This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Ogden • When Kearns' players told their coach, Dan Cosby, that they were going to get to the state basketball championship this year, he wasn't sure he believed them.
But, after Bushmen Ebet led the Cougars to a 63-52 victory over Region 7 co-champion Olympus and into the Class 4A title game, count Cosby and a lot of other basketball observers as believers.
"My guys never doubted," said Cosby, whose Cougars have not played for a basketball championship since 1972, when John Wood was the coach and Doug Terry the star. "They said, 'We are going to get it coach.' And that's what they did."
Ebet was a big reason for that, as he and teammate Buay Kuajian made the big plays to break a 50-50 tie in the last 2:25.
Ebet's line was amazing. He hit 14 of 17 from the field, gathered nine rebounds and dished out four assists in a 33-point effort that might have been his best game.
"Going to the state championship is what we wanted, what we wanted from the beginning," he said. "We had a couple of turnovers, but we played through it. We needed to finish our layups and attack the rim. … Coach said, 'Finish your shots, finish your layups, every time you drive into the hole.' I took whatever I had."
Cosby said his star player told him he was going to carry the team and get a shot at the title for his coach.
"And he did it," said the coach. "He has been through a lot of adversity. He wanted it more than anybody. He has had life challenges, life situations he has been put in. He has overcome it. Words cannot describe the feeling I am feeling right now."
Olympus coach Matt Barnes had nothing but praise for both Cosby and Ebet, as well as the Titans' star player, Jake Lindsey, who finished with 23 points and six rebounds while playing on a badly injured ankle for much of the final quarter.
"Danny and Kearns deserve credit for how hard he works and what he has done," said Barnes.
Olympus won its first two state tournament games with some last-second magic. When the Titans tied the game at 50 with 2:25 to play and Kearns started turning the ball over, it looked as if another big finish would be possible.
But Ebet put Kearns ahead for good by scoring five straight points. Then Kuajian added another basket and suddenly the Cougars were heading to the title game.
Kearns has reeled off nine straight wins since losing 78-72 at home to defending state champion Bountiful, their likely foe in Saturday's 3 p.m. title game.
Twitter: @TribTomwharton —
Kearns 63, Olympus 52
R Bushmen Ebet hits 14 of 17 from the field for 33 points, hauls down nine rebounds, dishes out four assists and gets a big steal late to lead Kearns to its first state title game since 1972.
• Olympus' Jake Lindsey finishes a sterling prep career with 23 points and six rebounds despite injuring his ankle in the second half.
• Buay Kuajian scored 14 points and gets six rebounds to help Ebet and the Cougars, who were not ranked coming into the tournament.