It’s a feat veteran girls hoops coach Lisa Dalebout and the Silverwolves (22-3) haven’t experienced since 2021; Thursday will mark the program’s first semifinal appearance in three years.

“They looked like children, if I’m being really honest,” Dalebout said of last year’s team, which fell to Bingham in the 6A quarterfinals. “There were times when they lost momentum that you could tell they’re a little bit younger, but I thought they played really brave and really tough at times.

“Our freshman, (McArthur), she just scoops up rebounds like it’s nobody’s business and (Christensen) played really big. … Our defense, I was really pleased with how we spread them out and made them take time off the clock.”

National prospect Abigail Christensen commanded a game-high 26 points on 8-of-14 shooting, including two triples, on Monday night to beat Alta. Freshman guard Ellie McArthur tallied her seventh double-double with a floor-best 14 rebounds to go with 11 points.

It was a welcome contrast to a year ago when Bingham booted a largely similar, younger Fremont from the 6A table. It’s a far cry from where Fremont is now, which Christensen describes as something of a five-headed dragon, a monster that can strike from almost anywhere.

“I think it just shows that anyone on our team can pop up,” Christensen said. “The connection we had and how we played together, I think that was really cool. … Our communication has gotten a lot better, and I think it’s really helped us to get the offense going, and defense, and it’s helping us play more together.”

Smith’s late-game triple, her only of the night, brought her total to nine points. Brynn Wadman and Jersie Slater, combining for six total points behind the arc, fit timely 3s into Monday’s win.

Wadman, dropping all three of her points in the first quarter, helped Fremont heat the pot for a 17-7 lead by the second quarter. The Hawks, visiting the foul line three times in the second quarter, trimmed the deficit to one with 2:22 left in the first half, but, sure enough, Slater came through with a much-needed 3-pointer to lead by five at the break.

Quincy Kegel (16 points), Olivia Stephens (11 points) and Alia Baldassano (11 points) were the highlights of Alta’s 32% team shooting night. Buckets, or a lack thereof, was especially costly for the Hawks coming out the half to Christensen dropping six unanswered points.

Fremont allowed Alta back within 10 just once more before closing the third quarter with back-to-back stops, a McArthur put-back jumper, and a free throw by Smith to go back up by 11. Fremont grew its lead to as many as 19 in the fourth quarter.

Dalebout and the Silverwolves are very much a live wire entering Thursday’s semifinal round, but it’s just how more prepared her group, a year older, was for a talented Alta team that has Fremont’s coach feeling it this late into the playoff race.

“It feels pretty delicious right now to be back in the semifinals,” Dalebout said. “(Class 5A) is a talented group. All eight teams that were here tonight, they’re a handful. They’re really good.”

She continued:

“You’ve gotta be smart. You come up with a game plan and you execute the best you can against a really talented (Pleasant Grove) team. What’s cool about this tournament, it’s all one game. It’s just survive and advance. If you can get in there, you can make it ugly and play your heart out, I think you can make things happen.”

Fremont’s handling of Alta meant 5A’s top four seeds all made it to the semifinals.

Continuing at the Huntsman Center, No. 2 Bountiful and No. 3 West High tip off Thursday’s 5A semifinal round at 9:30 a.m. No. 4 Fremont and No. 1 Pleasant Grove will take the floor after for a scheduled 11 a.m. tip.

Connect with prep sports reporter Conner Becker via email at cbecker@standard.net and X @ctbecker,.