By Steve Pimper
MaxPreps.com
They say history has a way of repeating itself.
In the case of Utah high school basketball that statement is most definitely fact. The history of Provo High basketball continued to dominate the Beehive State record books as the Bulldogs captured their 16th crown Saturday night by besting Payson 43-37 in the 4A title game.
The improbable run to the top for the Bulldogs was keyed by tournament most valuable player, Chris Collinsworth. The 6-9 Brigham Young University signee went 11-14 from the field and netted a game high 27 points, including a game ending 45-footer at the buzzer, as Provo claimed the top prize. Collinsworth also pulled down nine rebounds, handed out four assists and blocked a key shot to lead the Bulldog team.
Provo entered the tournament as a three seed from Region VII, but pounded West and Roy while outlasting Granger in a 43-41 overtime thriller en route to the championship contest.
As the tourney MVP Collinsworth posted double-doubles (points and rebounds) in three of the four games and was joined on the all-tourney team by teammate Sean Thornton. Runner-up and cross-county rival Payson placed McKay Massey and Jordan Buys on the elite team while Andrew Cusick of Timpview and Trevor Bloxham of Roy rounded out the 4A all-star squad.
The 5A crown was also decided Saturday as another Utah County team, Lone Peak, destroyed Riverton in the 68-43 finale at Weber State University.
Junior center Bracken Funk led Lone Peak with a championship game double-double performance (19 points on 8 of 10 shooting and 12 total boards). Landon Clegg added 13 and guard Tyler Haws scored 10. Future University of Utah player Morgan Grim scored a game high 29 for the losing Riverton team.
The Knights from Alpine came into the tourney ranked No. 1 in their classification and left no doubt that they deserved that lofty spot as they cruised through the competition without ever being seriously challenged.
Lone Peak made the finals by thoroughly schooling No. 2 Bingham, 68-46, in the semis and won its four tournament games by an average of 19 points per contest. Lone Peak finished the year with the state's best record at 24-1.
Further devastating news for the rest of the 5A schools is the fact that three starters for the Knights will return next season to defend their roundball title, led by tournament MVP, Tyler Haws.
Funk and Clegg also made the 5A all-tournament team along with Grim of the Silver Wolves, while Bingham placed David Pugmire on the squad along with Jason Steenstra of Spanish Fork.
In central Utah, the smallest schools in the state closed out the 2006-2007 season by also handing out a gold trophy to 1A's best, the Layton Christian Eagles.
The Eagles trailed Panguitch for most of the tightly-contested game before an 11-3 spurt in the final period propelled Layton Christian to the 62-56 victory. Brett Jones knocked down a game high 23 points for the victors while Josh Bateman of the second place Bobcats tickled the twine for 18.
Layton Christian placed two players on the 1A all-tourney squad with Jones and tournament MVP, B.J. Porter, topping the elite group. Joining them was Bateman of Panguitch, Sam Hoopes of Duchesne, Scott Dalton of Piute and Trevor Martin of Whitehorse.
The win capped the Eagles dream season filled with school and state firsts. The school's first ever state championship, Bobby Porter becoming the first African-American head coach to claim a Utah basketball title, and also the first time the school has ever led the 1A ranks in scoring per game average. (The Eagles scored over 100 points three times, in the 90's five more times, and in the 80's an additional four games in posting a 23-2 record).