Boys basketball: Northridge’s hot streak continues with 4th-quarter run to beat Roy
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- Northridge’s Bentley Whitear (2) drives against Roy’s Corben Schuffenhauer, right, on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, in Layton.
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- Roy’s Colby Frokjer (1) and Daxton Warren (20) battle with Northridge’s De’Qoune Kennedy, center, on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, in Layton.
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- Roy’s Corben Schuffenhauer (2) handles the ball against Northridge on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, in Layton.
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- Northridge High’s Logan Birt signals a play against Roy on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, in Layton.
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- Roy High’s Corben Schuffenhauer (2) drives against Northridge’s Peyton Perkins on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, in Layton.
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- Northridge High’s Bentley Whitear dribbles against Roy on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, in Layton.
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- Roy High’s Colby Frokjer shoots a jumper against Northridge on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, in Layton.
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- Northridge’s De’Qoune Kennedy (22) looks to pass against Roy on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, in Layton.
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- Roy High’s Bronson Belnap (3) drives against Northridge on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, in Layton.
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- Northridge High’s Bentley Whitear (2) faces up as Roy’s Corben Schuffenhauer, left, defends on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, in Layton.
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- Roy High’s boys basketball bench reacts during a game against Northridge on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, in Layton.
LAYTON — There are three state championship football banners hanging in the Northridge High School gymnasium, courtesy of head coach Fred Fernandes, spanning the years 2000-02.
Though Fernandes never coached the Knights in basketball, his shadow looms large on this season’s recent hoop success.
The Knights have been red-hot since starting region play, posting a 7-2 record after a miserable 1-8 start.
“Coach Fernandes, one of the football coaches, came and talked to us, and that really helped us out and changed our mentality,” Northridge senior forward Josh Kitchen said. “Once region started, it’s like let’s start playing even harder and start winning games as a team like we know we can. We lift each other up; let’s do this.”
Northridge broke open a tight game against Roy on Wednesday night with a big, fourth-quarter run and swept the season series with the Royals, taking a 61-46 region victory.
Corben Schuffenhauer made two free throws for the Royals (9-9, 4-5 Region 5) with 7:18 left in the fourth quarter and Northridge led by two at 44-42.
But the Knights (8-10, 7-2) rode a 17-2 burst that carried them nearly the rest of the period before Roy scored the final basket in the closing seconds.
Kitchen made a basket inside with 6:52 remaining that started the run, giving the Knights a 46-42 edge and things got better from there. He added three more free throws and a driving layup over the next six minutes.
Roy star guard Bronson Belnap fouled out at the 5:28 mark, hurting the Royals’ chances.
“We started playing together. More defense and getting stops, then Q (De’Qoune Kennedy) got a huge foul that got Belnap out of the game,” Kitchen said. “We executed our break pretty well and got layups out of that. We knew we could beat them again; play team defense and it picked our offense up.”
Kitchen scored 18 points on the night, netting them in bunches — seven in the fourth quarter and eight in the second stanza, including a pair of 3-pointers.
“My shot wasn’t falling in the second half, so I just took it in and focused on the routine when I go to the line,” Kitchen said. “I look for my shot and if I don’t have it, I try to make the best pass. If I have my shot, I shoot it.”
Bentley Whitear had 17 points for the Knights and Kennedy scored 10.
Belnap led the Royals with 15 points and Schuffenhauer checked in with 11.