With more teams in their league, Region 1 boys basketball teams got a jump last week on that portion of the schedule. The Davis Darts made the most of their first two contests. Meanwhile, Woods Cross, Bountiful, Farmington and Viewmont begin Region 5 competition this week. 

Davis

The Darts began this week with a 7-3 overall record and, more importantly, a 2-0 mark in region. Davis scored a pair of league victories last week largely because of strong defense. 

Davis upended Weber 70-53 on the road Jan. 5. Davis was up just 49-44 heading into the fourth quarter but used a 21-9 spurt in the final six minutes of the game to pull away. Though the Darts hit just 22 of 49 shots from the field, they made 20 free throws compared to Weber’s 10. Rex Sunderland was the offensive star. The 6-foot-3-inch junior had 27 points and four steals. Senior Colby Sims added 19 points, three assists and three steals, while Chance Trujillo had 11 points and eight rebounds. Henry Ihrig had eight points and 10 rebounds for the Darts. 

Playing at home on Jan. 8 against Fremont, Davis’ offense had some struggles, scoring just 15 points in the first half. But the defense held Fremont to 12 of 35 shooting in a 47-36 win. Sunderland was again the Darts’ leading scorer. This time he had 15 points in the victory (and he added five steals too). Trujillo and Ihrig each had 11 points, and Sims chipped in 10 points.

Davis has not allowed a team to score more than 63 points all season, and only two opponents have topped 57 points. 

This week, Davis played at Syracuse on Tuesday and entertains Roy on Friday. 

Woods Cross

Woods Cross hosted Farmington in the region opener on Wednesday. Results were not available at press time. The Wildcats boasted the best overall record in Region 5, having gone 7-3 during the non-league schedule. 

The Wildcats didn’t play last week and next travel to Bonneville to take on the Lakers, a team they defeated twice last season. 

Keegan Phung has paced the team in scoring this season with a 15.9 average. He’s also the top rebounder, pulling in nearly five boards a game. Mason Bendinger averages 12.8 points per game, while Jaxon Smith is scoring 10.5 points an outing. 

Farmington

At 6-6, the Phoenix were looking to break the .500 mark when they played at Woods Cross. The team next faces Bountiful at home on Friday. 

Last week, Farmington evened its record with a 62-54 win over West Jordan on Jan. 7. The Phoenix fell into an early 15-8 hole in the first quarter but turned things around the rest of the way. Farmington outscored West Jordan 30-20 in the second half. 

Collin Chandler had 25 points, four rebounds and three assists in the victory. Sam Rencher contributed 12 points and four assists, and Paul Beattie had 10 points and a team-high seven rebounds. Chandler has been on a tear this season. The senior is averaging nearly 19 points a game. 

Bountiful

The Braves had a rough time last week, dropping two games to fall to 6-7 overall. 

Bountiful lost to Lone Peak 86-55 on Jan. 5, falling behind 44-23 at the halftime break. Austin Cooper had 14 points in the loss. Wyatt Smith and Henry Smith each had 10 points. 

On Jan. 7, the Braves lost to Real Salt Lake Academy 59-50, despite 23 points and 15 rebounds from Robert Whaley. The senior also had three assists and three steals. No other Braves reached double figures. Bountiful had cut an 11-point halftime deficit down to four entering the fourth quarter. However, Real Salt Lake Academy held back any further attempt at a Bountiful comeback. 

The Braves looked for a fresh start at home against Bonneville on Wednesday in the region opener. Bountiful plays at Farmington on Friday. 

Viewmont

  The Vikings begin Region 5 play with a 6-6 record. They played at Box Elder on Wednesday and next travel to Bonneville on Friday.

Non-region play ended on a sour note for Viewmont in a 62-51 loss at Riverton on Jan. 5. A poor first quarter doomed Viewmont, as the team fell behind 14-3 and could never catch up. The Vikings trailed 51-26 at the end of the third quarter. A 25-11 advantage in the final six minutes made the final tally more respectable for Viewmont. 

The Vikings struggled from the field, hitting just 15 of 47 shots. Brash Emery led the team with 19 points, including four three-pointers. He also had three rebounds, two assists and two steals. John Barnes had 10 points and five rebounds.