The Dugway Mustangs tuned up for the state tournament Thursday with an easy 67-40 victory over Meridian at Dugway.

Zach James, Jackson Jones and Morgan Kartchner combined for 52 points with James and Jones scoring 18 each and Kartchner 16.

The Mustangs jumped out to an 18-6 lead after one quarter and ran the lead to 39-20 at intermission in the final home game for James Dettle, James, Kartchner and Dakota Woolett.

Woolett scored seven points in the game and junior Nate Lundy added eight.

The Mustangs finished the regular season with an 8-0 region record and a 19-2 record overall. They open the 1A state tournament on Wednesday at 7 p.m. against the winner of the Intermountain Christian-Monument Valley play-in game on Tuesday night at Richfield High School. The 16-team 1A tourney will be held at the Sevier Valley Center in Richfield Wednesday through Saturday.

Dugway takes an experienced team to the tourney with four players who average in double figures. Kartchner averages 15 points per game followed by Woolett with a 13 points per game average, Jones at 11 points per game and James at 10. Junior Lundy scores eight points per outing.

The Mustangs will most likely face Monument Valley in the first game at the tournament. The Cougars finished in fourth place in a strong Region 19 league which includes powerhouses Monticello, Whitehorse and Green River.

Dugway looked sharp on Feb. 12 when it defeated Green River by 20 points at Dugway.

The Mustangs stifle most opponents with their full-court pressure defense which creates easy opportunities on offense. Dugway has shot 50 percent from two-point range this year wild holding opponents to 36 percent. When 3-point attempts are included, Dugway shoots 45 percent and opponents 32 percent. Dugway also shoots 57 percent from the foul line.

Kartchner connects on 31 percent of his 3-point shots while Woolett hits 26 percent from long distance and Jones sinks 20 percent of his 3-point shots. Jones ends up on the scoring end of several fast-break opportunities and leads the team in two-point percentage at 67 percent. Kartchner and Jones lead the team in assists from their guard positions.

James is strong inside on defense and leads the team in total rebounds while Lundy is second in rebounding and Woolett third.

Mark Watson: mwatson@tooeletranscript.com