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Ogden High's Salote Tonga, left, and Ben Lomond's Brooklyn Richey pose with their scholarship awards before the Phil Russell Memorial Game at Ogden High School on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Ogden.

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Ogden High's Julia Draper, right, knocks the ball from Ben Lomond's Regahn Espinoza during the Phil Russell Memorial Game at Ogden High School on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Ogden.

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Ogden's Kaydree Crowther, left, knocks the ball loose from Ben Lomond's Regahn Espinoza during the Phil Russell Memorial Game at Ogden High School on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Ogden.

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Ben Lomond's Trinytee Martinez looks for an open pass during the Phil Russell Memorial Game at Ogden High School on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Ogden.

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Ben Lomond's Hadley Chadwick secures a rebound away from Ogden High's Taylor Duke during the Phil Russell Memorial Game at Ogden High School on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Ogden.

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Ogden High's Megan Beus and Ben Lomond's Hadley Chadwick approach one another during the Phil Russell Memorial Game at Ogden High School on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Ogden.

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Ogden High's Jill Wood, surrounded by Ben Lomond's Regahn Espinoza, left, and Trinytee Martinez, right, during the Phil Russell Memorial Game at Ogden High School on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Ogden.

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Ben Lomond's Regahn Espinoza and Ogden High's Jill Wood go up for the jump ball during the Phil Russell Memorial Game at Ogden High School on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Ogden.

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Ben Lomond coach Jamie Phippen directs from the bench during the Phil Russell Memorial Game at Ogden High School on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026, in Ogden.

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❮ ❯

OGDEN — His name’s inked on the court for a reason.

The late Phil Russell, one of the state’s winningest girls basketball coaches with 502 career wins, 10 region titles and five state championships at Ogden High, has been immortalized through the team’s annual home game against Ben Lomond since 2021.

A 49-13 Tigers win over the Scots on Thursday marks a third consecutive win in the series since 2024, as Andy Blodgett’s Ogden team improved to 9-8 overall (2-2 Region 12). But, through Russell’s lasting legacy and his family’s commitment to basketball, both sides won.

Before tipoff, Ogden senior Salote Tonga and BL sophomore Brooklyn Richey each received a $500 scholarship on behalf of the Russell family and the Phil Russell Legacy Foundation.

Tonga, Ogden’s starting center and a four-year member of the program, keeps this particular game close to her heart. Tonga’s been part of four home wins against BL during her prep career.

“When I think of Ogden basketball, I typically think about this game,” Tonga said. “It’s really sad to know it’s over, but I’m also proud that over all the years I’ve been here, we were able to win every single one of them.”

It’s been a special season for Ogden, which now features one of Phil Russell’s son, Matt — brother to West Field head boys basketball coach Mike Russell — as Blodgett’s newest assistant in addition to Tiffany Edmondson-Nolan. Matt Russell said recent changes with the family printing business allowed him to step into a coaching role at his high school alma mater.

Tonga and her teammates have formed a special bond with Matt in a short time.

“I’ve never met Phil, but I feel like I’ve known him through the family just by the way they treat us,” Tonga said. “It’s really special. … (Matt) is like a grandpa to our whole team. We love him and we adore him, so he’s just our favorite.”

Thursday’s game is hardly lost on the Scots, led by first-year hoops coach and softball transplant Jamie Phippen. Phippen crossed paths with Phil Russell during her days at Weber High, and sported a BL-themed “Russell” warmup shirt alongside her players; Ogden wore its own version of the shirt, along with their alternate “Fighting Phil’s” uniforms on Thursday.

“I’ve done a pretty good job of explaining what a legend Russell is,” Phippen said. “And it’s an honor that we get to play with our rivals in a game meant for the best coach from girls basketball in the state. We had a great time with it.”

Richey, receiving the portion of the scholarship award on behalf of Ben Lomond, missed Thursday’s action due to an ankle injury. Plenty familiar with Richey’s character from softball, Phippen spoke directly to how deserving she is of the honor and to be joined by Tonga.

“Brooklyn is an amazing young lady,” Phippen said. “I’ve been lucky to coach her in a couple of sports, and I know her and her family well. It was awesome to see her get that award and she’s very deserving.”

Without Richey, BL (3-13, 0-4) kept Ogden within nine through the end of the first quarter via opening twos by sophomores Nhyema Simpson and Diana Campos-Ramer. Seniors Hadley Chadwick, Aliyah Gonzalez and sophomore Trinytee Martinez combined for three triples in leading the Scots from downtown.

Not lost on her team’s progress, Phippen is the first in their corner when it comes to measuring the night-and-day difference she’s witnessed in effort this season. Playing against Ogden, an understandably tall task with a few resume-building wins through the first half of the season, was no exception.

Phippen and the Scots are building trust, and that means quite a bit to BL’s coach.

“Every one of my players, I can look up and down my bench and I can have confidence they’re going to give me hustle,” Phippen said.

Leading Ogden, sophomore Hazel Nadolski’s game-high 11 points shone brightest in the first half; Nadolski dropped six different two-point goals in the second quarter and senior Lauretta Taukiuvea (six points) completed her first of two perfect trips to the free-throw line.

Up 27-5 by the second half, Nadolski and freshman Juliet Knowles (seven points) penciled in the home end’s first 3-point buckets in the third quarter. Sophomores Kate Adams, Keilani Workman and freshman Millie Nadolski combined for six bench points in the fourth quarter.

Kaydree Crowther (five points), Jasmine Draper (five points), and Taylor Duke (one point) all joined the scoring before the night was done.

Win or lose, Ogden’s paying homage to the great Phil Russell one game at a time. The Tigers have won every home contest against Ben Lomond available via the team’s historical schedules on MaxPreps.

“It’s one of the sweetest things, since my dad’s passing, that I’ve been a part of,” Matt Russell said. “(Blodgett) always wanted to make sure we honored my dad during this game every day, and words can’t express how thankful I am to the community, my family and the girls.”

“I can see why my dad did it for 40 years.”

Connect with prep sports reporter Conner Becker via email at cbecker@standard.net and X @ctbecker.