Girls basketball: Fremont overcomes slow start to race past Northridge

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Fremont player Avary Post (10) shoots over the defense of Northridge’s Megan Sargent (15) on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, in Layton.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard Examiner

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Northridge player Lilly Gilbert (44) shoots against the defense of Fremont’s Lily Hall (30) on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, in Layton.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard Examiner

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Fremont’s Lily Hall (30) surveys the floor while guarded by Northridge’s Megan Sargent on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, in Layton.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard Examiner

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Northridge player Mae Stevenson (41) loses the ball against the challenge of Fremont’s Avary Post (10) on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, in Layton.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard Examiner

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Northridge player Megan Sargent, right, passes away from Fremont’s Daphnie Moyes (5) on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, in Layton.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard Examiner

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Fremont’s Lily Hall, left, and Northridge’s Lilly Gilbert contest the jump ball to start a game Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, in Layton.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard Examiner

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Fremont’s Olivia Surrage (32) rises to shoot against Northridge on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, in Layton.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard Examiner

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A Northridge player challenges Fremont’s Sophie Valdez (11) during a game Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, in Layton.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard Examiner

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Fremont’s Lily Hall, left, rises to shoot as Northridge’s Karlee Mayfield contests on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, in Layton.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard Examiner

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Northridge High girls basketball head coach Chris Smith draws a play during a game against Fremont on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, in Layton.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard Examiner

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Fremont’s Olivia Surrage corrals a loose ball in a game against Northridge on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, in Layton.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard Examiner

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Northridge player Lilly Gilbert (44) shoots against the contest of Fremont’s Avary Post on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, in Layton.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard Examiner

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Fremont High girls basketball players kneel for a pregame routine before a game against Northridge on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, in Layton.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard Examiner

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An honor guard departs the floor after the national anthem before a girls basketball game between Fremont and Northridge on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, in Layton.

BRIAN WOLFER, Special to the Standard Examiner

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LAYTON — The Fremont High’s girls basketball team needed a change of mindset after the first half Tuesday at Northridge.

That change came and, once it did, the Silverwolves couldn’t be slowed down.

Fremont put together a 15-1 run in the third quarter, part of a broader 27-7 surge, and overcame an early 10-point deficit to defeat Northridge 58-44.

“We were on our heels in the first half for some reason and we were playing really passive, and in the second half, I felt like everybody played a lot more aggressive and looked to score when they got the ball instead of pass it,” Silverwolves coach Lisa Dalebout said. “And really, honestly, I think that was the major difference.”

Sophie Valdez and Ava Post, the lone two seniors on the team, were crucial in getting Fremont into gear.

Valdez, who finished with eight points, got the scoring going in the second half with a layup on which she was fouled hard to the ground, and proceeded to knock down the ensuing free throw. Post scored nine of her 14 total points in the third quarter as the Silverwolves scored more points in the period (23) than in the entire first half (19).

Abby Christensen led the way with a game-high 18 points for Fremont while Olivia Surrage chipped in with 11.

The Silverwolves got on the board first with a Valdez 3, but the Knights quickly asserted themselves with a 12-0 run. Mae Stevenson fueled the spurt for Northridge with a pair of 3s.

“I think they’re young, if I’m being honest,” Dalebout said of her team. “I think they don’t sometimes come out the right way and then when a team starts making shots, they don’t respond the right way at this point. I just think it’s just inexperience as a group. So, I mean, I don’t know all the solutions — I obviously would have changed it — but I do think that has a lot to do with it.”

Northridge led 14-7 at the end of the first quarter and took a 19-9 lead with 5:41 left in the second. Fremont scored five straight to cut the deficit in half and then scored the final four points of the half to go into the break down 23-19.

Valdez’s 3-point play cut the Knights’ lead to just one and the Silverwolves eventually tied it at 27-27 following a Surrage 3. Moments later, with 5:21 left in the third quarter, Christensen knocked down a 3 to give Fremont its first lead in 17 minutes, 50 seconds of game action.

Christensen’s 3 started a 15-1 run to help give the Silverwolves a 42-32 lead heading into the final period.

Northridge didn’t get closer than eight the rest of the way.

“I think we just wanted to prove to ourselves and our coach that we could do it, especially because we know that we’re more aggressive than that and that we can do it,” Valdez said. “So we just had to overcome their runs and go on our own.”

Northridge coach Chris Smith said Fremont was the best team his girls have faced so far this season and his team rose to the challenge, but now they just need to continue it.

“I told the girls, winning’s not easy. It’s hard,” Smith said. “When you’re tired, you’ve just got to be mentally tough. And I think that’s kind of what happened today. When we got tired, we weren’t mentally tough.”

Karlee Mayfield led the Knights with 16 points, all coming after the first quarter, while Morgan Hale added 11.

Contact Standard-Examiner editor Ryan Comer at rcomer@standard.net.