Uintah's Kaitlynn Hanberg did everything except wash the family car as she drove the Lady Utes to their first win of the year after her team dropped their first 12 games in the season. She hit a 3-pointer with under one minute left to break a tie and then added four free throws to lock up a 44-37 triumph over the Union Cougars in Roosevelt on Tuesday. Hanberg led Uintah with 15 points and scored the final seven counters in the game.

Ute head coach Kristy Putnam was beaming with pride after her team grabbed a seven-point win over Union with Hanberg doing most of the work.

“It is good to have that first win. Hanberg is a tough senior, who stepped it up when we needed a score. She scored our last seven points of the game on a 3-pointer and went 4 for 4 on free throws at the end,” said Coach Putnam. Uintah's girls picked up their second win when they nipped Park City 38-36.

Union was down by nine points to the Utes at 34-25, but then outscored the Utes 12-3 to grab a 37-37 tie. Union got hot at the free throw lane with Allina Olsen and Jordanelle Tyler combining to hit four foul pitches. Tyler also zipped in a turnaround jumper and Olsen hit a field goal. Mansfield's foul pitch closed the gap to two at 36-34.

After a free throw by Victoria Middleton, Olsen pumped in a field goal and Tyler converted one out of two free throws to knot the game with less than a minute left. Union never scored again and failed to survive Hanberg's 7-0 run.

Ross and Olsen led the Cats in scoring at eight points each and Tyler added seven. Also scoring for Union were: Houston, Gingell, Mansfield, 4; Van Dyke, 2. Union hit 10 field goals and was 17 for 25 at the foul line.

Following top Uintah scorer, Hanberg (15) were: Beddes, 10; Bunderson, Wright, 7; Calder, Elder, 2; Middleton, 1. Uintah pumped in 13 field goals and was 15 for 22 at the free throw lane.

If a person was stuck in the hot dog line he or she didn't miss much as Uintah led 4-3 after one quarter. Uintah opened the game with a 4-0 lead by hitting the first two baskets of the game. Union went on a 3-0 run to come within one counter.

Union went up 5-4 and added another bucket for a 7-4 lead early in the second quarter. Uintah's Rachel Wright was “right on” at the free throw line with two successful shots and Hanberg's layup put the Utes ahead at 8-7. Hanberg stole the ball to set up her basket.

After Union's Missy Gingell hit a foul pitch for an 8-8 tie, Hanberg's first 3-pointer of the game gave Uintah an 11-8 edge. Two free throws by Ali Ross had Union down by one at 11-10. However, Uintah's MacKenzie Calder made a field goal and Hailee Bunderson's three free throws had the Utes ahead 16-10.

Union outscored Uintah 5-2 in the final minutes to find themselves behind 18-15 at the half. Ross hit a 2-pointer and Ceidra Mansfield made one free throw. Jordanelle Tyler hit a layup at the buzzer.

The Utes marched out to a six-point lead of 24-18, and led 27-22 after three quarters. Caity Beddes rebounded a free throw miss and then put it back in the basket. She added a free throw to give Uintah its largest lead of the game at nine points.

Union made a hoop run, but ran out gas in the final minute.

“We did a good job from the free throw lane. However, we started getting fouls to put them (Union) on the free throw line. Union is a good free throw shooting team, but so are we as put in some key foul pitches,” said Coach Putnam.

Union will battle Wasatch at Union on Tuesday, Jan. 24. Union will also play Juan Diego on the road on Friday, Jan.27, and will host Park City on Jan. 31.