The Hive Sports

by James Tate

The Farmington Phoenix ended their three‑game drought unforgettably Thursday night, edging the Northridge Knights 57–54 in a thriller that wasn’t decided until the final seconds.

With the score tied and 0.23 seconds remaining, senior shooting guard Isaac Anderson delivered the moment every player dreams of, a clutch, high‑arc three‑pointer that splashed through and silenced a packed Northridge gym. His shot capped a furious fourth‑quarter rally and sealed a much‑needed road win for a Phoenix team hungry to get back on track.

Farmington entered the fourth quarter trailing 45–37, but outscored Northridge 20–9 in the final period, flipping a game that had swung heavily in the Knights’ favor during the middle quarters. The Phoenix started fast, but Northridge stormed back in the second quarter and controlled the tempo through the third.

The Knights played an excellent and energized game and pushed Farmington to the edge. Senior Theo Roach led Northridge with 19 points, while juniors Jace Whitear (16) and Jett Williams (11) kept the pressure on with timely buckets and strong drives.

Farmington’s comeback was fueled by its young core. Sophomore Jack Layton led all Phoenix scorers with 20 points, attacking the rim and keeping Farmington afloat when the offense stalled. Junior Brycen Rudolph added 17, including several crucial plays in the fourth quarter.

Rudolph and junior Malakai Tobler knocked down clutch free throws late, each coming after aggressive drives that forced Northridge into tough defensive positions. Those attacks eventually opened the window for Anderson’s game‑winner.

Jace Whitear (l) Malakai Tobler (r)

First quarter: Layton sets the tone

Farmington wasted no time establishing its identity inside, and Layton was the driving force behind it. Layton dominated the opening quarter, pouring in 12 points almost entirely at the rim. Whether it was slipping behind defenders, finishing through contact, or beating Northridge down the floor, he set an early tone that the Knights struggled to match.

His biggest moment came in the final seconds of the period. With the Phoenix already in control, Layton punctuated his explosive start and Farmington’s great quarter with a thunderous dunk that electrified the bench and sent the Phoenix into the lead 19–11.

Layton and junior Brycen Rudolph controlled the paint on both ends, sealing off driving lanes defensively and attacking relentlessly on offense. Their combined physicality and efficiency gave the Phoenix the early momentum they needed before the game’s dramatic swings took over.

Second quarter: Roach sparks the Knights’ surge

The momentum swung sharply in the second quarter as Roach caught fire and pulled the Knights right back into the game. After scoring five points in the opening period, Roach doubled his output by drilling two three‑pointers and scoring 10 points in the quarter to ignite the Northridge offense.

His second three-pointer of the period was the biggest, which tied the game at 22–22, erasing Farmington’s early advantage and energizing the home crowd. But the Phoenix had an answer. On the very next possession, Anderson rose and buried a three-pointer of his own, pushing Farmington back in front 25–22 with 4:29 remaining in the half.

Roach’s surge, combined with improved defensive pressure from the Knights, trimmed the Phoenix lead all the way down to 31–29 at halftime. After dominating the paint in the first quarter, Farmington suddenly found itself in a battle, with Northridge dictating the tempo and seizing the momentum heading into the break.

Brycen Rudolph

Third quarter: Whitear takes over

Farmington opened the second half with a quick layup from Rudolph, briefly stretching the lead and settling the Phoenix into their offense. But the quarter would soon belong to Whitear, who delivered one of the most impactful stretches of the night.

With 6:15 remaining in the third, Whitear ignited a personal run that flipped the game’s momentum. He knocked down two smooth mid‑range jumpers, then followed them with a twisting, acrobatic layup in traffic that brought the crowd to its feet and pushed the Knights ahead 39–35.

Whitear wasn’t done. Late in the quarter, he stepped into a confident three‑pointer, burying it to cap his surge and send Northridge into the fourth quarter with all the momentum. The Knights outscored Farmington 16–6 in the period and carried a 45–37 lead into the final eight minutes, firmly in control and poised to hand the Phoenix their fourth straight loss.

Fourth quarter: Phoenix storm back and Anderson delivers the dagger

Farmington opened the fourth quarter with the urgency of a team refusing to let another game slip away. Tobler calmly knocked down two early free throws, Rudolph powered in a layup, and Layton added a smooth jump hook to pull the Phoenix within 45–43 with 5:40 remaining.

The momentum kept building. With 4:00 left, Layton scored again at the rim, Rudolph buried four clutch free throws, and Tobler added another point at the line to complete a 17–4 run that pushed Farmington in front 54–49 with 2:25 on the clock, their largest lead since the first quarter.

But Northridge wasn’t done. Roach stepped to the line and sank two free throws, and with under a minute left, Daniel Sunkuli drilled a pressure‑packed three‑pointer to tie the game at 54–54 with 0:50 remaining, sending the gym into a frenzy. That set the stage for the defining moment of the night.

With the clock winding down, the Phoenix worked the ball patiently until Tobler found Anderson in the corner. Without hesitation, he rose and buried a cold‑blooded three‑pointer with 0:23 left, the shot that sealed Farmington’s dramatic 57–54 victory. The defense held up in the final seconds, and the Phoenix unforgettably ended their three‑game drought.

photos courtesy of James Tate