Though last season ended in disappointment, the 2023–24 campaign was highly successful for the Copper Hills girls basketball team. The Grizzlies are hoping to build on that as the new season gets underway. 

The Grizzlies posted a glossy 25-2 record last season, winning Region 2 with a 9-1 record and advancing all the way to the Class 6A state championship game. Copper Hills fell to Lone Peak, missing out on a state title. However, Copper Hills set a school record for victories and was dominant most of the season. 

Copper Hills has to replace some key members of that runner-up squad. Still, head coach Jake Timpson likes this team and has confidence in what it can do. Copper Hills welcomes back four returning starters to the team and is also bringing in some new faces.

“We have a group of girls that are eager to get back to where we were last year,” Timpson said. “We want to play again for a championship, and we believe we have the team to do it.”

Timpson will rely on four seniors to lead the team this season. He’s excited to see how guard Skylie Barker, guard Ayla Marston, wing Aspen Fraser and post player Taylor Johnson will pick up where they left off last season and continue the Grizzlies’ winning ways. Barker was second on the team in scoring last season with an average of 16.2 points per game. She also paced the Grizzlies in rebounding with 7.4 boards a contest. Marston was third in scoring a season ago with 8.2 points per game. Her 3.9 assists an outing led the squad. Johnson scored 3.6 points a game last season and added 2.4 rebounds a contest. Fraser’s per-game averages last season were 5.6 points and 4.2 rebounds. 

Copper Hills did a lot of things well last season, but Timpson said the team can still improve. He’s emphasizing defense and toughness this season. 

“We want to be a tougher team,” he said. “We want to be able to rebound better and just become a more physical team in general.”

While Coper Hills wants to get back to the state title game and take the next step by winning it all, Timpson said the team wants to take smaller steps toward achieving its goals. He’s looking for hard work, effort, commitment and a positive attitude. 

“I don't believe in the idea of a championship-or-bust mindset,” he said. “We will take every game at a time and just try to get better. At the end of the day, I want these girls to just leave it all out on the floor and do their very best. That’s what will make this season successful. If we come together as a team, play hard and have great experiences, it will be a success.”

The Grizzlies had little trouble last season racking up victories. Copper Hills did this without the same amount of experience it boasts this season. With a senior-laden team, Copper Hills could be dangerous again. 

“We got great senior leadership that are eager to return to where we were last year,” Timpson said. “We will have more experience this year than we did last year.”

Copper Hills got off to a good start, winning the season opener on Nov. 19 over Skyridge, 59-38. The Grizzlies used a 22-6 second-quarter run to erase a four-point first-quarter deficit. Barker had a huge day, racking up 31 points and pulling down eight rebounds. Marston added 11 points, nine rebounds and five assists. The Grizzlies won’t have many easy nights on their schedule, as Timpson said the team has a challenging slate ahead of it. He said the girls will have to give it their all each time they step onto the court. 

“We have a very difficult schedule this year,” Timpson said. “We play some really strong teams, so we will have to bring it every night. We can't afford to take nights off.”

Copper Hills will play at Oak Cliff Faith Family Academy in Texas on Dec. 14. The Grizzlies will also participate in the Florida Tournament, Dec. 19–21. On Jan. 7, the final non-region game of the season will take place, and it will be a huge one. Lone Peak visits Copper Hills in a rematch of last year’s state title game. The first Region 2 game will be Jan. 9 at Corner Canyon. 

Defending other teams will be the strength of this Copper Hills squad, Timpson said. He also likes how well the girls play with one another and how they have developed good team unity.

“Our strength is our defense,” he said. “We are long and athletic and disrupt a lot of teams. We’ve got some great players that work really hard and are eager to compete. One of our strengths will be our chemistry. For a lot of these starters, it’s their third year playing with each other.”

The final game of the regular season will be Feb. 13 when the Grizzlies host Mountain Ridge. The 6A state tournament follows. 

Timpson said the girls are not only excellent players but impressive people. He loves how coachable they are and how eager they are to learn and get better. 

“What I love most about this group is their willingness to be coached hard and that they hold themselves accountable,” he said. “I've built some great relationships with this group, and I will miss them a lot when they graduate, not only because they are great players but great kids.”