High school basketball: Utah Valley's best-ketball stars
Lone Peak's Haws headlines 2008 All-Valley honorees
But having those scholarships awaiting had no influence in putting four Knights on the Deseret Morning News All-Utah Valley boys basketball team. The players earned the honor by their play this season and their contribution to bringing Lone Peak a second straight 5A title. Each was vital in Lone Peak's balance, success and each played outstanding basketball during region play and then at the state tournament.
Overall, 5A basketball was a little stronger than 4A basketball. That's why we feel that the valley's top six players are all from the valley's 5A league. Region 4 was just a touch stronger than Region 7 this year.
It was also an easy decision, since Lone Peak was the state's top team, to select a Knight as the valley's top player. And that player just happens to be the one who came through time and time again in the clutch for Lone Peak, especially in last week's state tournament.
MVP
TYLER HAWS, Lone Peak Knights: The steady junior is considered by most to be the state's top player. He scored nearly 21 points per game for the Knights and came up huge several times in the state tournament, both from the free-throw line and the field. His game-winning shot with 2.5 seconds left in overtime No. 2 against Davis in the semis will be a shot that Lone Peak fans remember for a long time. It was the shot that lifted Lone Peak into the championship game.
Still, he was the Knights' go-to guy and the state's Mr. Clutch.
"This might sound boring, but he's incredibly consistent," Lone Peak coach Quincy Lewis said. "Game in and game out, he's the same guy. He's a tremendous shooter. Even though he faces box-and-ones, triangles and all that stuff to deny him the ball, he still shots 58 percent from the floor."
First team
DALLIN NAULU, Spanish Fork Dons: Statistics don't really do this heady point guard justice. His defense, court leadership, ability to get teammates shots and control a game in many other ways made him one of the state's top point guards. Still, he scored more than 10 points per game and was among the state's leaders in assists.
C. J. WILCOX, Pleasant Grove Vikings: There's probably not a more athletic player in the state, or a player who is better at creating his own shot. As a threat to score driving to the hoop, posting up or shooting the 3-pointer, Wilcox (a junior) finished as the top scorer in 5A at nearly 24 points per game.
Recent comments
The most overlooked player in the state is Kimball Payne. He did...
No Payne No Gain | April 11, 2008 at 10:21 a.m.
we're playing the we beat them game, wouldn't lehi be the...
if | April 6, 2008 at 12:47 p.m.
to everyone that says that haws is the only reason that lone peak...
hmm | March 10, 2008 at 12:39 p.m.
