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High school coaches know that there are few dynasties in high school athletics, where there is a turnover rate that is roughly equal to fast-food employment. Each year a class of seniors will leave and it's up to a head coach and his staff to develop the next wave of talent.
Enter West Jordan basketball coach Scott Briggs, who led the Jaguars to a state title last year with the help of Reyes Gallegos, Jordan Weirick and Mason Sawyer. The trio was instrumental to West Jordan's run in the playoffs, and their subsequent upset of heavily favored Lone Peak in the 5A championship game.
"You can't really replace guys like that; those three had been playing on varsity since they were sophomores," said Briggs, "The confidence I had in that team last year was very high."
This year, West Jordan will have a different team on the hardwood, one that should play exciting basketball. Coach Briggs is encouraged with what he has seen in the offseason, and has some players he believes could make the leap to the next level.
"You have to remember that with those three players playing so much for me the last couple of years, we've had some talented guys sitting on the bench waiting their turn to make plays, and this year is their time to shine," said Briggs.
Players like 6-foot-5 sophomore Jordan Loveridge, who is a post guy with a ton of versatility. Briggs says Loveridge could have college scouts drooling the next few seasons. Add in another sophomore
Just young.
While Briggs admits it can be nerve-racking going with sophomores against teams with a lot of seniors, he does have two senior guards to rely on in point guard Andre Ashton, and guard Jesse Herrin. Both were backups last year, but have the experience to provide the leadership a coach needs from his senior class.
Briggs, who is in his 11th year at West Jordan as a head coach, liked what he saw from his team during summer tournaments, especially when the Jaguars won the Dixie State tourney, but he also knows that this year will not be like last season.
"We don't have the big names that we had last year, and because of that we won't get the press and attention like we did the past couple of years." Said Briggs, "We're probably not in the championship discussion yet this year, but we won't completely fall off the map, either."
As for the three who left, Gallegos, who went to the University of Nebraska, is in a battle for a starting spot with a JUCO transfer. Weirick is at Southern Utah, and, according to assistant coaches there, he should find some minutes on the court as a freshman.
Sawyer has accepted a scholarship to Boise State, but has chosen to go on an LDS Church mission first. He is three years away from contributing as a Bronco, but in the meantime, Sawyer has taken a position as a coach for West Jordan's junior high team.
"You know, those three kids were special, and I know it's cliché, but what they did for us last year could not be measured just in stats," said Briggs, "Even without them I believe that we are still a mentally tough team, and that should safeguard us from any drop-off that we will experience this year."
With teams like Bingham and Copper Hills waiting for them, the Jaguars will need to be mentally tough throughout the season if they want to make it back to the playoffs.
