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For the second consecutive year, Doug Meacham's team walked out of the South Towne Expo Center clutching a first-place trophy from the Big Mountain Jam.
There are some basketball purists who believe that AAU basketball and summer tournaments are hurting the game. They feel the format pushes players to showcase their individual talents while ignoring the greater good of the team. But Meacham and his American Fork squad look at summer basketball as a team-building experience that prepares them for when they will play under the brightest of lights.
"In order to win a championship you have to be in championship games, and that's been our focus," said Meacham. "For a couple of years we'd get there and wouldn't win some of our spring and summer championships, but now these guys are expecting to win and expecting to get there."
After winning last year's tournament and being a 5A state finalist, American Fork's days of sneaking up on teams are long gone. The Cavemen now walk onto courts with targets on their backs, specifically guards Quincy Bair and Marcel Davis, who have committed to Utah State. Guard Austin Waddoups recently received a scholarship offer from Cornell, his first Division 1 offer.
The Cavemen faced their stiffest competition of the tournament in their opening game as they defeated a scrappy Sky View team 48-47. They then breezed through their next three games as they defeated Murray 55-46, Glacier (Mont.) High 70-36, and Pleasant Grove 54-45. In the finals they faced Thunder Ridge (Colo.), which played them tough defensively throughout the first half as the teams were tied at 16-16 at intermission. But during the opening minutes of the second half, Waddoups started a run that eventually led to the Cavemen outscoring Thunder Ridge 48-20 in the final 16 minutes.
The guard's play on the offensive end was the catalyst for American Fork as he led the team in scoring throughout the tournament. Happy and relieved that the stress of wondering if a school will extend an offer is finally over, Waddoups displayed great stamina all weekend as he, along with Bair and Davis, pulled double duty by playing for their school and AAU team (Utah Pump-N-Run).
"It's a great feeling and I just love playing with these guys," said Waddoups. "We worked hard and I think we deserved it. We love playing basketball and it's what we love to do. It's nonstop for us, and my legs are pretty shot."
With teams starting to focus their attention on the trio of Waddoups, Bair and Davis, other players like senior Zach Hunter and sophomore Ryan Andrus stepped up for Meacham. Early in the tournament Hunter picked his spots on offense by scoring on open jump shots, put-backs and alley-oops. But as the tournament continued, he started to become more aggressive and looked for his shot more.
"Our coaches were just telling me to be aggressive because we would be a lot better that way," said Hunter.
Andrus was a defensive force in the paint for the Cavemen, flourishing in his first experience with varsity play. Sporting a long blond mullet, Andrus was easy to spot.
"Zach is one of the best athletes we've had," said Meacham. "He's strong and he's worked hard in the weight room and he's been patient and waited for his opportunity and he's making the most out of it. And Ryan has a chance to be really good. He had more bounce in his step this week and he played solid defensively and that's what we're going to need from him."
Coming out of their cave
Three guards with Division 1 offers — Quincy Bair, Marcel Davis and Austin Waddoups — led American Fork to Big Mountain Jam title.
The Cavemen, who lost just one key senior from last year's 5A finalist team, showed an influx of young talent at the tournament.
Davis and Bair also played for Utah Pump-N-Run, their AAU team.