Utah 4A Hoops: Does Your Team Have This Guy?

There's three categories of championship teams...

(Listen to the Boys 4A State Basketball Tournament on ESPN 97.7)

1 - SUPER TEAMS

This was Snow Canyon last year.

They had three Division 1 caliber players on one team. (Lyman Simmons, Bowen Hammer, Owen Mackay). That's rare, especially in 4A.

Snow Canyon's toughest game last year was the semi-final against Sky View. They survived a crazy ending and won by two.

I think they're the lone super team to win a title in the past six years in 4A/3AA.

2 - POPOVICH TEAMS

Popovich teams win without one flashy star. They have a deep rotation and a bunch of guys scoring in double figures.

The 2021 Cedar Reds were a Popovich team.

Remember Dallin Grant, Gaige Savage, Zab Santana, Treyton Tebbs, Ty Harrison, Luke Armstrong, and Aaron Munson?

That's a deep squad.

They rolled into the tournament as a 6-seed and won the whole dang thing.

Dallin Grant was their star, but he wasn't a flashy star, and Zab Santana was their best player in the tournament.

Dixie in 2020 was also a Popovich team.

They had Isaac Finlinson who was a killer, but he wasn't clearly the best player in the state at that point. He was just a junior. They also had Noah Lemke, Ethan Bennett, Jeff Cox, and Jordan Mathews...that's a Popovich team.

3- JIMMY CHITWOOD TEAMS

A Jimmy Chitwood team is the squad who clearly has the best player in the state. They might have a great cast of role players, but they've got THE GUY and that's why they win.

In 2019 Sky View won as a Chitwood team.

Mason Falslev was the best player in the state and took them all the way in his junior season.

It's hard to win a title sometimes as a Chitwood team but Falslev was that good. Sam Phipps was their second best player and he was awesome, but it was Falslev's team.

I think Snow Canyon fits into this category this year with Owen Mackay. They have a great cast with guys like Will Warner and Cy Meacham, but Mackay is the best in the state.

Dixie is either Popovich or Chitwood. With Lemke, who at times can be the most dominant player in the state, they could be considered in the Chitwood category. But the way they play makes them more of a Popovich team.

Desert Hills is a Chitwood team with Lincoln Holmes.

Crimson Cliffs is Popovich with how spread out they are scoring wise.

Can't wait to find out who's gonna take it home in 2023.

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