(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) Bingham's Jaycee Lichtie (35) drives in front of Fremont's Emma Calvert (25). tBingham faces Fremont in the championship game of the 6A High School Girls' Basketball Tournament at SLCC in Taylorsville,Saturday, Feb. 24, 2018.
Taylorsville • There are some things to know about Emma Calvert, the player who led Fremont to the Class 6A state championship Saturday afternoon.
First off, she doesn’t even attend the Plain City school in the midst of the western farmlands of Weber County.
Calvert is a ninth-grader at nearby Wahlquist Junior High.
Second, her nickname is “Bigfoot,” and for good reason. The budding 6-foot-4 star wears a size 13 men’s basketball shoe on the court.
And finally, this day wasn’t totally unexpected, despite the fact that Calvert is one of three freshmen who got playing time for the Silver Wolves in what often was a tense state title game.
She made the most of it. Calvert scored 21 points in 29 minutes to lead all scorers. She also led Fremont in rebounds with 10 and added four blocked shots and an assist to that stat line.
Even deciding to join the high school team this season was a decision for the freshman, who began playing organized basketball in fourth grade.
“I’m so glad I came up,” she said, clutching the gold state title trophy after a tearful hug with her dad. “There was so much talk about coming up or staying down. I am so glad I came up. I’ve made some friends and got to spend as much time with this bunch.”
Fremont coach Lisa Dalebout said she has had her eye on Calvert as a player since her budding star was a young girl.
“She is just really special,” the Silver Wolves coach said. “They are a big sports family. Honestly, she was really prepared.”
Both Calvert and her father, John, said the key to her success was the mental aspect of the game.
“She has always been tough,” John Calvert said. “She works hard, and she is composed. That’s her strongest trait. She doesn’t get mentally down or up. She just plays hard.”
Calvert said that she knew that every basket counts, especially in a state championship game.
“If I don’t make one, I’ve just got to move on and keep going on,” she said. “That whole game we knew we could do it. That last little bit is where we finished it out.”
Fremont played three freshmen in the game, with Halle Duft scoring four points and Averee Porter adding three. Calvert said some other young stars will be joining the team next season.
With “Bigfoot” leading the way, this might not be Fremont’s last state title in the next three years.