LAYTON — Odds of winning are definitely not stacked in your favor when you shoot just 20.0 percent and get outrebounded on your home floor.
But the Lancers took care of the ball Tuesday and converted 9 of 10 fourth-quarter free throws in a brutal 35-27 Region 1 victory over Fremont, which gave Layton High sole possession of the league lead.
“It feels good being in first place,” said Lancers senior point guard Ashley Price. “Our free throws and our defense won the game for us. We played man-to-man the whole time, and I think we’re best at man-to-man.”
Layton (11-3 overall, 3-0 league), which last won a Region 1 girls basketball title in the 2005-06 season when it was a co-champion with Clearfield, limited the Silver Wolves to a season-low point total and only six free-throw attempts.
Fremont’s top two scorers, Amanda Wayment and Shelbee Molen, who came in averaging 16.85 and 14.08 points per game, respectively, combined for just 11 points on 5-of-23 shooting.
“Our focus was to hold them both under their scoring average and each one under 10 points,” Price said. “(Maddi) Smith had Molen and Jaden (Anderson) had Wayment. I think this was one of our better defensive games of the season. We could have boxed out better, and that’s what hurt us was our rebounding.”
Wayment, who tweaked her right ankle late in the first quarter and had it retaped, went 4 of 14 from the floor for nine points with seven rebounds and three blocks. Molen scored two first-quarter points on just 1-of-9 shooting for the Silver Wolves (7-7, 2-1), who had their five-game winning streak snapped and are 6-4 in their last 10.
Senior Tanesha Daniels rang up a double-double with 10 points — hitting 5 of 12 shots — a game-high 15 boards and three blocks for Fremont, which shot a frosty 24.5 percent (13 of 53) and was 0 of 6 from 3-point range.
The Silver Wolves outrebounded Layton 37-27 with 25 turnovers, eight assists, 10 steals and six blocks.
“My role is to get us into our offenses,” said 17-year-old Ashley, who is the daughter of Lancers coach Van Price. “I try to score, but getting assists is more important than scoring.”
Smith scored a team-high 10 points on only 2-of-9 shooting with five rebounds and two steals for Layton, which outscored Fremont 16-8 during the fourth quarter while holding the Silver Wolves — who committed three turnovers in the last 27.6 seconds — scoreless the final 2:29.
Ashley Price went 6 of 6 from the free-throw line en route to eight points with six boards and three steals for the Lancers, who were 8 of 40 from the floor — 1 of 11 (9.1 percent) from downtown — with 14 turnovers, five assists, eight steals and three blocks.
“We practice shooting shooting free throws a lot in practice,” Ashley said. “Last year I wasn’t very good at the foul line and this season is totally different. We’re shooting more free throws in practice, and I feel more confident at the line. Free throws win games.”
Jaden Anderson hit only 1 of 8 shots with nine rebounds, two steals and three blocks for Layton, which won its fourth straight and is 4-2 in its last six games.
“I like playing for my dad. I do feel some pressure, but not a lot,” said Ashley, who was the first guard off the bench as a junior. “I think we have a good shot of winning region this year. It will be tough, and it’s all about hard work. We’re all good friends on the team and we’re pretty close. There is no drama on the team.”
• WEBER 43, DAVIS 38: At Pleasant View, the Warriors weren’t about to go 0-3 to start Region 1 play.
A strong defensive effort for the final three quarters helped Weber hold off Davis and earn a big league win. Erin Reichle scored 24 points to lead the Warriors, but coach Rick Stoeckl credited the entire roster with playing well on defense.
“Erin hit the last basket before halftime to give us the lead, and we never gave it up,” Reichle said. “Our zone defense worked really well; the entire team did their part.
Hanna Buswell had four points, four steals and a team-high seven boards to help the Warriors.
Weber helped its cause with a 13 of 15 mark at the foul line.
Jessica Richardson scored 14 points, and Morgan Hartvigsen added nine for the Darts, who jumped out to a 16-10 first-quarter lead.
• SYRACUSE 67, NORTHRIDGE 38: At Layton, the visiting Titans made a strong push in the third quarter to pull away from the young Knights.
Takenna Hamblin scored 24 points, Courtney Starks scored 10 in her return to action from an injury, and Jayda Bovero also notched double-figure scoring with 10.
Northridge trailed 23-19 at the half, but couldn’t keep up with the Titans’ 30-point third period. Sydnee Accord scored 16 points, while Hadley Visser grabbed seven rebounds in the loss.
Region 17
• ST. JOSEPH 63, WEST RIDGE 4: At West Jordan, the Jayhawks had no trouble in picking up the league road win.
West Ridge didn’t score until the fourth quarter, while St. Joseph slowed the game down late. Nine Jayhawks found the scoring column, led by Liz Tomon with 18 points, Mady White with 16 and Jessica Bischoff with eight points.
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