The Alta boys' basketball team's run to the 5A state title was full of unexpected story lines.

There was the story of coach Jim Barker's 2009 postseason promise to Jordan Brown, the Hawks top returning starter, to keep the team competitive despite losing most of its varsity lineup to graduation.

There was the addition of move-in transfer Kyle Davis and addition of 6-foot-9, 240-pound center sophomore center Cody Johnson that negated the need for that promise.

There was the story of junior Jackson Berry who, after being cut from the team during tryouts as a sophomore, spent a whole year practicing on his own to ensure he wouldn't be cut again.

There was the internal struggle of senior Landon Barlow, an elite tennis player who nearly opted to not play out his senior season so he could focus on his primary sport.

Amid it all, Alta was followed by a steady voice of critics who questioned the credibility of a string of one-point wins. Those doubts followed them all the way to the Dee Events Center last weekend where taunts from local fans from both Fremont and Davis vastly outnumbered the cheers of their own cheering section.

No doubt, Alta didn't follow a traditional path to its first state title since 2003. The Hawks didn't exactly follow the playbook for state tournament success.

But, the alternate route seems to have suited them just fine.

"I'm really proud of the kids," Barker said following the win. "They battled through a lot of adversity this season and every time a team made a run, this team fought back."

And in the state tournament, the Hawks dominated. Known for its propensity for close games, Alta left nothing to chance and won all four of its state tournament by at least nine points.

In their 45-32 win over Davis, the Hawks held the Darts to just eight field goals to mark the best defensive performance in Class 5A since Hunter's 33-32 win over Cottonwood in the 2004 5A state title game.

"We were just able to get in their heads a bit, dipping balls, grabbing rebounds. Our guys just chased their shooters around. Our posts never got comfortable," Davis said. "Whenever you can hold a team to 32 points you are going to win."

The additions of key starters made that task a bit easier for the Hawks.

Davis moved into school boundaries from Boise, Idaho, and offered a crucial offensive weapon to the Hawks' already stellar defense.

Sophomore Cody Johnson's 6-foot-9, 240-pound frame also offered the Hawks new depth under the basket. With Jordan Brown's quarterback-style decision making and Landon Barlow's clutch state tournament performance, the Hawks found a winning combination.

"Those guys just filled out the puzzle. We had all the pieces," Berry said. "The last puzzle piece was to win it all."

But by Sunday morning, the state championship feeling still hadn't sunk in. Even as Davis and Barlow relived the moment by watching the game video at Barlow's house that afternoon, the events of the previous week had yet to come full-circle.

"I don't know if it's even sunk in yet. I'm just so happy," Davis said. "I had to pinch myself when I woke up this morning."

Rest assured, the Hawks' state title run was real. And for Alta's crop of seven seniors, the perfect cap to a high school career.

"I'm getting emotional just talking about it. To just think of all these kids who made me part of this team," Davis said. "These are friendships I'll have for the rest of my life. It couldn't have ended any better."