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Ogden • Kearns' basketball team may have fallen one game short of its goal of winning the school's first state title since 1972 on Saturday, but coaches, fans, players and administrators left feeling as if the Cougars accomplished something.
"It's history that we came here," said star Bushmen Ebet, who led his team with 19 points and seven rebounds.
Kearns principal Maile Loo, standing in front of the large and boisterous Cougar cheering section, said her school's run this season opened a way for students to not only excel on the court but in the classroom.
She said the team had a 3.1 grade point average and that coach Dan Cosby would see some of his players go on to play college basketball.
"Some of these kids come from a tough background," she said. "But in the four years I've been here, I have never seen a group of young men work so hard. They have impacted the whole school and community. It has been amazing for the culture of Kearns High."
Cosby said his team got a little flustered by Bountiful's triangle-and-two defense as well as the pressure of being on the big stage. But he emphasized the positive. He said he thinks at least three of his players will go on to play in college.
"It brought the community together," he said of the run. "If you believe in something you try to accomplish, you can do it if you put your mind to do it. … We had a great run. We won 14 of our last 15 games. I don't know the last Kearns team that has done that. We had a right to be here. We played very entertaining basketball. They learned a lot."
John Marteliz, father of Kearns starter Tayler, hugged his crestfallen son on the court after the game. He put things in perspective.
"To me, it's like anything is possible," said Marteliz. "It doesn't matter where you come from or what your background is. Obviously, we had a variety of kids from all different backgrounds. We came together as a family and proved how close we are as a team on the court."
Cosby's wife, Kim, who grew up in Bountiful, expressed nothing but pride in her husband's team and what it accomplished.
"They have worked through so much adversity and overcome a lot," she said. "It's the life these boys go through. There is so much that I don't think Bountiful kids experience. … Dan played at Kearns and his coach made a real difference in his life. He is trying to do the same for these boys."
Twitter: @tribtomwharton