Alverson never left the thoughts of the Buffaloes. The team had hoped to dedicate another state championship to him, but lost to Judge Memorial in the 3-A title game. After the game, the Buffaloes were brought to tears when Alverson's widow, Lois, entered their locker room and told them, "Gary would be proud."
STILL FIGHTING
Taylorsville coach John Bowman received his own bit of bad news before the season started. Doctors found tumors on Bowman's brain and lungs in November. Bowman stayed with his team while undergoing radiation treatments for much of the season. But by the time the Class 5-A tournament began, Bowman was unable to coach the Warriors because of fatigue.
END OF AN ERA
The Granite Farmers played their final basketball game in February. In November, the Granite School District restructured Granite High and eliminated the school's athletic teams. The decision left a talented crop of underclassmen scrambling to find schools to play for next season. For the record, Granite lost its last home game, 40-28, to Juan Diego, and its final contest, 55-38, to Delta.
STREAKING
Several teams enjoyed long winning streaks during the season. Class 1-A champion Escalante closed the year with a 20-game winning streak . State champions Bingham (14) and Highland (13) also finished the season with long winning streaks.
Hillcrest and Judge Memorial also put together lengthy unbeaten stretches. The Huskies won 19 before closing the regular season with a loss to Alta. The Bulldogs won 18 before losing two consecutive games at the ACIT.
LANDMARK SEASON
After losing in the first round of the Class 5-A tournament in two consecutive postseasons, Riverton had a breakthrough year. The Silverwolves recorded the most wins in school history (22) and qualified for their first state championship game in their seven-year history.
Boys'
