Red-hot Trevon Allfrey propels Copper Hills over Fremont in state quarterfinal

Copper Hills coach Andrew Blanchard admitted when he saw his talented center rise up for a 3-pointer that it “about gave me a heart attack.”

But after Trevon Allfrey dropped 31 points on 9 of 13 shots from the field and hit 12 of 13 free throws to lead Copper Hills past Fremont 65-53 in the Class 6A boys’ basketball state quarterfinals, the coach had little else to worry about in terms of shot selection.

“I think that was the only bad shot he took,” Blanchard said. “He can go to the rim, he can post up, he can shoot it. He’s a triple threat for sure.”

Whenever Fremont made a charge to cut its deficit to single digits, Allfrey found space to hit a hook or teardrop or rose up high for a block to stymie his opponent’s momentum.

“It could have been the other way and they could have beaten us if you let them get a little bit of momentum even if they are down 10,” Allfrey said. “In my mind, I said I need to get a stop or I need to get a bucket here to slow it down.”

Copper Hills started cold, going scoreless in the first three minutes of the game. But the Grizzlies from there rolled up an 18-0 run into the second quarter keyed by back-to-back 3s from Allfrey and Dallin Mildenhall.

Fremont answered with a 15-7 run of its own to chip away at Copper Hills’ lead to make it 25-19 heading into halftime. Cade Harrop and Dallin Hall, who finished with a combined 29 points, found their own offensive touch in the second half for the Silver Wolves, helping to slash Copper Hills’ lead to one point before a 3 from the Grizzlies’ Jacob Jensen slowed their roll.

“The 3s that we took were wide open and they came from Trevon Allfrey doing so well tonight,” Blanchard said. “They were keying on him, and he tried to make the right play to pass it out and guys made shots.”

Fremont hung around to keep it 40-36 heading into the fourth quarter, but Allfrey went to work, scoring tough baskets and knocking down shots from the stripe to ice the victory. Overall, the Grizzlies shot a blistering 66 percent from the field.

Blanchard said his center had struggled in the preseason and at the beginning of the season to sink his freebie shots, but Allfrey has worked hard to make sure opponents can’t hack him and hope he misses.

“A couple of weeks ago we kind of fixed that little problem, and I had some confidence going in there to make the next one every time I got up there,” Allfrey said.