by James Tate
Even battle in first quarter
Silverwolves’ senior Charli Hunt started the game with a three-point shot. Hunt’s teammate, senior Aly Coombs then made a layup to give the Silverwolves a quick 5-0 lead. Junior Kendra Kitchen would respond with a layup to get the Darts on the board and make the score 5-2. It looked like the Silverwolves’ night as Hunt came back with another three-point shot to make the score 8-2.
With 3:09 left in the first quarter, Kitchen made a free throw after being fouled, and Fremont led 8-3. After a timeout, Darts’ guard T’Maea Eteuati drained a three-point shot, and the score now was 8-6 Fremont. An offensive foul against the Silverwolves gave the Darts the ball, and Kitchen swished a jump shot to tie the score 8-8. The quarter ended with Coombs making a layup for the Silverwolves making the score 10-8.
Darts’ defense takes control in the second quarter
The Darts evened the score at 10, with Kitchen making two free throws after being fouled. Darts’ junior Kate Richards then made a jumper to give the Darts their first lead, 12-10, with 6:15 left in the second quarter. The Darts’ defense made it difficult for the Silverwolves to score, then Richards scored on another layup and the lead was 14-10 with 4:43 on the clock. Fremont’s leading scorer, Sierra Eddie then made a three-point basket to cut the lead to one point, 14-13.
Kitchen continued to score at will, with another layup for a 16-13 Davis lead. After a made free throw by Coombs, Kitchen, and Aryanna Bull, the Darts took an 18-14 lead into halftime. The Darts held Fremont to only four points scored in the second quarter.
Darts keep Silverwolves down in the third quarter
Both teams played great defense in the third quarter causing turnovers and poor shooting. With 3:13 remaining in the quarter Fremont’s Syncere Langston made a layup and the score was 21-20 in favor of Davis. The Darts then went on a 7-0 run to go up 28-20. The third quarter ended with Langston making a free throw for a score of 28-21.
The fourth quarter is Kitchen time
Fremont’s Saydee Heslop scored on a jump shot to start the fourth quarter to make the score 28-23, Darts. Kitchen then took over the game for the Darts by scoring on a putback layup, rebounding on both ends, and making two straight three-point shots. With 4:15 left in the game, Kitchen had the Darts up 38-23 and running away with the game.
Kitchen played excellent defense on Silverwolves’ dynamic player Coombs which led to an Eteuati steal and layup to make the score 42-27 with 1:40 on the clock. Eddie tried to keep the Silverwolves alive with two made three-point baskets in the final 1:30. Richards closed the game with two made free throws and the game ended with Davis winning 48-35. With this win, the Darts are in first place in the region title chase and have a seven-game win streak. The Darts have the region title as the goal after this big win. “Looking for a region title and working hard,” said Richards. “And making sure we don’t sit on the high pedestal with more games to come.”
Outstanding Performances
Kitchen was amazing, tying a season-high with 27 points. Eteuati scored 10 and Richards had eight points for the Darts. Overall team defense was key in the home victory for the Darts. Davis’s defense held the combo of Coombs and Eddie to a total of 17 points, the duo averages 26 points per game this year. “Eddie is a big-time shooter,” said Richards. “And we tried to face guard her and take her out of the equation a little bit.”
Davis has a region-best defense of allowing only 35 points per game in region games.
Eddie led the Silverwolves with nine points and Coombs finished with eight points.
photo courtesy James Tate of Davis Darts’ Kendra Kitchen and Maya Chino