Boys basketball: Orton, Syracuse return to winner’s circle with 68-52 road win over Fremont
Senior Silverwolves falter after strong first-half finish
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- Syracuse junior Skyler Orton (2) defends Fremont senior Dylan Bruce (4) during Fremont’s Senior Night game on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025, in Plain City.
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- Syracuse junior Beckham Rees (3) thinks through a play during Fremont’s Senior Night game on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025, in Plain City.
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- Fremont senior Easton Hansen (23) drives through Syracuse junior Skyler Orton (2) during Fremont’s Senior Night game on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025, in Plain City.
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- Syracuse junior Beckham Rees (3) watches his shot fall during Fremont’s Senior Night game on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025, in Plain City.
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- Syracuse sophomore Lincoln Sohl (22) takes a layup past Fremont freshman Easton Hansen (23) during Fremont’s Senior Night game on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025, in Plain City.
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- Syracuse senior Hudson Hess (1) and Fremont freshman Easton Hansen (23) get set for tipoff during Fremont’s Senior Night game on Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025, in Plain City.
PLAIN CITY — Skyler Orton and Syracuse boys basketball are ready to have some fun.
Giving up a 48-point loss to Davis on the road last week was a bit more than the wake-up call the Titans needed, but bouncing back 68-52 at Fremont on Tuesday night is a step in the right direction with just one more regular-season date before postseason brackets are announced Saturday.
Orton wanted his team to “come in hot” and the junior two-way player’s 22 points are certainly indicative of such intentions. Another 16 points by senior point guard Bradlee Trejo ushered in the Titans’ (10-12, 3-6 Region 1) first win since Jan. 21 vs. Fremont (5-17, 1-8) at home.
“After the Davis game we were all pretty upset,” Orton said. “We just wanted to come in and beat them really bad.”
Both squads entered the evening with battered bigs — Syracuse’s Carter Robinson and Fremont’s Zach Hancock — but Fremont especially missed senior Zach Masters after the 6-foot-3 forward exited the first quarter with an apparent shoulder injury. Turning to senior Ben Calvert, the Silverwolves slowed down Syracuse’s jumpy start in the second quarter down eight.
Senior Easton Duft (17 points) and junior Cam Campbell (13 points) brought balance to the Fremont offense with Campbell’s nine second-quarter points shaving the Titans’ lead down to four before the break.
Fremont head coach Corey Melaney commended his seniors for a strong first-half showing but grew disappointed of his group’s handling of Syracuse’s multiple shooting threats in a third quarter that ultimately doomed their chances.
“I thought the second quarter was fantastic,” Melaney said. “To their credit, they handled our pressure and made us pay. They finished around the rim and we didn’t. They played an outstanding second half and shot the ball well.”
A block by Fremont senior Dylan Bruce would be arguably the Silverwolves’ lone defensive highlight of the third quarter as Syracuse senior Hudson Hess reinforced a 10-point lead with six minutes remaining. Calvert put together an and-one bucket late in the third, but it’d be no match for a 4-0 run from Orton to keep his side up 15 by the fourth quarter.
Orton said Tuesday’s halftime locker room meeting, led by Syracuse head coach Greg Godderidge, assured he and his teammates about the job at hand. Friday, the Titans welcome in Farmington on Senior Night.
“We all came together during that second (half) and played as a family,” Orton said. “That halftime we just came together and told each other what we needed to work on.”
Melaney and company now look ahead to Layton on Thursday in one final regular-season contest before the playoffs. Bogged down after five consecutive losses, Melaney said his group has the backbone to win but admitted the results fall back on him.
“They’re a hardworking, high-character group,” Melaney said. “They’ve picked the team up every day so we’ve had some great practices. I can’t recall a bad practice. … We just gotta do a better job putting them in a better position to be successful.”
BOX SCORE
Syracuse 21 7 24 16 — 68
Fremont 13 11 13 15 — 52
SHS (68): Orton 22, Trejo 16, Hoenigman 7, Gooderidge 5, Hess 5, Rees 5, Rountree 4, Sohl 2, Burgoyne 2.
FHS (52): E. Duft 17, C. Campbell 13, Calvert 9, Ridway 5, Hadley 3, Hansen 3, Bruce 2.
Connect with prep sports reporter Conner Becker via email at cbecker@standard.net and X @ctbecker.
