Taylor scores 61 points for Farmington in victory over Huntsville

FARMINGTON — Layne Taylor smiled broadly after Friday’s game when asked if he was familiar with former Farmington guard Matt Wilson.

The smile on his face was an indication Taylor knew exactly what he had accomplished.

Taylor blitzed Huntsville for 61 points during Farmington’s 85-74 victory over Huntsville at the Farmington Cardinal Classic at Cardinal Arena. The 61 points by Taylor broke Farmington’s single-game scoring record that Wilson set with 50 points against Clarksville in 2017.

Taylor was just getting started when he finished the first quarter with 14 points. He had 30 points by halftime and 45 points after three quarters. Taylor broke the school record in the fourth quarter when he spun into the lane, hesitated briefly while a Huntsville defender flew by, and made the shot for his 51st point with 4:11 left.

He added a few more points before leaving to a standing ovation from his teammates and Farmington fans with 58.4 seconds remaining.

“I wasn’t even thinking about the [scoring] record,” Taylor said. “I was just trying to win. My teammates were able to find me. They’re the reason I was able to do it.”

Taylor’s teammates recognized the hot hand early and kept feeding him throughout the game. Taylor also created shots for himself whether on three-point attempts or with spin moves and drives to the basket.

“We have a lot of unselfish kids that give him the opportunity to go score,” Farmington Coach Johnny Taylor said of his son, a sophomore guard. “If you don’t have great teammates that want you to do that [set a record], then you don’t have that opportunity.”

Taylor made five of Farmington’s six three-pointers in the first half.

Farmington improved to 9-0 while Huntsville fell to 5-2 with its second consecutive defeat. Hayden Dotson scored 31 points and Mason Davidson 15 for the Eagles.

The Cardinal Classic will conclude this after with Farmington playing Hot Springs Lakeside at 2:30 p.m.