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West Field’s Drew Faddis goes up for two against Northridge during a region boys basketball contest on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at West Field High School in Taylor.

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Northridge's Jett Williams leaps toward the rim during a region boys basketball contest on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at West Field High School in Taylor.

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West Field’s Cason Malan, defended by Northridge’s Jace Whitear, left, watches a long try sail toward the basket during a region boys basketball contest on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at West Field High School in Taylor.

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Northridge's Theo Roach slows it down during a region boys basketball contest on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at West Field High School in Taylor.

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West Field’s Daxton Laughter brings the ball down the floor against Northridge during a region boys basketball contest on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at West Field High School in Taylor.

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Northridge's Jace Whitear brings the ball down the floor during a region boys basketball contest on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at West Field High School in Taylor.

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Northridge's Theo Roach drives to the basket during a region boys basketball contest on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at West Field High School in Taylor.

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Northridge's Jett Williams leaps toward the rim during a region boys basketball contest on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, at West Field High School in Taylor.

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❮ ❯

TAYLOR — Deny, deny, deny.

It’s typically the best route when caught red-handed in some 1980s-era movie shenanigans, but the homonym also best describes West Field boys basketball’s fourth-quarter formula against Northridge for a 60-55 home win Friday night.

The Longhorns (13-6, 8-1 Region 5), led by senior Jaden Fowers down the stretch, shut down the Knights (9-11, 2-7) from the field and the free-throw line through the final four minutes of the fourth quarter.

Fowers dropped eight of his 14 points in that final frame and finished second only to sophomore Drew Faddis’ game-high 15 points in the scorebook.

“We came prepared; we knew what they were doing,” Faddis said. “We just need to come out with more energy next time.”

Northridge led by four at the half and by three to begin the fourth quarter in what became its seventh region loss, and second against West Field this season. Knights coach Cameron Wood is looking for his team to execute in crunch time — especially at the free-throw line.

“You just gotta control what you can control,” Wood said. “We controlled what we could, but we just couldn’t put the ball in the hoop. (Free throws) have kinda been our Achilles heel. We shot 50% from the line today, but it’s more the ones that we missed to get us to a one-possession game or get even with them. We just had a hard time hitting them today.”

Faddis, dropping six points inside the arc to begin the night, and Karter Rich (eight points), hopping off the bench to join Cason Malan (11 points) for two early 3-point baskets, led West Field to a 16-15 start by the second quarter.

Northridge trio Howard Hansen (14 points), Carson Murphy (six points), and Jett Williams (five points) stepped up big in the second quarter, as West Field trailed by as much as seven near the break; Jace Whitear (14 points) and Theo Roach (eight points) each had eight at the half.

Maddux Purser (five points) crushed two free throws, drawing West Field back within four at halftime.

“I thought we were able to really control the tempo,” Wood said of the first half. “Second half, I thought we kinda got back to it but early in the third quarter we tightened up a bit and gave up the lead there. We ended up having to fight back

“I’ll be honest, it’s about having to knock down some shots. We’re a pretty young team, a pretty new team, so we’ve gotta keep pushing.”

West Field opened the third quarter on a 7-0 run to quickly regain the lead. Rich added his second triple, Faddis picked up four more points and three Longhorns — Purser, Daxton Laughter (six points), and Jaxxon Gerace (one point) — visited the stripe in the third quarter.

Up three to begin the fourth quarter, Northridge went ice cold from the field and the stripe after roughly four minutes back onto the floor.

Whitear collected four points in the fourth, Jack Hodson (totaling six points) added three and the Knights, collectively, hit just 3 of 8 fourth-quarter free throws. Late buckets by Fowers, Faddis and Malan, hitting the frame’s lone 3-pointer, paved the way for West Field to outdo their opponent at the free-throw line.

With four games to go, West Field hosts Bonneville on Wednesday, Feb. 4; Northridge looks to regroup at Box Elder. Both games are slated for a 7 p.m. tip.

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