That's what has driven them to be competitive and not settle for anything less than a state title.

But what separates these players from their teammates and opponents - besides their vast basketball knowledge, court awareness and incredible skill - is that they knew how to keep their emotions in check.

They knew when to get excited, they knew when to cheer for a teammate, they knew when to hide how nervous they were and they knew when it was time to really enjoy the moment. That's why Skyline's Jenteal Jackson, Sky View's Amy Andrus, Wasatch's Tara Gehring, South Sevier's Jaden Parsons and Rich's Brittani Groll are this year's MVPs.

In the Class 5A championship game, Jackson faced a tough and gritty American Fork defense. Getting the ball from out of bounds, driving to the basket, even coming off a screen were things Jackson couldn't do without getting bumped or grabbed at.

3A MVP Tara Gehring, Wasatch

But she was used to that. She experienced that all season long. Despite that kind of defense, Jackson averaged 15.4 points, 5.2 assists and 2.0 steals a game this year.

"Other people had a [defensive] plan for Jenteal every game," Skyline coach Deb Bennett said. "To Jenteal's credit, she's never going to be a whiner. You see her just do it."

Jackson says perhaps her calm and collected nature comes from being a golfer. Golf is an individual sport. Basketball depends on team play.

"Because we had a young guard lineup, I feel there was pressure on me to show them the ropes," Jackson said. "But in basketball, I know that I have 10 teammates who have my back."

You never had to wonder what Amy Andrus was feeling on the court. She let you know it by the expression on her face and her body language.

"I know I'm emotional. It has its pros and its cons," said the Sky View sophomore. "Emotion is a big part of my game, a part of my drive."

Coach Paul Hansen wished she could have let things roll off her back more, but sometimes he had to let her have her moment. Like when she blocked a shot by Mountain Crest's Kamille Lisonbee. Lisonbee is 6-foot-7. Andrus is 5-10.

"I don't know what the look on her face was," Andrus said. "I was too busy celebrating."

Andrus isn't the MVP because she just had a good tournament run. She was a consistent player on the possibly the most balanced team in 4A. She averaged 13 points and 10 rebounds.

She played every game with passion, not just the games in the state tournament.

"She's very hard-working, always has been," Hansen said. "She figures out the game, asks good questions. She's always trying to improve. She's always giving it 100 percent."

Class 3A MVP Tara Gehring was not always so noticeable on the court, but her impact was undeniable. Wasatch had about seven players in its rotation and each one played a part, but when Gehring stepped off the court or was forced off the floor because of foul trouble, the dynamic of the team changed.

"Tara's skills are handling the ball, she's very quick, and she has super shooting ability," Wasatch coach Roger Pyper said. "You'd have a hard time guarding her. You can stop her from scoring, but you can't stop her from helping her other teammates."

Gehring finished the season averaging 17 points, five rebounds and three steals a game.

There was not a wide range of emotion for Gehring. For most of the season, she was just intense. And when teammate Alyson Baird suffered a season-ending injury in the state tournament, Gehring and the rest of the team were even more determined to win a title for her.

"We were really intense throughout the whole season. There were very few letdowns," Gehring said. "We just had an amazing team and an amazing year."

It would have been easy for South Sevier's Jaden Parsons to let emotions get in the way of playing her best basketball. There was turmoil on the team at one point, morale was down and the Rams had suffered a devastating 56-29 loss to rival North Sevier toward the end of region.

But Parsons didn't let that affect her. As the point guard orchestrating the offense, she led her team to a 21-2 record while averaging 14 points herself.

"She's a calm player and handles pressure really, really well," South Sevier coach Randy Madsen said. "She hit big shots for us all year long."

Like the 18-foot jumper she drained after coming off a pick set by Aubrey Lindgren to tie the game when the Rams were trailing North Sevier. The Rams went on to win that game.

Parsons never let nerves get the best of her.

"I didn't feel nervous for the [championship] game," Parsons said. "I think things through in my head, visualize it, I listen to music and zone in."

The 1A MVP, Brittani Groll, was like Parsons - even-keeled on the court throughout the season.

But, for a moment in the championship game against Piute, Groll let down her guard and showed compassion for a senior on the opposing team by running over to Piute's bench and giving her a high-five after she was whistled for her fifth and final foul.

"I knew it was her senior year and knew she felt disappointed," Groll said. "I put myself in her shoes. It would be horrible to foul out of your last game."

After Rich lost in the state title game last season, Groll made sure she didn't have those feelings of regret.

Even though Rich was talented and had several players capable of putting up big numbers, Groll was the player who kept everybody together on the court - all while averaging 13 points and three steals.

"She was the glue for our team. She took it upon herself to make sure everybody did what they could," Rich coach Scott Ferguson said. "She didn't expect anything from anybody unless it was something she'd do herself."

Though she was a picture of patience on the court, before games, her nerves took over. She couldn't sit still, her knees shook and doubts of not playing to her potential entered her mind. But when it was time to play, Groll knew how to put those emotions aside. That is, until the final buzzer sounded.

"It was great," Groll said. "It was so much like a dream come true."

mthach@sltrib.com