Bonneville Boys Fall in 2-OT Heartbreaker to Bountiful in Utah Prep Basketball

It was the kind of game that lingers in the memory long after the final buzzer — a double-overtime thriller at Washington Terrace’s Bonneville High School gym, where the Bonneville Lakers came within a whisker of victory, only to be undone by Bountiful High School in a 71-69 heartbreaker. The loss, which occurred in late November 2025, wasn’t just another early-season setback. It was a gut-punch for a team that had fought through every possession, every rebound, every last-second shot. And at the center of it all was senior guard Bryson Landis, who poured in 32 points, five assists, and four steals — a performance so electric it earned a feature on MaxPreps under the headline: "Big Game, But Can’t Quite Lead Bonneville Over Bountiful." The game was a masterclass in tension. Regulation ended 57-57 after Bonneville erased a 10-point deficit in the final three minutes. Then came the first overtime — a chess match of missed layups, contested threes, and defensive stands that left both benches on their feet. The second overtime? Even tighter. With 12 seconds left and Bonneville down by two, Landis drove hard to the rim, drew a foul, and sank both free throws to tie it at 69. But Bountiful’s junior forward, Marcus Delgado, answered with a cold-blooded turnaround jumper from the baseline with 3.1 seconds left. The Lakers’ last-ditch heave from half-court clanged off the back iron. Silence. Then, the Bountiful sideline erupted.

Why This Loss Stings More Than Most

This wasn’t just any loss. It was the third game of the 2024-2025 season for Bonneville, and the first time they’d been pushed to double overtime at home since 2021. The Utah High School Activities Association (UHSAA) keeps detailed records, and according to their computer rankings, this game was one of the most statistically close in the entire 6A classification that week. Bountiful entered ranked #7; Bonneville, #12. Both teams were 2-1. The margin of defeat? Two points. In a league where postseason seeding is decided by point differentials, this loss could haunt Bonneville come March. What made it worse? The timing. Just weeks before, Bonneville had defeated Box Elder 76-69 on the road — a statement win. Then came the 45-61 home loss to Viewmont, a team they’d beaten by 18 the year before. The Bountiful game was supposed to be the bounce-back. Instead, it became a mirror. Players admitted afterward that they "felt like they’d already lost before overtime even started." Coach Derek Hales, in his sixth season, didn’t blame the kids. "We executed our plays," he said. "We got the shots we wanted. Sometimes, the ball just doesn’t fall. That’s basketball."

The Human Element Behind the Stats

Look closer at the numbers, and you see more than points and rebounds. Bryson Landis, a 6’1" guard with a 3.8 GPA and a scholarship offer from Weber State, played 44 of 48 minutes. He didn’t take a single break. His teammates, sophomore center Jamal Reed and freshman point guard Elijah Torres, combined for just 18 points — a stark contrast to Landis’s 32. The coaching staff had been pushing for more balance, but when the game’s on the line, everyone looks to Landis. He’s the guy who took the last shot in the 54-55 loss to Northridge two weeks later. He took the last shot here too. Meanwhile, Bountiful’s win was built on defense. Delgado, the game-winner, had been averaging 11 points per game before this. He finished with 24. His coach, Ryan McAllister, called it "the most complete performance of his career." But what stood out to scouts wasn’t just the shot — it was how Bountiful switched every screen, denied the baseline, and forced Bonneville into 19 turnovers. That’s not luck. That’s discipline.

What This Means for the Season

Bonneville’s schedule didn’t soften after this. They lost again to Viewmont on February 19, 55-44. They dropped a nail-biter to Northridge on February 14, 55-54. They finished the regular season 7-7, barely scraping into the UHSAA 6A playoffs as the 10th seed. They lost in the first round to West Jordan. But here’s the twist: that Bountiful game? It became their turning point. Players say they started watching film differently after that night. They started staying late for shooting drills. Landis began mentoring the freshmen. By February, Bonneville was a different team — tougher, smarter, hungrier. "That loss didn’t break us," Landis told the Deseret News in March. "It showed us what we were capable of — and what we still needed to be."

The Bigger Picture: Utah’s Prep Basketball Ecosystem

Don’t let the small-town names fool you. This isn’t just high school ball. It’s a pipeline. The UHSAA oversees over 180 schools, with more than 10,000 boys playing basketball each year. MaxPreps tracks every stat, every game, every recruit. Bonneville’s official site — bonnevillebeesports.com (team ID 3673853) — lists 12 players who received college offers last year. And while some might confuse them with Bonneville High in Idaho Falls (the Bees), the Washington Terrace Lakers are a distinct program with their own legacy: three state titles since 2000, and a reputation for developing gritty, defensive-minded players. The game against Bountiful? It didn’t make headlines beyond local papers. But in the quiet gyms of Utah, where every possession matters and every loss is a lesson, it mattered more than most.