Boys basketball: Miller’s 32 points lead Layton in revenge on Syracuse
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- Layton High’s Karter Miller elevates for a dunk during a Region 1 boys basketball game against Syracuse on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, in Layton.
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- Syracuse High’s Colton Hoenigman (15) drives the lane as Layton’s Tage Allen (12) tries to defend during a Region 1 boys basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, in Layton.
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- Layton High’s Chase Randall (2) drives past Syracuse’s Drake Semrow (23) during a Region 1 boys basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, in Layton.
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- Layton High’s Karter Miller (1) rises to the basket against Syracuese’s Cohen Godderidge during a Region 1 boys basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, in Layton.
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- Layton High’s Karter Miller (1) tries to keep pace with Syracuse’s Skyler Orton (33) during a Region 1 boys basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, in Layton.
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- Layton’s Chase Randall (2) drives past Syracuse’s Drake Semrow (23) during a Region 1 boys basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, in Layton.
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- Players on Syracuse High’s bench celebrate a play during a Region 1 boys basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, in Layton.
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- Layton High’s Tage Allen (12) puts the ball on the deck as Syracuse’s Bracken Lessey defends during a Region 1 boys basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, in Layton.
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- Syracuse High’s Cohen Godderidge (5) tries to ward off Layton’s Jack Godderidge (21) during a Region 1 boys basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, in Layton.
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- Layton High’s Chase Randall rises to the basket against Syracuse during a Region 1 boys basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, in Layton.
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- Syracuse High’s Colton Hoenigman (15) gets past Layton’s Nic Anderson (11) during a Region 1 boys basketball game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, in Layton.
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- Layton High’s Nic Anderson (11) slaps hands with teammates during introductions before a game Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, in Layton.
LAYTON — An injured Lancer is a dangerous thing.
Layton fell on the spear at home Tuesday for the first time in four years and had limped to a region loss on the road at Syracuse earlier this month.
Friday was a redemption game for Layton junior guard Karter Miller and the Lancer lot against the Titans.
“We don’t like losing to them, especially in our region. We want to battle every game and give them our best,” Miller said. “Losing at home Tuesday … it was a good thing to come back and get a win here. We want to get that streak going again.”
Miller scored 32 points and Layton overcame a double-digit deficit in the first quarter, finally creating some space midway through the fourth period to tip the Titans 62-59 in a Region 1 rumble.
After a slow start, Miller scored 10 regulation buckets and converted 12 of 15 from the free-throw line. Though he did not have a 3-point basket, he was fouled three times on attempts from beyond the arc and made the Titans pay.
“They’re going to face guard me. When I get my shot, I expect contact and sometimes they don’t go in. I have confidence at the line,” Miller said. “If my 3s aren’t falling, then I have my midrange shot; if that doesn’t work, I try to get to the free-throw line.”
Nothing worked for the Lancers (14-6, 4-1 Region 1) in the first quarter when the Titans (10-9, 2-3) raced to a 21-8 lead.
“Sometimes you get too excited and too amped up; it’s always about composure and coming down and being ourselves again,” Miller said. “We know we’re a better team than them. We can’t start like that.”
That Syracuse margin was still 24-12 in the second stanza when junior guard Colton Hoenigman was whistled for his second foul at the 6:36 mark.
To that point, Hoenigman and senior center Carter Robinson had scored 22 of Syracuse’s 24 points.
“Our boys were motivated. Skyler Orton had a great game against them last time, so we knew they would come out and double-team him,” Syracuse coach Greg Godderidge said. “We challenged him to distribute the ball and he had six or seven assists.”
With half of their offense on the bench, Syracuse stumbled for the remainder of the second quarter.
“Some calls went one way instead of the other, and it was a catalyst for them. We got good looks but didn’t execute,” Godderidge lamented.
The Lancers went on a 17-4 run and took a 29-28 lead at the break on a free throw by senior forward Tage Allen with 28.2 seconds remaining.
“Between quarters we talked about playing Lancer basketball; getting up tempo. Do what we want to do. They came out inspired and got tired. They don’t want to run with us,” Miller said. “We gave our all in the second quarter, then had a 10-minute rest at halftime.”
Layton senior guard Chase Randall scored eight points during that second-quarter burst with a pair of 3-pointers and two free throws. He totaled four treys on the night and 3 of 4 free throws for 15 points.
“It’s getting in the gym, putting up shots and seeing the ball go in the hoop,” Randall said. “The 3s helped get us energized and boosted us up.”
But it was Syracuse that opened the third quarter on fire, taking a 40-32 edge on a 3 by sophomore forward Nakoy Daw halfway through the period.
“We reset and talked about changes on defense, but down the stretch we missed some shots and they made them,” Godderidge said.
Layton then embarked on its second major streak of the game, this one 23-6, giving the Lancers a 55-46 advantage on Miller’s jumper from the right angle with four minutes remaining.
Randall was also key during this run, splashing his third three with 3:10 left, closing the gap to 40-35. His fourth came at 6:11 of the final frame, giving the Lancers some breathing room at 48-44.
“Threes hype up our team; you get one to go and everyone encourages me to keep shooting them,” Randall said. “Coaches tell me if I have a bit of room, let it fly. I saw him sitting back and have confidence it’s going in.”
Following Randall’s third-quarter 3-pointer, it was Miller time; he scored 17 of Layton’s next 20 points, with Randall’s fourth triple the only other points in the run.
“Sometimes it happens; it’s a game of runs. They got theirs, so we have to have a better one,” Miller said. I’m going to find open guys, but if they’re not hitting, I feel like no one can stay in front of me. I get going downhill … I still have my shot if I get to my spot.”
Syracuse got to within 58-56 in the closing seconds, but Miller made two free throws and a fast break bucket to keep the Titans at bay.
Robinson netted 23 points, including 14 in the first nine minutes when Syracuse was sizzling. Hoenigman scored 19 on the night, with a trio of 3s and 4 of 6 from the charity stripe.
Miller’s three free throws with 5:34 remaining in the game put him over 1,000 points for his Layton career.
