This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
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Boys' basketball region/class previews
(2014 records in parentheses)
REGION 1 (5A)
Both Clearfield (9-11), now in Class 5A, and Fremont (10-12) were decimated by graduation, with the Falcons losing their two leading scorers and the Wolves saying goodbye to their top four contributors from last season. … Mountain Crest (11-11) makes the leap from Class 4A into the state's largest classification. With Jon Huff gone, the Mustangs must find a viable second option to complement leading scorer Jaxon Brenchley, who averaged 17.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game as a sophomore. … Jrue Perkins already shouldered a substantial load last season, but Northridge's (5-16) dependency on the sharpshooter has potential to increase with Braxton Geiselmayr and Alec Kohl gone; look for Jamie Gertge to emerge as the No. 2. … Roy (11-10) and Sky View (13-10) also make the transition into 5A. Bryce Mortenson (12.6 ppg, 6.2 rpg) and Jake Hendricks (10.2 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 3.1 apg) form a formidable one-two punch for the Bobcats, while the Royals will rely heavily on Jaycob Payne and Alex Lamb as they attempt to discover dependable replacements for several key departures. … Weber (11-11) will go as Grant Ellison goes. He was the driving force for the Warriors last season.
REGION 2 (5A)
Davis (20-4) is tasked with replacing the reigning Tribune MVP, Jesse Wade. Junior Ben Rigby (10.8 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 2.3 apg) and marksman Landon Swartz (9.2 ppg, 3.2 rpg) should inherit expanded roles in Wade's absence. … Granger (9-13) qualified for the postseason last season, but duplicating that feat will be a challenge without Makol Mawien; the Lancers' success hinges on Anfernie Diaz. … Hunter (15-10) is without Noah Togiai, who accounted for nearly 40 percent of the Wolverines' offensive production last year, but McKay Meidlinger (10.4 ppg, 6.9 rpg) presents matchup problems with his size (6-foot-6) and ability to convert from the perimeter. …Layton (18-7) captured its first state championship since 1988, but this year's group is without an identity after losing numerous graduates, specifically All-Tribune Team honoree Jarriesse Blackmon. The direction of the program now belongs to his brother, Julian Blackmon. Jacoby Kemp and Dallin Watts add support for Blackmon. … Kalvin Mudrow returns for Syracuse (11-11) after leading the Titans in scoring (13 ppg) and rebounding (9.7 rpg). …Viewmont (15-10) provided last season's memorable moment with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to knock off four-time defending champion Lone Peak, but the Vikings' roster is completely revamped after suffering massive attrition from graduation. … West (8-15) depends on Xavier Matheson (6.6 ppg) to increase his production after losing Dallyn and Riley Kenner, who composed more than 50 percent of the Panthers' scoring average.
REGION 3 (5A)
Yoeli Childs (16.1 ppg, 10.7 rpg) is one of the headline names in the entire state for Bingham (20-4), but the makeup of this year's group is completely different. The Miners need Lleyton Parker and Dason Youngblood to hit perimeter shots to free the beast inside. … Brighton (16-10) is an entirely new team after its runner-up finish last season. The Bengals lost four of their top five players (Brock Miller, John Gremillion, Derek Devashrayee and Osa Masina), leaving an immense workload on Simi Fehoko's shoulders. … Copper Hills (15-8) was poised for a breakout season last year, but instead fell into a three-way region tie and eventually bowed out in the first round. There are no excuses with Porter Hawkins, Trevor Hoffman, Charlie Olsen, Preston Sanchez and junior Stockton Shorts returning this year. … Cottonwood (4-16) features Jaron Anderson (17.4), Noah Montano (14.8 ppg), Kalin Facemyer, Tanner Call and Alex Debry in black and gold again, leaving the impression the Colts will be more competitive this season. … Junior Spencer Curtis inherited massive responsibility with Tanner Monson and Calvin Hayward both graduating; Jordan (10-13) needs to find viable alternatives for Curtis to distribute to. … Aaron Canepari (10.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.7 apg) is the key returner for Taylorsville (9-14), which is transiting into a much more difficult region. … West Jordan (7-16) is searching for an identity to return to its history of basketball success. The Jaguars will trust Jacob (11.8 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 2.3 apg, 1.7 spg) and Jordan Lowery to get them back atop the standings.
REGION 4 (5A)
American Fork (14-10) is one of the top contenders in the 5A classification, with Spencer Johnson (18.2 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 2.3 apg, 2.3 spg) and Brendan Bailey (14.2 ppg, 5.6 rpg) leading the way. …Herriman (12-10) lost nearly 60 percent of its offensive production with David Maynard and Tyus Jefferson graduating, but Jaden Vaughn, Stockton Enger and Jake Sutton still compose a strong core. …Look for Lehi (11-12) to potentially be the surprise team this season. The Pioneers are excited about the possibilities with Tanner Nygren (22.8 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 2.1 apg), Marcus Draney (16.0 ppg, 3.9 rpg), Blaze Nield and Tyson Rupp returning to the lineup this year. ... Lone Peak (18-7) is entering a new era of basketball. The Knights need Tyson Doman to supplement the state's best player, Frank Jackson. … Three of Pleasant Grove's (19-6) top four contributors are gone, including Riley Court, leaving big shoes for high-flyer Brody Childs to fill. … Joey Andrews (11.0 ppg, 3.9 rpg) is all that remains for Riverton (14-10), which is looking to return to the postseason after an early exit last year. … Asa McCord and Maizen Fausett, two capable scorers, will run the backcourt for Westlake (10-13).
REGION 5 (4A)
Kobe Beatty (8.5 ppg, 3.5 apg, 3.4 rpg), Jaysten Flowers and Noah Atagi could help Bonneville (5-17) improve its fortunes this season. … Bountiful (22-6) won its second consecutive title, but lost Zac Seljaas, Jake Lasalle and Jeff Pollard. Austin Parkinson is an underrated talent, but he'll need support for the Braves to complete the three-peat. … Box Elder (8-12) is positioned for a breakthrough season with its three leading scorers — Jarom Mecham, Darius McFarland and Max Watson — back in the lineup. …East (11-11) fell in double-overtime in the first round last season, but hopes are high with Dacian Spotted Elk, Hayden Banz, Blake Hansen and Jordan Sutton back in red and white. … Ryan Lambson (11.5 ppg), Brevin Elsholz and Rick Schmidt are all capable of big nights for Highland (13-11). … Ogden (6-17) depends heavily on Hunter and Jaxon Clarke. … Two of the top four scorers — Trevin Knell (17.4 ppg) and Jordan Lewis (10.9) — are back this season for Woods Cross (6-16).
REGION 6 (4A)
Cyprus (1-22) received its fair share of bumps and bruises last season, and it will need Brooks Marshall to set the pace to escape the same fate this year. … Replacing Tanner Thompson won't be easy for Hillcrest (10-12), but Eli Walch, Stockton Ashby and Troy Brinar have shown potential. … It was an uncharacteristically down season for Judge Memorial (4-19) last year, but Bapa Falemaka (12.1 ppg) and Ben Davis (10.4 ppg) now have more experience. … Kearns (19-8) experienced one of the best seasons in school history with its runner-up finish last year. Tayler Marteliz (12.3 ppg), Kur Kuath and Journey Buba need to elevate their games to overcome the loss of Bushmen Ebet and Buay Kuajian. … Murray (16-8) advertises a strong nucleus of A.J. Hodges, James Walljasper, Zach Dickerson and Peyton Christman. … Jake Lindsey led Olympus (21-5) in points, rebounds, assists and steals last year. Recovering from losing his production is difficult, but Miles Keller (12.2 ppg), Isaac Monson, Nate Fox and Matt Lindsey comprise a deep lineup for the Titans. … Austin Stevenson and Alex Meldrum combined for 56 percent of Skyline's (7-16) offensive production last season. Stevenson (11.2 ppg) is all that is left of the lethal combo this year.
REGION 7 (4A)
Alta (10-13) is loaded in the backcourt with Neema Namdar, Taylor Moore and Juan Diego transfer Connor Fulton. … Corner Canyon (9-12) has a chance to be sneaky competitive this season, with Brayden Johnson, Cameron Dougherty, Trevor Miller and Braxton Coon. … Mountain View (8-15) will rely on Brigham Bateman to navigate through an extremely difficult region. … Will Clark (14.3 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 2.5 spg) is an all-state talent for Orem (20-6), and Noah Johnson (6.3 ppg, 6.5 rpg) provides a valuable second option for the Tigers. … Provo (10-14) enters a new era behind Kache Koop (12.3 ppg) and Braxton Bailey (9.7 ppg). … Timpanogos (14-10) lost in double-overtime in the first round last season, and it lost nearly every single contributor from that team. … Timpview (15-8) features one of the best overall players in the state in Gavin Baxter, who presents nightmares to opposing defenses, with his athletic ability and soft touch from deep. This year the Thunderbirds appear to have support for the big man, leaving the impression that they could make a deep run.
REGION 8 (4A)
Maple Mountain (18-6) is poised for a big year with Kade Poulsen, one of the most underrated players in the classification, and Jaron Hall. … Bryce Wilberg (12.5 ppg), Kolten Mortensen and Damon Bahr are back in green for Payson (13-10), which could surprise teams this season. … Salem Hills (9-14) is without Porter Gustin and Jeff DeGraffenried this season, meaning it is without an identity right now. Sophomore James Nelson is one of few with varsity experience. … Spanish Fork (13-12) lost essentially its entire production from last season to graduation. … Andrew Slack will lead Springville (6-15) into a new era. … Uintah (13-11) is searching for playmakers after losing the majority of its experience to graduation. … Wasatch (10-13) struggled to recover after its slow start last season, but behind Eli Ballstaedt (10.0 ppg), the Wasps could take advantage of a weak region this season.
CLASS 3A
Dixie (20-7), captained by Tyler Bennett (16.9 ppg, 5.8 rpg), fell just short in the championship to Pine View (23-2) after knocking off Desert Hills (18-7) in four overtimes in the semifinals. Those three teams will represent the southern region once again this season. … Juan Diego (20-5) lost Gabe Colosimo, but Maliik Fagan-Foster (12.8 ppg, 6.0 rpg) and Avery Ames (10.2 ppg) will keep the Eagle within contention. … Much like football, Logan (20-5) has shot to the top of the discussion in the 3A classification after the region reshuffle. Jason Anderson (8.8 ppg) leads the Grizzlies.
CLASS 2A
Manti (19-6) embarked on a magical run to capture the title last season, but the Templars will depend heavily on Derek Wright after losing large chunks of production to graduation. … Layton Christian (18-7) is expected to be in the thick of competition once again after disappointingly falling in the opening round of the postseason last year. … Mason Gines is one of the top players in the classification for South Summit (15-14), while Beaver (12-8) and North Sevier (12-10) both advertise deep rosters. … Emery (16-9), which lost in heartbreaking style in the title game last year, was gashed with attrition, but the Spartans always challenge in the postseason.
CLASS 1A
Region 20 is absolutely loaded, with Panguitch (19-6), the favorite to win the classification, Bryce Valley (14-10), Parowan (17-8), which is down from Class 2A, and Wayne (12-15). … Rich (22-4) is defending its title without some familiar contributors, but is still expected to contend. …Watch for St. Joseph (18-8) to emerge as the surprise team in the classification this season behind Nick Gruet (19.7 ppg), Masen White, Matt Morton and Chris and Mike O'Brien. … Monticello (18-6) is another program potentially going under the radar, but with Tyler Bird and Matt Freestone, the Buckaroos will be a tough out.