MaxPreps 2012 Preseason Xcellent 25 Basketball preview: No. 6 Lone Peak

Utah isn't a state known for producing national-caliber high school basketball programs.

Lone Peak (Highland, Utah) is out to slam the door on that perception this winter, as it is the No. 6 team in the Preseason Xcellent 25 presented by the Army National Guard.

"This is a season that we've been building toward for nine or 10 years," Knights head coach Quincy Lewis said.

Under Lewis, the program finished No. 24 in last season's final Xcellent 25 National Rankings and in recent years has knocked off perennial powers from Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana and New York. The school has won seven state titles since opening its doors in 1997.



Leading the charge this year will be senior guard Nick Emery, an explosive scorer that BYU fans hope will become the next Jimmer Fredette. Emery averaged 21.6 points per game and earned Junior All-American honors from MaxPreps last season.

Emery will be joined in the backcourt by returning starters T.J. Haws, Connor Toolson and Talon Shumway, a BYU football commit who battled injuries this year and specializes on the defensive end of the court.

Additional firepower arrives in the form of 6-foot-8 Eric Mika, yet another future BYU Cougar who sat out in 2011-12 after transferring and served as the team manager.

Emery, Haws and Mika played together over the summer with Utah Reign and more than held their own against club teams comprised of stars from multiple schools.

"I think it helps that those guys have all been good friends for several years and all live within a mile or two of each other," Lewis said.

Lone Peak's last five years
2011-12 – 22-5 (Quincy Lewis), Class 5A state champions
2010-11 – 24-1 (Quincy Lewis), Class 5A state champions
2009-10 – 17-6 (Quincy Lewis)
2008-09 – 22-3 (Quincy Lewis), Class 5A state runners-up
2007-08 – 23-2 (Quincy Lewis), Class 5A state champions



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Classification/Division:
UHSAA Class 5A

Enrollment:
2,360

Head coach:
Quincy Lewis (10th year)

Career record:
183-34, Class 5A state titles in 2005, 2007-08, 2011-12

Former Knights playing college/pro basketball:
Nate Austin (former BYU standout)
Jackson Emery (former BYU standout)
Justin Hamilton (KK Cibona)
Tyler Haws (BYU)

Other notable alumni:
C.J. Ah You (St. Louis Rams), Shawn Murphy (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)



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Key returners:

Nick Emery (6-1, Sr., G), No. 67 ranked prospect in Class of 2013 Top 100, BYU verbal commit

Connor Toolson (6-3, Sr., G)

T.J. Haws (6-3, Jr., G), BYU verbal commitment

Talon Shumway (6-3, Sr., G), BYU football verbal commitment

Spencer Curtis (6-8, Jr., F)



Zach Frampton (6-2, Jr., G)

Newcomers:

Eric Mika (6-8, Sr., F), BYU verbal commit, sat out 2010-11 season following transfer

Circle the date:
Lone Peak will get a crack at two-time defending national champ St. Anthony on one of high school basketball's biggest stages – the Spalding Hoophall Classic in Springfield, Mass. Led by legendary coach Bob Hurley, St. Anthony enters the 2012-13 season riding a 65-game win streak. Surprisingly, the Jan. 21 showdown won't be the first time the teams have met. The Knights and Friars also faced off in the final of the 2007 T-Mobile Invitational final in New Mexico. St. Anthony won that one en route to an undefeated season and yet another mythical national title.

Tournament time:
The Knights are headed to the City of Palms Classic in December, which features a dozen nationally ranked teams. This group has some experience in holiday mega-tournaments, reaching the final of the Beach Ball Classic in South Carolina last season with wins over Whitney Young (Chicago) and St. Augustine (New Orleans).

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