Bob Judson

WEST VALLEY CITY -- This one was really ugly, but Northridge is not going to give it back.

In a game no one wanted to win, the Knights escaped a first round upset in the state 5-A boys basketball tournament with a dramatic 43-41 overtime victory against Copper Hills in the Maverik Center on Tuesday afternoon.

WASHINGTON TERRACE -- It has snowed more recently in Utah than the last time the Bonneville boys basketball team has found its way into the state tournament.

Mapping out a successful game plan of 20-plus free throws and 10 or less turnovers, the Lakers broke out of a third quarter tie and sailed into the state 4-A playoffs for the first time since the 2005-06 season with a 63-52 victory over Box Elder on Friday evening.

LAYTON -- That's a wrap.

On a magical night in their kingdom, the Knights gave first year head coach Chad Sims a special gift, their first region championship in 10 years, as Northridge fought off Weber 53-45 to capture the crown with one game left in league play.

LAYTON -- For Layton, it must have felt like forever ago.

'It' is the last time the boys basketball team defeated Davis and 'it' happened for the first time since the 2003-04 season on Friday evening when the Lancers dumped the Darts for their first Region 1 victory of the season.

LAYTON -- Like Lady Gaga, Northridge's boys basketball team is 'On the Edge of Glory' following its 48-44 victory over cross-town rival Layton on Friday evening.

With Fremont's loss to Weber, the Knights (10-7 overall, 5-1 league) are in sole possession of first place in Region 1 as they start the second half of the schedule.

"We want to be great; we have big dreams for this team," said Northridge guard Preston Christensen. "We have a long way to go and we need to keep working hard and stay hungry."

KAYSVILLE -- Someone should tell Abel Porter he is only a sophomore.

Just don't expect his teammates to treat him like one.

Porter, a 6-foot 1 point guard for Davis, drove the lane to make a tying basket, was fouled on the play and then converted the free throw with 15.7 seconds remaining to lead the Darts into a first-place Region 1 tie by taking down Fremont 47-44 on Friday evening.

KAYSVILLE -- By design, Davis would like to hold their opponents somewhere between 10 and 12 points per quarter, so on the surface, the Darts' 57-48 victory over Layton on Friday evening was right on target.

But it belies the fact that the Darts gave up 16 and 18 point periods mixed in with a pair of single digit quarters, on the heels of a 24-point fourth quarter meltdown against Weber on Tuesday.