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Layton High's Chase Randall (2) works a drive against Lehi players Nate Rosenlof, center, and Tillman Huish (3) in a 6A boys basketball second-round playoff game Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Layton.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard-Examiner

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Layton High's Nic Anderson (11) looks across court as he drives against Lehi's Ashton Shewell (15) in a 6A boys basketball second-round playoff game Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Layton.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard-Examiner

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Layton High's Tage Allen (12) operates against Lehi's Tuk Howe in a 6A boys basketball second-round playoff game Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Layton.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard-Examiner

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Layton High's Karter Miller (1) pushes past Lehi's Tillman Huish (3) in a 6A boys basketball second-round playoff game Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Layton.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard-Examiner

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Layton High's Karter Miller (1) puts a shot up over Lehi's Tillman Huish (3) in a 6A boys basketball second-round playoff game Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Layton.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard-Examiner

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Layton High's Nic Anderson (11) puts the ball on the deck as Lehi's Trevor Anderson defends in a 6A boys basketball second-round playoff game Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Layton.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard-Examiner

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Layton High students watch the Lancers' 6A boys basketball second-round playoff game against Lehi on Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Layton.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard-Examiner

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Layton High's Tage Allen (12) pushes the ball up court in a 6A boys basketball second-round playoff game against Lehi on Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Layton.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard-Examiner

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Layton High's Jack Godderidge (21) attempts to post up Lehi's Tuk Howe (10) in a 6A boys basketball second-round playoff game Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Layton.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard-Examiner

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Layton High's Karter Miller, top, shoots a jumper over Lehi's Tillman Huish in a 6A boys basketball second-round playoff game Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Layton.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard-Examiner

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Layton High boys basketball head coach Kelby Miller leads a timeout during a 6A boys basketball second-round playoff game Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Layton.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard-Examiner

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Layton High's Karter Miller (1) and Brady Wilken (10) high-five during player introductions before a 6A boys basketball second-round playoff game Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Layton.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard-Examiner

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Layton High's Jack Godderidge, left, rises to shoot against Lehi in a 6A boys basketball second-round playoff game Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Layton.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard-Examiner

❮ ❯

LAYTON — It could be argued that a simple layup is the easiest shot taken on the basketball court.

Given that, choose your favorite idiom to describe Layton High’s layup performance from the field against Lehi in the second round of the 6A playoffs on Friday.

The Lancers couldn’t throw a pea in the ocean or hit the broad side of a barn.

Either way, the result was an early exit from the tournament, where the No. 4 Lancers lost a stunning 51-47 home game to the No. 13 Pioneers.

If you were to contend that an uncontested free throw is an easier shot than a layup, Layton didn’t fare much better there, bricklaying only 6 of 11 from the charity stripe.

“We needed to finish a little better, needed to shoot it a little better, especially at home in a playoff game,” Layton coach Kelby Miller said. “The game of basketball is really easy. Foul shots, layups … those things are huge and we didn’t do our part.”

Miller didn’t see the Layton (16-9) upset loss to Lehi (10-13) quite the same way as it appeared on paper, though.

“Region 3 is tough; (Lehi) didn’t come out with as many wins because they lost a lot of close games. Anybody from 1 to 13 can go win this thing. The records in 6A are all similar. We knew we’d be in for a dogfight and have to play hard. The ball didn’t bounce our way tonight.”

Layton trailed by one, three, and four points at the close of each of the first three quarters, then took a brief lead midway through the final frame before falling back.

As poor as their overall free-throw shooting was, the Lancers connected on 5 of 6 during a one-minute span of the fourth quarter, taking a 45-43 lead with 2:59 remaining.

Senior guard Chase Randall went 3 of 4 from the stripe to tie it at 43, then Layton went up on a pair of free throws by senior guard Jack Godderidge.

“We wanted to stay aggressive, keep attacking. We were fortunate to get some calls and hit some foul shots that helped us catch up,” Miller said. “We were just unable to sustain that. It’s hard to battle back and take a lead, then lose it.”

Then, just as the Lancers appeared ready to take control of the game with the roaring capacity crowd behind them, the tables turned on one big play.

Junior guard Karter Miller broke free on a fast-break layup and finally finished at the basket, drawing a foul on the play.

But wait — the officials waived off the bucket and called an offensive foul on Miller. Instead of a potential three-point play and a five-point lead, it was Lehi ball, down by two.

“He was initially pushed. He wasn’t the first contact; their guy was the first contact,” Kelby Miller lamented. “Unfortunately, the referee was out of position; I feel he made a bad call. That one hurt.”

Lehi junior wing Tuk Howe hit a 3-pointer with 1:22 left, and the Pioneers made five free throws down the stretch to hold off the Lancers.

Howe led the floor with 20 points, including four triples, and Ashton Shewell had 11 points for the Pioneers.

Kelby Miller tried to take the sting out of the controversial call, pointing out there are multiple possessions that can make a difference.

“Even feeling like the officiating was going against us, we still had opportunities. It’s never one call, never one possession, never one shot that defines the game,” Miller said. “It’s the combination of all that stuff that adds up.

“If we take care of our business, make foul shots earlier in the game, finish at the hoop a little better, one or two calls against us doesn’t really matter.”

Whistles earlier in the game put the Lancers in a tough spot, as starters Godderidge and Tage Allen spent a lot of the second half on the bench with foul trouble.

“We got two of our main guys in foul trouble; it changes how we were doing some things. Obviously, I don’t think the reffing went our way tonight,” Kelby Miller said. “It was pretty one-sided for a while. Still, we had some open shots we missed, had foul shots that we missed.

“They’re (Lehi) way better than their seed. The game boils down to foul shots, layups and turnovers, usually.”

Karter Miller scored 18 points in a game plan where Layton tried to free him up from his normal point guard duties.

“We were trying to get him off the ball a little bit, being able to attack from getting a pass; hoping their defense would shift … instead of him being the main focus and them filling the lanes,” Kelby Miller said.

Godderidge dodged his foul trouble to net 15 points, finishing with 3 of 4 from the free-throw line that gave the Lancers their short-lived fourth quarter lead.

The result capped a 1-2 punch of upsets in Davis County; instead of No. 4 Layton and No. 5 Davis meeting in a quarterfinal rematch of last year’s heated state semifinal, both took home losses and in their place, No. 12 Farmington and No. 13 Lehi face off to begin the 6A tournament’s resumption in Salt Lake City.