by Mark Watson

GUEST COLUMNIST

If there is a chance to somehow align myself with a winning basketball team, and then be able to share in the euphoria of success, I'm all for it. I'll latch on no matter how obscure my relationship is with the dominant team.

Whether it be the youngest Junior Jazz squad or a highly-skilled NBA team, becoming a part of the winning group is always fun.

On Saturday, I had a couple of reasons to go watch the 4A-5A state basketball championships in Ogden at the Dee Events Center. First, the final game of the day would pit Bountiful vs. Provo in the 4A championship. I really didn't care who won, but I've lived in Bountiful for 14 years and covered the Braves and coach Mike Maxwell. During one of the three years I covered them, Bountiful won a 5A state basketball championship. My favorite quote from coach Maxwell: "Defensively we want to get in their shorts."

I watched Provo play at Tooele this year and the Bulldogs were ranked No. 1 all season. Provo also had a chance this year to win back-to-back state championships, and had beaten 5A power Lone Peak in their first game of the season -- one of Lone Peak's only two losses of the year. The Knights' other loss was against one of the top high school teams in the nation in a game at Albuquerque, N.M.

Provo has superb players but it's also fun to watch head coach Craig Drury, who now leads the state in coaching championships with eight. He's known as a laid-back coach whose teams lay down the hammer on opponents.

"It takes me three quarters of a game to figure out what to do," he said last week after a semifinal victory.

According to script, Bountiful jumped ahead quickly and led 25-22 at halftime, then apparently Drury figured out how to how to play the Braves. The Bulldogs outscored Bountiful 23-17 in the second half and won 45-42 with some clutch free-throw shooting in the closing seconds.

A second reason to attend this championship doubleheader was my blood ties to Lone Peak. The Knights played Bingham in the 5A title game.

I have no allegiance to Bingham, although our photographer Troy Boman went to school there, so that was a possible tie-in. But my first cousin has a son who plays at Lone Peak. He's about the seventh or eighth man to check into games. I only learned about this by watching a Lone Peak vs. American Fork game on TV one night. A player by the name of Brian Hale checked into the game when the Knights were up by about 15. "Hey, I think I'm related to that kid," I thought. So now I had a reason to cheer for the Knights.

It could be said the championship was actually decided the day before, on Friday, when undefeated Davis High pushed Lone Peak to double overtime before Haws finally closed the deal by scoring a basket with two seconds left in double overtime to give the Knights a 57-55 victory.

In the championship game, Lone Peak outscored Bingham in each of the first three quarters to lead by 17 going into the final quarter and the celebration was starting to percolate.

My relative finally checked in with about 1:45 remaining, but didn't stay in too long because the coach wanted to get all 15 players in the game. Brian did get one foul. "That will at least get him a stat in the scorebook," his dad said. Eventually, it seemed like Lone Peak's junior varsity was playing Bingham's junior varsity in the final minute -- the chance of a lifetime for the players.

Lone Peak won the game 67-53, and bedlam ensued.

"Brian's not shy. He probably will end up with his photo in the newspaper," his dad Kevin said to me as Brian jumped into the a throng of Lone Peak students celebrating the championship. Brian then came over to the other side of the arena and jumped into a section which included his parents and me. He hugged his dad and mom, and had no idea who I was. He then jumped back down on the floor for more celebrating with his team and a chance to cut down the net.

Next morning, there he was with his mug in the Salt Lake Tribune's sports section, clutching the championship trophy in front of a screaming student body.

With my cheers during the game, I also knew that I had done my part to help the cause.

mwatson@tooeletranscript.com