SALT LAKE CITY — Fremont’s Dallin Hall can dominate a game, with his stats reflecting as much on many occasions. During Wednesday’s 77-54 win over West Jordan, however, Hall showed the ability to dominate in a much different way.
The Silverwolves’ star guard took just three shots during his team’s 77-54 6A basketball quarterfinal win over the Jaguars, making just one of them, while playing a full 28 minutes. Compare that to last year’s performance, when the 6-foot-4 guard with multiple college scholarship offers scored 25 in the quarterfinal round and then 38 in the tournament semifinals.
But according to Fremont coach Corey Melaney, Hall’s performance in this year’s quarterfinal round proved at least as effective as last year’s.
“He’s so unselfish. I mean, who takes just three shots and just one in the first half?,” Melaney asked, rhetorically. “He can dominate a game without scoring. You can watch that game and say he’s the best player on the court, and he doesn’t need to score, and he knows that.”
A lot of Hall’s shot attempt total had to do with how the Jaguars defended him, with someone assigned to face guard him up and down the floor. Hall chose to just roll with it, trusting in his teammates to get it done instead of forcing his own action.
As the final score reflects, Hall’s teammates responded in a big way.
Led by a barrage of seven 3-pointers made in the first quarter, the Silverwolves quickly built a big lead and entered the second quarter up 27-17. Three of the seven first quarter 3-pointers came from Fremont guard Kipp Calder, who finished with 15 points.
The second quarter saw the Silverwolves swish through four more 3-pointers while building a big 44-29 lead into the break.
Fremont 77, West Jordan 54
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Leading scorers
Fremont; Baylor Harrop, Mitch Stratford, 17
West Jordan; Grady Gilbert, 12
When asked if he was aware how many 3-pointers his team made out-of-the-gate, Melaney shot back, asking a bit tongue-in-check, “How many did we miss?,” before adding, “It was a lot of guys. They caught it in rhythm, and they’re great shooters.”
Great shooters indeed, considering Calder finished with a 5-for-9 effort from behind the arc along with Mitch Stratford going 5 of 7 en route to his 17 points. About the only guy who may have been a smidgen off was Baylor Harrop, who made just one of his four attempts.
But Harrop made up for it in other ways, and then some. Had he played the entire fourth quarter, the senior forward may have easily notched a triple-double, considering his nine rebounds and seven assists, to go along with his 17 points.
What wasn’t known throughout Harrop’s standout performance was the fact he wasn’t feeling well the night before.
“I just threw up in the middle of the night, and wasn’t feeling good tonight, still, but was able to get enough to go out there and play,” Harrop said, adding his intent was just to, “play like I normally do, and a lot of (my) assists came from guys hitting shots, and then giving me open shots. ... It all just kind of came together.”
As for Hall, who finished with eight assists, it’s reasonable to believe he’ll be scoring high again in short order, although how he specifically elects to help out his team isn’t a major concern.
“He does whatever the team needs him to do,” Melaney said. “And he’s thrilled in (the locker room.) He’s excited. A lot of guys would be sulking or pouting ... but that’s not him.”
With the win, Fremont advances to the semifinal round where it will take on Layton.
Grady Gilbert paced West Jordan with a dozen points.