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Davis Journal

Davis, Farmington, Woods Cross boys basketball each win openers

Dec 08, 2022 10:12AM ● By Josh McFadden

Farmington’s Cole Johnson (13) works to dribble around East’s Mahamad Assad (11) in Farmington’s first game of the season. The Phoenix won 50-40. Photo by Carl Page

With the fall sports season in the books, the winter season takes stage. Boys basketball teams have started a slate of non-region games in preparation for league play in early January. A trio of Davis County teams got off to good starts with victories. 


Davis 


Coming off a 22-2 record a year ago, there is a lot of excitement surrounding this edition of the Davis Darts boys basketball team. There is also some eagerness to erase some bitter memories of the team’s early playoff exit. Despite being a No. 2 seed at last season’s Class 6A state tournament, the Darts fell at home in the second round to Syracuse, a team they had beaten twice in the regular season. 

Unfortunately for head coach Chad Sims and his team, this year looks like it could be a reloading effort. Davis lost all five starters from last year’s squad, meaning this version will look a lot different than the one that captured the Region 1 title a year ago. 

Players such as Alex Fisher, Kaden Eggett and Colby Whicker, a trio of seniors, will be among the team leaders this year. Sophomores Coleman Atwater and Bennett Wright lack experience but have talent. Juniors Ike Morgan, a guard, and Zach Fisher, a forward, will factor into the Darts’ rotation. 

The 2022–23 season started off with a dominant 60-32 win over Bonneville. The defense held the Lakers to just 12 first-half points and 21 through three quarters. The Lakers made just 10 of 35 shots. Meanwhile, the Darts shot 56% from the field and made seven three-pointers on the day. Alex Fisher led the way with 16 points and eight rebounds. Atwater added 14 points, six rebounds and four steals. Zach Fisher chipped in 12 points and six rebounds. 

Davis hosted Pleasant Grove on Wednesday and will play at Lehi on Friday. 


Farmington


The Phoenix were 14-10 overall last year and 8-4 in Region 1, good enough for second place. They lost in the second round of the state playoffs to Cyprus a year ago. 

For Farmington, there is some rebuilding to do as well, as the team lost three starters. Senior point guard Cole Johnson and junior forward Paul Beattie will be key pieces this season. Beattie was the second-leading scorer on the team last season behind the now-departed Collin Chandler, an All-State player. Beattie averaged 12.6 points per game a season ago. Meanwhile, Johnson scored 5.5 points a game last season and dished out 2.3 assists a contest. 

Senior guard Ben Stucki, junior forward Easton Ralphs, junior guard Jayden Haskell and junior forward Ethan Atkinson played small parts last season but will have expanded responsibilities in 2022–23. 

In the season opener, Farmington took down East 50-40 on Nov. 22. The third quarter was a big difference in the game, as the Phoenix outscored the Leopards 19-9 in that six-minute span. This allowed Farmington to take a nine-point lead into the final period. Beattie had 19 points and 10 rebounds in the win, while Haskell had 12 points. Adam Stucki added nine points. 

Farmington hosted Maple Mountain on Wednesday and then play at home against Bonneville on Thursday. 


Woods Cross


The Wildcats are coming off an 18-9 season in which they were 7-3 in Region 5, finishing in second place. More notably, the Wildcats advanced all the way to the Class 5A state title game, losing to state power Olympus. 

The 2022–23 campaign started off well, as Woods Cross defeated Spanish Fork 67-55 on Nov. 22. Up just 28-26 at the break, Woods Cross outscored Spanish Fork 39-29 in the second half. The duo of Jaxon Smith (21) and Mason Bendinger (18) combined for 39 of those points, Alex Brey added 11. 

Woods Cross played at Copper Hills on Wednesday and next hosts Logan on Friday. 

The Wildcats are a big favorite in Region 5 this year. Smith, Bendinger and Brey will lead the team, while senior Will Campbell and sophomore Hunter Jackson will join them in the starting lineup.