Prep boys' basketball: Weber secures share of region title

North Ogden • There were the throngs of Weber students exploding from the stands onto the court, and there were hugs and high fives, and there were pointer fingers raised in the air.

Then, one by one, the Warriors scaled a ladder underneath the hoop and cut down the net.

When it was his turn, star guard Hayden Schenck snipped his section of the net and thrust his arm toward the mass of bodies underneath. He massaged the twine between his fingers. This was his trophy, a slice of history he helped create.

The Warriors, after a 58-57 overtime win over Northridge on Friday, had won a share of the Region 1 title.

"This was the best feeling," said Schenck, who had a team-high 17 points. "Ever since I was little, that was my dream — I wanted to get a region title at Weber and cut down the nets."

The Knights had made it tough for the Warriors. Jake Bigler had seven 3s and 22 points in an electric first-half performance, and the Knights led by nine at the break.

But the Warriors altered their defense in the third quarter, putting a bigger body on Bigler. They held the Knights to 13 points in the second half, enough to squeeze into overtime.

"Going into half, we had confidence in each other," Schenck said. "When they're shooting lights out like that, you've got to stick to the game plan."

The Warriors, who were up one, forced an off-balance 3 from Bigler with the clock drawing thin. It clanked around the rim but bounced out.

Time expired.

The celebration began.

In the weeks leading up to this night, the Warriors had texted pictures to each other of the boys' basketball region championship banner hanging in the Weber gym. Players and coaches pointed to it in practice. It was fuel on the fire, a brilliant gleam at the end of the tunnel.

The most recent year on the banner is 1997. Schenck, a senior, was 2 years old.

But on Friday night, the Warriors, after starting 1-2 in Region 1, etched their place in Weber history. They'll have a chance to win the region outright Tuesday against Layton.

"Everybody is best friends on the team," Schenck said. "It's an honor to do it with these kids." —

Storylines

• The Warriors clinched a share of the Region 1 title, their first since 1997, with the win.

• Star guard Hayden Schenck had a team-high 17 points to outlast the Knights in overtime and deliver the title to the Warriors.