A 10-11 Meridian High School team kept up with Duchesne and even had a one-point lead late in the second quarter, but the Eagles regrouped and knocked off the Mongoose or is Mongeese 54-40 to qualify for the 1A State Meet in a play-in game on Monday in Duchesne.

Duchesne jumped out to a 5-0 lead on two free throws by Jacob Verde and a three-pointer by Shad Thomas. Marty Burt zipped in a shot for a 7-2 Eagle edge, and Sanha Lee zapped in a three to close the gap to two at 7-5. Tim Lei popped in a shot and Josh Crowther stole the ball plus added a hoop to tie up the game at 9-9 with 4:35 left.

However, Burt put in one free throw for a 10-9 Eagle lead, but the two teams played ping pong out on the court as the ball bounced all over the place for turnovers due to bad passes and poor shot selection.

Finally someone netted a hoop with Lei hitting a shot to give Meridian its first lead of the game at 13-12. Lei had scored an early basket to get MHS within one at 12-11. Despite sloppy play by the Eagles Verde hit a three at the buzzer to put DHS up 15-13 after one quarter.

DHS' Braiden Despain found the range for a bucket and a 17-13 edge. Verde hit a foul pitch for an 18-15 lead and then Cam Whitham sliced the Eagle advantage to 18-17 on a bucket. However, Verde zipped in a shot for a 20-17 DHS edge and then Lei rallied his team back on a basket for a 21-20 Meridian edge with 2:39 left in the first half.

Duchesne missed a layup, but Taylor Rowley was cooking as he blocked a Mongoose shot. After a MHS turnover, Alex Remund tossed in one free throw to tie the game at 21-21 with 1:19 to go and then Thomas came through in the final 30 seconds that gave Duchesne a 24-21 halftime edge.

Mongoose Crowther didn't lay an egg as instead he cracked Duchesne's lead down to one at 24-23 on a two-pointer early in the third quarter. However, the Eagles soared to a 28-23 advantage on five foul pitches (three by Burt and two by Thomas).

Despain blocked a shot and then Kanaan Nealley zapped in a close-up bucket. Despain stole the ball and scored to give DHS a 32-23 edge. A three-point play by Chase McCloskey had Meridan within six at 32-26. Verde and Despain (two buckets) were on the mark and Devan Jones added a free throw. Earlier Jones had made a perfect pass to Despain for a two-pointer. Duchesne led 39-26 after three quarters.

Thomas' three had Duchesne ahead 42-32 and then Jones erupted for eight points that included two three-point plays for a 52-34 DHS edge. Shiaba Allen and Alex Farnsworth popped in shots for a 54-34 lead. Meridian fired in three buckets to make the final score – 54-40 in favor of Duchesne.

Verde was Duchesne's top scorer at 14, and Thomas added 11. Also scoring for DHS were: Jones, 9; Despain, 8; Burt, 7; Farnsworth, Nealley, 2; Remund, 1. DHS tossed in 19 field goals and hit 12 out of 22 free throws.

Crowther and Lei led Meridian with 10, and McCloskey added nine. Meridian popped in 19 field goals and converted 1 out of 2 foul pitches.