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Orem • Crazy and insane — that's how Timpanogos coaches and players describe this season.

"You usually have one game like this in a season, but we've had five or six last-second shots where we've won," Timberwolves coach Izzy Ingle said.

"It's kind of like a roller coaster," senior Dalten Stewart said.

"It's been crazy," senior Justin Beus added.

It certainly has been a wild ride. Many believed Timpanogos would struggle to qualify for the postseason in Region 7 — arguably the deepest league in Class 4A.

But the Timberwolves defied those odds by finishing the regular season on an 11-1 run, highlighted by several buzzer-beaters and overtimes, to tie for the region championship with Timpview and enter the first round of the Class 4A boys' basketball tournament Tuesday as the No. 2 seed at Utah Valley University and the University of Utah.

"It's crazy because our belief level is at an all-time high," Ingle said. "We never feel like we're out of the game."

The Timberwolves' record in close games is impeccable, and it stretches back into mid-December when they beat Salem Hills 64-60. But really it started when they lost to Jordan, 68-65.

"Sometimes teams won't take it serious in practice," Ingle said. "The first couple times, they all thought it was fun to beat the buzzer in practice, but we lost one at the buzzer before region started, and that was a wake-up call for us. Every possession is important."

Ingle implemented an unusual philosophy to reward execution in late-game situations. Losers run in basketball — it's been that way forever — but you earn the right to run at Timpanogos. Once players win in a pickup or a drill of late-game situations, they line up for sprints.

"It was a little weird" at first, Beus said. "Usually it's, 'Oh we lost — line it up.' Not our team."

After the loss to the Beetdiggers, the magic started in close games. Timpanogos beat Skyridge 59-58, Corner Canyon 71-66, Mountain View 61-57, Timpview 60-59, Skyridge 84-82 in five overtimes, Corner Canyon 70-69 after trailing by eight with two minutes left and Mountain view 53-49.

"I feel like, honestly, a lot of us are calm," Stewart said. "The last two times it happened, we went into the huddle and looked at each other, and we were like: We know we're going to pull this out. None of us had a doubt. We trust that it's going to happen somehow."

Added Ingle: "We have really special guys. They're really good basketball players, but they're competitors. If you wanted to have a shoe-tying contest, they're going to do everything they can to tie their shoes faster than you. It doesn't matter what it is. They will not accept getting beat."

The pressure of the state tournament can cripple the inexperienced. Many games trickle down to the final seconds, and the teams that don't flinch are rewarded. Beus, who has hit several game-winners during the season, said Timpanogos has the advantage if the game is on the line.

"We've been in so many close game scenarios that I don't think a lot of teams have been through," Beus said. "Anything that's going in the game, we still have a chance, no matter what."

tphibbs@sltrib.com Twitter: @trevorphibbs —

Class 5A boys' tournament

Defending champ • Bingham

Favorite • The Miners were ranked first in Class 5A for all but one week. Strong guard play has been a recipe for success in the state tournament, and Bingham is equipped with one of the best two-guard tandems in the state in Lleyton Parker and Dason Youngblood.

Dark horse • Lone Peak a dark horse? Whoa. Yep. The Knights, who most people perceived were destined for a rebuilding season, have been overlooked the entire season, but this team is dangerous and playing the best basketball of the campaign when it matters most.

Players to watch • Stockton Shorts, Sr., Copper Hills, 24.2 ppg; Nate Harkness, Sr., Lone Peak, 17.2 ppg; Peyton Falslev, Sr., Sky View, 16.2 ppg; Branden Carlson, Sr., Bingham, 14.4 ppg and 7.7 rpg; Dason Youngblood, Sr., Bingham, 13.8 ppg.

Monday

Opening round

at University of Utah's Huntsman Center

2:30 p.m. • Pleasant Grove vs. Davis

4:10 p.m. • Sky View vs. West Jordan

5:50 p.m. • Layton vs. Lehi

7:30 p.m. • Copper Hills vs. Weber

at Utah Valley University's UCCU Center

2:30 p.m. • Bingham vs. Northridge

4:10 p.m. • Viewmont vs. Westlake

5:50 p.m. • Fremont vs. Jordan

7:30 p.m. • Lone Peak vs. Syracuse

at Weber State's Dee Events Center

Wednesday

Quarterfinals • 2:30 p.m. 4:10 p.m., 5:50 p.m., 7:30 p.m.

Friday

Semifinals • 2:30 p.m., 4:10 p.m.

Saturday

Noon • Championship game

Class 4A boys' tournament

Defending champ • Olympus

Favorite • The Titans are the best team, but this class is extremely deep. Olympus is not going to hopscotch blindfolded through this bracket.

Dark horse • Woods Cross, similar to Lone Peak, is hard to quantify as a dark horse because the Wildcats won the Region 5 title and were ranked in the top two spots for the entire season, but the program is seeking its first basketball title since 1983, and breaking a long drought always is difficult.

Players to watch • Trevin Knell, Sr., Woods Cross, 26 ppg; Michael Scheffner, Sr., Corner Canyon, 17.9 ppg; Matthew Lindsey, Sr., Olympus, 16.1 ppg; Travis Wagstaff, Sr., Olympus, 7.3 rpg; Rylan Jones, So., Olympus, 5.7 apg; Amadeaus Peterson, Sr., Woods Cross, 5.2 apg.

Tuesday

Opening round

at University of Utah's Huntsman Center

2:30 p.m. • Woods Cross vs. Orem

4:10 p.m. • Springville vs. Skyline

5:50 p.m. • Olympus vs. Wasatch

7:30 p.m. • Timpanogos vs. Ogden

at Utah Valley University's UCCU Center

2:30 p.m. • Hillcrest vs. Salem Hills

4:10 p.m. • Timpview vs. Highland

5:50 p.m. • Bountiful vs. Corner Canyon

7:30 p.m. • Maple Mountain vs. Murray

at Weber State's Dee Events Center

Thursday

Quarterfinals • 10 a.m., 11:40 a.m., 1:20 p.m., 3 p.m.

Friday

Semifinals • 5:50 p.m., 7:30 p.m.

Saturday

2:30 p.m. • Championship game