Boys basketball: History rhymes in Kaysville as Davis beats Fremont with 4th-quarter run
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- Davis High’s Tradon Bessinger (13) shoots over Fremont’s Hunter Hansen (10) on Friday, Feb. 2, 2024, in Kaysville.
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- Fremont’s Hunter Hansen (10) rises to shoot against Davis High’s Easton Ralphs (23) on Friday, Feb. 2, 2024, in Kaysville.
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- Davis High’s Zach Fisher (4) drives against Fremont’s Ryan Furgeson on Friday, Feb. 2, 2024, in Kaysville.
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- Fremont’s Easton Duft, right, faces up against Davis High’s Ike Morgan (11) on Friday, Feb. 2, 2024, in Kaysville.
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- Davis High’s Ike Morgan (11) shoots over Fremont’s Easton Duft (5) on Friday, Feb. 2, 2024, in Kaysville.
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- Fremont’s Tyler Allen (22) shoots in a game against Davis on Friday, Feb. 2, 2024, in Kaysville.
KAYSVILLE — Seattle Times columnist Mike Vorel once wrote: “American humorist and writer Mark Twain is frequently credited with the aphorism: ‘History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes.’
“Which means, while details change, circumstances change, settings change, names change, similar events will essentially recycle.”
In January, Davis High boys basketball devastated Fremont with a 15-0 fourth-quarter run in Plain City and won by 12 points.
Friday at home, it was a 12-3 outburst by Davis in the final frame and the results were the same when the Darts defeated the Silverwolves 52-45 in a Region 1 ruckus, sweeping the season series.
It was a close contest like the first encounter, with the tables turned as Davis (14-5, 5-1 Region 1) led by one point heading into the fourth quarter, instead of trailing by a digit.
In the first game, Fremont (10-9, 2-4) took a two-point lead early in the fourth period on a free throw; this time Ryker Saunders converted a driving layup and charity toss with 7:25 remaining, and the Wolves went up 34-32.
That is when Davis embarked on its 12-3 jaunt to take control 44-37 on a free throw by Zach Fisher at the 3:36 mark.
“We practice defense all the time; coach always tells us get stops on defense and you get layups on offense,” Davis sophomore Tradon Bessinger said. “Obviously, our offense wasn’t working for us. We just knew our defense had to come through.”
Continuing the game comparisons, Bessinger nailed a huge 3-pointer during Friday’s game, where it was senior guard Ike Morgan who took the honors back in January for the Darts.
Bessinger’s trey came late in the quarter, giving the Darts a comfortable 49-43 lead with 25 ticks left to finally hold off the Silverwolves.
“It feels pretty good. That’s cool. Special for me,” Bessinger said. “They were doubling Coleman (Atwater) and wanted the ball out of his hands. Coming out of a time out, I said ‘Coleman, let’s pop this one, and he’s like let’s do it’ and I hit. I wasn’t afraid; my guys have my back. I just had to be confident.”
Bessinger made three free throws early in the run, then had the big 3, and finished with 11 points — six in the fourth quarter.
“We knew they were going to jump and try and swat it, so I was going to pump fake and try to get to the line; to get an and-one,” Bessinger said. “We were playing team ball and they found me a couple of times and I made plays.”
Hunter Hansen scored 11 points in the initial game at Fremont and matched that total in the first half Friday, but could only manage one basket after the break. He finished with 13 points on the night.
Caleb Taylor again drew the Davis defensive assignment on Hansen and responded with another outstanding effort. He also scored four points and hauled down seven rebounds.
“We didn’t say anything to Caleb. He just knew it was time to dial in and he did what he’s good at and anticipated what (Hansen) is going to do and did well,” Bessinger said.
Maybe one more thing of note: along with Bessinger, Davis got double-digit scoring from Morgan and Atwater with 10 each and Fisher netted nine — nearly matching the four players in double figures and one with nine in the first outing.
Ryan Furgeson had a game-high 15 points for Fremont and Tyler Allen checked in with eight points and six rebounds.
“They’re tough and had a good game plan. We got hit with adversity but battled through it. (Easton) Duft and Hunter, they’re special; they’re really good,” Bessinger said. “But, my teammates, we’re dogs. Our team is unstoppable right now.”