‘Lots of motivation’: Ogden boys squeeze by Ben Lomond 39-34 in low-scoring dogfight
Maw, Van Beekum lead the scoring with 14 apiece
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- Ogden’s Conrad Moore (1) handles the ball as Ben Lomond’s Deshawn Holland (23) defends on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, in Ogden.
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- Ogden’s Briggs Galbraith (10) drives the basketball against Ben Lomond on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, in Ogden.
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- Ben Lomond’s Korver Van Beekum (3) surveys the floor against the defense of Ogden’s Tayson Porter (23) on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, in Ogden.
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- Ben Lomond boys basketball head coach Tanoka Beard coaches his team in a game against Ogden on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, in Ogden.
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- Ogden’s Ryan Kirkland operates in the paint against Ben Lomond on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, in Ogden.
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- Ben Lomond’s Zeb Whetton (15) and Ogden’s Brayden Wilson, center left, battle for the ball along with Ben Lomond’s Issac Stephens (34) on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, in Ogden.
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- Ogden’s Tayson Porter throws a pass in a game against Ben Lomond on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, in Ogden.
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- Ben Lomond’s Deshawn Holland, right, handles the ball against pressure from Ogden’s Brayden Wilson on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, in Ogden.
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- Ogden’s Ryan Kirkland rises to the basket against Ben Lomond on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, in Ogden.
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- Ben Lomond’s Bryan Campos (0) looks to pass as Ogden’s Tayson Porter (23) defends on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, in Ogden.
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- Ben Lomond’s Korver Van Beekum (3) pushes the ball upcourt as Ogden’s Tayson Porter defends on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, in Ogden.
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- Ben Lomond’s Zeb Whetton (15) rises to shoot against Ogden’s Conrad Moore (1) on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, in Ogden.
OGDEN — The shot clock wore Ogden and Ben Lomond boys basketball thin during Wednesday’s city rivalry contest, but the former moved the ball enough to add its first region win 39-34 and snap a two-game losing skid in the process.
Conrad Moore finished with just three total points, but even a third of that production would’ve done the trick for the Tigers (9-7, 1-2 Region 13). Fouled late, the senior point guard split two chances at the stripe to put away the Scots (5-11, 0-3) in a low-scoring affair.
Experiencing the rivalry for four years first-hand, Moore said every meeting carries a unique vibe — even with the sparse numbers in attendance for the weeknight matchup.
“I felt some energy,” Moore said. “On the court, there was some energy. We had (the Van Beekums) scouted out as shooters. We really pride ourselves on our defense and that’s how we energize our offense.”
Erasing a 7-0 BL start, Ogden led by as much as 11 to begin the second quarter on the backs of juniors Jackson Maw (14 points) and Briggs Galbraith (nine points). BL opened the first four minutes of the second quarter without a basket.
Prompted by the Tigers’ bench, BL sophomore Korver Van Beekum dropped nine of his 14 total points unanswered late in the second quarter to bring the game back within a possession. Van Beekum, the younger brother of senior Jaerdan Van Beekum (seven points), entered this game amped for the opportunity to challenge his downtown neighbors.
“It gives us lots of motivation,” Korver Van Beekum said. “Losing to a rival like that’s just frustrating. … I love feeding off that energy. When kids talk to me, that’s going to get me going.”
Ahead now 20-18, Ogden wouldn’t see the last of BL until the clock expired.
Ben Lomond, even with five more points coming from junior Deshawn Holland, missed out at the free-throw line and on repeated turnovers in the third quarter. Maw capitalized on two such setbacks late with repeated layups to keep Ogden in front.
Junior Kai Langston hopped off the BL bench for an opportunistic steal to begin the fourth quarter, but the takeaway went nowhere for the Scots on the other end. Galbraith made his opponent pay on the other end with his second 3-point bucket of the night.
Trailing by seven midway through the fourth, the Scots picked up steam on another Korver Van Beekum 3-pointer and a two-pointer off the bench by senior Cade Becraft.
Within four, Ben Lomond profited off Ogden’s expired shot clock with 45 seconds remaining. Senior Jaerdan Van Beekum set up a 3-point basket of his own that sailed left of the rim and the Tigers managed to grind the clock to 17 seconds and draw the game-winning free throws.
Ogden head coach Trent Porter offered his praises to the Tigers for finding a way to finish the job on the road, but the veteran coach pointed to offensive execution as a growing pain for his group now in the throes of region play.
“It was really important that we found a way to get a win,” Porter said. “We’ve struggled in the fourth quarter over the last two games. … We called out ‘winning time’ during the five or four minutes of the game because we needed to get stops and scores.
“Fortunately for us, we had just enough stops. We’ve got to figure out what we’re doing offensively to start putting teams away.”
Ogden travels to Union (7 p.m.) on Friday; Ben Lomond travels to Grantsville (7 p.m.).
BOX SCORE
Ogden High 9 13 11 6 – 39
Ben Lomond 9 9 11 5 – 34
OHS (39): Maw 14, Galbraith 9, Rodriguez 5, Moore 3, Wilson 3, Porter 3.
BL (34): K. Van Beekum 14, J. Van Beekum 7, Holland 7, Becraft 2.
Connect with prep sports reporter Conner Becker via email at cbecker@standard.net and X @ctbecker.
