Boys basketball playoffs: Davis outlasts American Fork in double overtime slugfest
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- Davis High’s Croyden Christensen, center right, loses the ball against American Fork’s Jax Oyler (2) during a 6A second-round playoff game Friday, Feb. 21, 2025, in Kaysville.
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- Davis guard JT Turley drives the basketball against American Fork during a 6A second-round playoff game Friday, Feb. 21, 2025, in Kaysville.
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- Davis High’s Bennett Wright (3) probes the lane against American Fork during a 6A second-round playoff game Friday, Feb. 21, 2025, in Kaysville.
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- Davis High’s Bode Sparrow, right, collides with American Fork’s Jax Oyler during a 6A second-round playoff game Friday, Feb. 21, 2025, in Kaysville.
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- Davis High’s Coleman Atwater drives the basketball against American Fork during a 6A second-round playoff game Friday, Feb. 21, 2025, in Kaysville.
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- Davis High’s Bryker Couser (20) and American Fork’s Bridger Burnside (12) pursue a rebound during a 6A second-round playoff game Friday, Feb. 21, 2025, in Kaysville.
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- Davis High’s Tradon Bessinger, right, swings a pass away from American Fork’s Jax Oyler (2) during a 6A second-round playoff game Friday, Feb. 21, 2025, in Kaysville.
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- Davis High’s JT Turley, left, sizes up his dribble against American Fork’s Ashton Hucks (11) during a 6A second-round playoff game Friday, Feb. 21, 2025, in Kaysville.
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- Davis High’s Coleman Atwater (1) rises to shoot over American Fork’s Cael Flinders (3) during a 6A second-round playoff game Friday, Feb. 21, 2025, in Kaysville.
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- Davis High’s Tradon Bessinger (0) tries to outrun an in-pursuit Bryce Mella (4) of American Fork during a 6A second-round playoff game Friday, Feb. 21, 2025, in Kaysville.
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- Davis High boys basketball head coach Chad Sims gestures during a 6A second-round playoff game Friday, Feb. 21, 2025, in Kaysville.
KAYSVILLE — Davis High basketball guard Bode Sparrow was selected as the Standard-Examiner’s co-Player of the Year during this past football season and is used to playing in a game with contact.
So, when American Fork got physical in a second-round 6A boys basketball bout, Sparrow was ready for it.
Sparrow aggressively made plays that got him to the free throw line 14 times — making 10 — and none bigger than a basket and foul shot in the closing seconds of the second overtime Friday night.
American Fork had taken a 63-62 lead on a rebound bucket and free throw by Bridger Burnside with 39.3 seconds remaining and Davis headed up court without calling a timeout.
Sparrow drove the lane, made his shot and drew contact as the ball nestled the net at the 21.9 mark. He buried the free throw, giving the Darts a 65-63 lead.
“We were trying to set up a play. I had a look, took it to the hole and finished … got the and-one. Shout out to my boys. They gave me the confidence; they told me they loved me,” Sparrow said. “I focused on hitting the shot and nothing else … knocked it down, then got back on ‘D.'”
Davis (21-3) played lockdown defense and the Cavemen had to call time out with 1.8 seconds left without getting off a shot. A contested desperation toss at the buzzer did not draw iron.
No. 2 Davis advanced to the 6A quarterfinals with a harrowing, come-from-behind, 65-63 double overtime victory against No. 15 American Fork.
Three different players picked up two fouls each in the first quarter, including Sparrow, who took a seat on the bench with 3:42 left in the period. He was whistled for two more fouls by early in the third quarter and ended the game with four personals.
“I felt like I had four fouls the whole game, probably just the second half because of so many overtimes,” Sparrow said. “I could have been smarter but that comes from being aggressive. I was able to adjust and play smart.
“My teammates had my back and I was able to play hard without fouling.”
It was somewhat of a miracle that the Darts even got to overtime, trailing 35-26 midway through the third quarter before Sparrow made another three-point play and football teammate Tradon Bessinger scored inside.
Coleman Atwater then made back-to-back 3-pointers and suddenly it was 37-all with 1:34 remaining.
“We’re a close group and whenever stuff goes bad, there’s no head drop. We stay positive,” Sparrow said. “We all believe in each other and that gives us confidence.”
From the late third quarter knot, the game was tied or the lead changed hands eight times in the fourth period.
JT Turley, also playing with four fouls, scored seven points for the Darts in the first three minutes of the fourth period and Bessinger also nailed another 3-pointer.
Finally, Bryker Couser made a driving layup for the Darts with 34.6 ticks left, sending the game into overtime at 52-52.
The first overtime ended 56 apiece, with Sparrow scoring all of the Davis points, including a trey in the final minute.
“My whole thing is no hesitation; I had a good look and let it fly. It went in and it was good,” Sparrow said. “They were taking away some of our other looks, so that gave me a chance to step up and make a play.”
Of the nine points in the second overtime, Sparrow had six and Atwater added a fall-away 3-pointer.
Sparrow finished the game with 19 points, Atwater scored 18, Bessinger added 13 (three 3s) and Turley also had double digits with 11 for the Darts.
Only a sophomore, Sparrow is seasoned beyond his years.
“I’ve kind of been doing this for two years now because I’ve been playing varsity basketball and football since I was a freshman,” Sparrow said. “The moment’s never too big. It was fun to do it with my boys.”
Sparrow didn’t feel like the Darts overlooked American Fork (8-17), a lower seed that had struggled with injuries and transfer issues during the season.
“They’re a really good 15-seed. We knew they would come to play and didn’t expect it to be a pushover,” Sparrow said. “It was physical at both ends. They were going for every rebound so we had to match it.”
American Fork junior Bryce Mella led all scorers with 22 points.
Davis only shot 12 of 24 from the free-throw line and knows it needs a better mark in its quarterfinal game with No. 7 Westlake at 12:50 p.m. Monday at the University of Utah.
“We’ll bounce back. We’re not worried. We know we can make free throws. I’m excited for the opportunity on Monday,” Sparrow said.
