Pleasant Grove seniors Tamya Smith and Omaya Nelson are not yet finished with taking everyone else’s best shots and have plenty of play-making ability of their own.

The second-ranked Spartans broke free from an early slugfest with key buckets from both Smith and Nelson in rolling to a 52-23 victory over Ramsay in Friday’s Class 5A Northwest Regional girls semifinal at Wallace State’s Traditions Bank Arena in Hanceville.

“We’re very fortunate to win this game and move on to the next round,” Pleasant Grove coach Walter Hicks said. “That’s what it’s about. You’d like to play better, but at the end of the day, it’s win and move on.”

Scoring came at a premium in the opening period as both teams combined to go 3-of-19 from the field and 0-for-7 from 3-point range.

Pleasant Grove (22-7) led by only 2 points entering the second quarter, but the Rams quickly tied the game on consecutive layups from Nayla Wesley midway through the period. Following the Wesley scoring spurt, Smith converted an and-1 opportunity following a layup and jump-started an 11-5 run to close out the first half with a 17-11 lead over Ramsay.

“It was a wake-up call for us,” Smith said. “I don’t talk much on the team so I realize I have to lead by example. The best way to show that is playing aggressive, so they can play aggressive.”

Ramsay’s Wesley got the scoring started to open the third period, splitting a pair of free-throw attempts, but Nelson swung momentum fully back to the Spartans with a 3-pointer on Pleasant Grove’s first possession of the second half.

“I was just shooting, I’m not going to lie,” Nelson said. “I didn’t have the best shooting game, but when the playoffs come around, I always work harder and work on my shot more. I had to make one and it helped us get going out of halftime.”

Derrica Allen added a quick score for the Rams, but Smith ignited a 10-0 run that saw the Spartans shoot out to a 19-point lead halfway through the third period. Wesley added another layup and a free throw, but Pleasant Grove closed out the quarter on a 7-0 run bookended by free throws from Carlisha Enge and Nelson.

Ramsay managed a single-digit scoring output for the fourth straight period while the Spartans ended on a 7-2 run in the final 5:09 of the game.

Did you know? Pleasant Grove advances to its fourth regional final in the past six seasons and seeks to repeat as state champions after winning its first title last year.

By the numbers: The Spartans were 2-of-12 and 2-of-9 in the first and fourth periods, respectively, but shot 50 percent between the second and third quarters while forcing 34 turnovers, resulting in 28 points, and earning a plus-11 edge on the glass.

Stat sheet: Pleasant Grove – Smith finished with a game-high 12 points, along with 8 rebounds and 2 assists, and Nelson had 10 points and 3 steals. Sarah Evans had 9 points and 6 boards and Keyarria Stokes had 8 points and 2 rebounds. Enge contributed 3 points, 6 rebounds and 2 steals, and London Williams and Skylar Lassiter combined for 9 points, 5 rebounds and 5 steals. Ramsay – Wesley led the Rams with 10 points on 4-of-7 shooting and added 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 8 steals. Camilyah Rowe added 5 points, 6 rebounds and 2 steals, and Derrica Allen, Kayden May, Breoona Williams and Janae Harris all scored at least once from the field.

Coachspeak: “We just had to play Pleasant Grove basketball. Pick up the intensity and realize that Ramsay is going to play hard and physically. We needed to match that physicality and create some turnovers and steals and we did that.” – Pleasant Grove’s Walter Hicks

“It’s never a matter of how hard they play, they always do. We lack skill and maturity in some areas, but they represented Ramsay well. Everybody looks at the scoreboard and when you see a blowout, some people may be embarrassed. I’m proud of them. I know what it takes to get here and being here with a young team is huge. When the ball stops bouncing, I still love them. But love corrects and it’s direct from me.” – Ramsay’s JoVanka Ward

They said it: “Last year, we had leader roles but really had to step up into it this year. We have jobs to do and when it comes our way, we have to do it.” – Omaya Nelson

“Staying together is our thing right now. Everybody wants a piece of Pleasant Grove and it makes us go into games differently.” – Tamya Smith

What’s next? Pleasant Grove advances to face No. 1 Jasper in Wednesday’s Northwest Regional final at Wallace State’s Traditions Bank Arena.