MaxPreps 2014-15 Utah preseason girls basketball Fab 5, presented by the Army National Guard

1. Fremont (Plain City)
Head Coach: Lisa Dalebout
2013-14 record: 23-3

The Silver Wolves boasted Class 5A's most potent offense en route to claiming a state championship a season ago. Fremont averaged 59.9 points per game and it outscored opponents by an average of 21.5 points per contest. Some of those players that made the Silver Wolves so dangerous are back — including leading scorer Shelbee Molen. The 5-foot-10 guard, who is committed to BYU, ranked fifth statewide in scoring. Molen averaged 16.6 points per game. She is a versatile scorer and manages to get it done while routinely drawing the other team's best defender. Harley Hansen will pair with Molen in Fremont's back court. Hansen, a 5-foot-8 guard showed plenty of promise as a sophomore. She emerged as a strong and energetic defender and will likely take on a greater offensive role as well after averaging 7.3 points per game last year.

View last season's Utah girls basketball rankings, presented by the Army National Guard

2. Springville
Head Coach: Camie Oakey
2013-14 record: 14-9

It looked like the wheels finally fell off for Springville after a seven game losing streak a year ago. The Red Devils quickly bounced back and did what they do best — dominating Class 4A. Springville won 12 of its final 13 games en route to claiming a fourth state crown in five years. Springville must replace graduated stars Savannah Park and Brooke Wheeler, but it is never wise to count the Red Devils out. They return several talented players — led by Lydia Austin. The 5-foot-7 junior guard averaged 8.3 points per game a season ago and emerged as one of Springville's top scoring threats from the perimeter.

View last season's Utah girls basketball playoff brackets

3. Brighton (Salt Lake City)
Head Coach: Jim Gresh
2013-14 record: 16-9

The Bengals looked like state championship material late last season, winning 12 of 13 games before bowing out to eventual Class 5A champ Fremont in the semifinals. Brighton looks talented enough that it could easily finish the job this time around. It helps to have point guard Lindsey Johnson back at the gears once again. The 5-foot-10 senior averaged 10.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.5 steals a year ago. Johnson's athleticism helps her be effective at draining a jumper or attacking the rim. Alyssa Hirschi and McCall Christensen both offer a strong post presence. Hirschi led Brighton in rebounds (7.8 per game) and Christensen led in steals (2.0 per game) as juniors.

View last season's Utah girls basketball stat leaders

4. Desert Hills (St. George)
Head Coach: Chris Allred
2013-14 record: 25-1

Can the Thunder roll through Class 3A again? Desert Hills enters the season on a 19 game winning streak after claiming its first state title a year ago. The Thunder have the pieces in place to pick up right where they left off.
Kenzie Done and Ashley Beckstrand should provide plenty of highlights in the back court. Done shined as a sophomore, averaging 10.5 points, 2.5 assists and 2.0 steals. The 5-foot-9 guard should take on an even bigger role this time around. Beckstrand showed plenty of promise while getting major minutes as a freshman. The 5-foot-7 guard averaged 7.7 points per contest.

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5. Bountiful
Head Coach: Joel Burton
2013-14 record: 15-8

If there's one team who has potential to emerge as a surprise state title contender this season, Bountiful fits the bill perfectly. The Braves finished just a game short of winning a region title a year ago and could be one of the favorites in Class 4A this season. One thing is certain — Kennedy Redding is guaranteed to be a force in the middle for Bountiful again. Redding averaged 16.7 points and 10. 7 rebounds per game as a sophomore to lead her team in both categories. The 6-foot-3 forward troubles plenty of teams with her height and length around the basket. With Redding down low, few teams are going to be able to match up with the Braves.

John Coon covers Utah high school sports for MaxPreps. You can contact him at john_coon@hotmail.com or follow him on Twitter at @johncoonsports.