The Friday night lights are dark now. Cleats have been put away, exchanged for a pair of Jordans. The grass crunches with frost as hundreds make their way into the gym. Squeaky shoes compete with the sound of the band and cheerleaders. It’s time for high school basketball season.
This year’s team is led by smooth shooting Hunter Hansen earned first team 6A all-state honors last year as a junior. The 6’4 guard has committed to play at Weber State the same team Damian Lillard famously played for. He’s determined to go out on a high note in his last year suiting up for the Silverwolves.
Hansen is not the only key player on the team this year. Junior guard, Easton Duft, has a lethal crossover and is dangerous from the 3 point line.
Coach Melaney said “Eastion Duft is a great ball handler and distributes the ball just… so well .”
Easton Duft said he’s proud of his team. “We’re really good on offense, I just think we want to win really bad. This is one of the hardest working teams I’ve ever been on”
Through the first 7 of games, Fremont has gone 6-1, with wins over Viewmont, Northridge, and Riverton. Hansen is leading the team with 21.3 points per game.
In the recent Davis tournament, Fremont represented 6A with big wins over Viewmont, Box Elder, and Woods Cross. In the game against Box Elder, the Wolves went off on offense and won by a score of 66-52. Duft and the other Wolves hit their outside shots, making it impossible to double or triple on Hansen. Ryker Saunders showcased his accuracy by leading the way with five 3-pointers, creating momentum for the rest of the game.
The Deseret News has this Wolves team ranked 6th in the 6A RPI, a metric used to help determine seeding for the state playoffs. This ranking system has been in place for a few years, and it allows for all games to be weighed uniformly. Effectively, whether the game is in region play or otherwise, each game counts when it comes to the impact on the postseason. Strong guard play always gives a team a chance at a playoff run, and this year’s team might be primed for a deep run.
One thing is for certain though; this is a fun Wolves team to watch and our players’ teamwork and aggression make every game thrilling.
