As I’ve been talking about for quite some time, I’m continuing to find a good exit ramp for the podcast and website and it has to be to the benefit of the community here. Full stop. Yesterday I shared a potential idea with Will who ran the IG page from February 2026 until today to see what he thought about it. Will made a decision to share about our chat on an IG story and make a new page of his own.

I’m very grateful to Will for running the IG page since February and continuing to carry on the community I spent 3 years building. Also, I’m always down for people to make content and share about the state of Utah! I’m not frustrated he started his own page at all because I’m a grown man and that would be childish to be mad about :) I was a bit caught off guard when people started asking me questions about selling the site to make money. I don’t ever check IG and had no idea he had made these videos until people started reaching out to me, so that was slightly uncomfortable, and like item 17 on my list of things to worry about today. But, I’ll go ahead and share about what’s going on and what’s not going on

The future of content is short form videos and sharing of those videos with friends and family and coaches. I happen to think Instagram is a frustrating place to view content because of the ads and algorithm, so I set out to make a place for the Utah HS Hoops community to have our own app to share highlights that could be accessed in an iPhone app. It’s been an ambitious goal to go through on top of being a father of 5 and running the finest label printing facility in Utah :)

I’ve spent roughly $4000 out of my pocket over the past 3.5 years and regret $0 of it and I’m not looking to “sell” the website. Literally 0 desire to have a financial transaction take place. I did, however, reach a point where my usage of Lovable to code and make the app is hitting a wall. I have found some awesome people who might be able to make it happen and that’s when I reached out to Will because IF they decided to do it, they’d want the IG page to promote the site. It was a heads up and 0 has/had been decided. Will offered to takeover everything also and I was considering that because it would have been super easy to transition, but based on his new direction it’ll be someone else.

On top of everything else, I should have a really fun announcement in the next few weeks as to why now is the time I’ll be stopping making this type of content. It’s actually really awesome and a way to stay connected to the community in a different way :)

The content on the IG page will keep rolling, the podcast will keep rolling, the articles here on Substack will keep rolling, the only addition would be a possible free and paid version of an iPhone app to upload video content because storage is expensive. Now, I’ll add that someone else will be making the podcast and IG content and I hope Will the best with his new page.

If I see you at a fall league game or at the Great Western Classic, come say hi and stay tuned for the next exciting things!

Clearly there were errors in the reporting which I knew was going to happen. I published the articles to show how hard it is to get information on teams here in Utah. We don’t do a great job of sharing data outside of Instagram about our players and teams.

So using AI to research just stats showed me 2 things:

1. AI isn’t all that great at finding and reporting on data that’s available on the internet. I tried to catch all the errors before hitting publish but missed a bunch (I corrected them once they were realized). One example is that MaxPreps will post photos of players and tag them to other players on the Google Image scrub. It’s actually crazy how many incorrect images are on Google Image search :)

2. If AI can’t get good information, then a single writer will be even less accurate. There’s no way 1 author can know about every region and every classification. I mean I have been in a lot of gyms in the last few years and watched a lot of basketball in Utah. I coached in 1A and watched games in Manila and San Juan…and I probably have seen less than 5% of players in Utah actually play.

So we need more people to write and share about the players here. It can’t just be me and someone at Prep Hoops trying to cover the players. If it is, the coverage is going to be pretty bad.

To resolve this, I’m working hard to build an app for iPhones were parents can share clips that are tied to their players and make the access free to view and share. It’s taking longer than I thought and it’ll be tied to UtahBasketball.net. I want to democratize access to content creation and disconnect it from the IG algorithms.

Finally, if you want to write about players and regions, send me your thoughts and I’ll publish them here! Email support@utahbasketball.net. I won’t post anything anonymous so you’ll have to stand by what you write.

Soon I will be fully off of writing and reporting for Utah HS Hoops but I don’t want the people to lose the voice so I want to make the hand off with momentum and a strong foundation to build off of!

Stay tuned and let me know if you want to contribute!

Region 19 is the southeast. Region 20 is the south-central towns. Region 21 is the small independents. Region 22 is the north. Clint Barney still has 480 wins in Panguitch. Lex Cornia still has Randolph. Lee Gines is still in Tabiona. The team that looks most finished on paper, though, is Manila coached by Mike Hughes.

Subscribe now

Region 19

Green River, Monticello, Whitehorse, Pinnacle, Monument Valley.

Green River went 17-9 and won the region. Jason Hernandez went for 20.6 and 76 threes and graduated. Greg Parsons kept Jose Vetere, Gabe Quintana and David Mendez — seniors who already played next to that offense. The Pirates sit first until Monticello takes a night.

Monticello won 13 and finished second in region. Whitehorse won 10. Pinnacle won 9. Monument Valley is building. Those gyms are proud and they travel. A couple of returners taking a step puts this whole group back in the bracket conversation.

How I see Region 19: 1. Green River 2. Monticello 3. Whitehorse 4. Pinnacle 5. Monument Valley

Region 20

Wayne, Piute, Panguitch, Bryce Valley, Valley, Milford, Escalante, Water Canyon.

This is the deepest 1A region. Wayne went 21-7. Piute went 21-7. Panguitch went 17-12 and still made the semis. Bryce Valley went 17-10 and played Rich in the title game.

Wayne lost Peterson and Robins. The Badgers have been a title-level program. They will look different. They will not look soft. Piute lost Gleave. Crew Montague and Kolton Myers are seniors who already played on a 21-win team. Kade Morgan is a junior point guard who already got varsity run. Junction stays in the pile.

Panguitch is Coach Clint Barney and the community there. The Bobcats have built a pipeline starting with youth development and it shows. Trenton Virga (15.0 and 12.0 boards) and Taycen Ramsay graduated. Coby Bentley is back after 7.6 a night. Kaden Bailey is 6-2. Traiger Ramsay and Casey Walter are seniors. Tayze Barney is a junior who already played 29 games. The Bobcats reload. They always do.

Bryce Valley made the final and they still have Brace Syrett, a first-team all-state senior at 14.8. That is not a rebuild. Valley was .500. Milford, Escalante and Water Canyon will steal a Tuesday if the shots fall. This region decides seeds for a month.

How I see Region 20: 1. Panguitch 2. Bryce Valley 3. Wayne 4. Piute 5. Valley 6. Milford 7. Escalante 8. Water Canyon

Region 21

Mount Vernon, Telos, Dugway, USDB.

Mount Vernon won the region last winter. Telos has been the other side of that group. Dugway and USDB will compete and battle as hard as they can.

How I see Region 21: 1. Mount Vernon 2. Telos 3. Dugway 4. USDB

Region 22

Manila, Tabiona, Rich, Tintic, Altamont, St. Joseph, Wendover.

Rich went 23-4, 12-0 and cut down the nets. Then the gym emptied. Lundgren, Scott, Holmes, Weston and the rest of that first unit graduated. What Lex Cornia kept is Conrad Carrillo, Paxton Nicolodemos and Bode O’Mealy — seniors who sat through a title run — plus Nash Parry and Vallen Cornia. Randolph does not forget how to win. This year they have to win with a new first unit. Third is not a slight. It is what the roster says.

Manila went 21-6 and 8-4 and they kept the production. Kale Chowning was third-team all-state at 15.9 and 3.4 assists. Logan Platt, Levi Platt, Colton Potter and Porter Weber are back with him. Coach Mike Hughes has the most finished returning group in this region. That is why the Mustangs sit first.

Tabiona went 14-10 and 9-3. Lee Gines has been doing this a long time. Rocky Rhoades is the reason the Tigers sit second. 6-2 senior, 17.7 points, 7.3 boards, 1.7 blocks, third-team all-state, and one of the top-ranked players in the 2027 class even though he plays in a 1A gym. Also the best name in Utah high school basketball. Jaxson Olsen is back with him. If Rhoades plays like his ranking, Tabiona can take this region and make a run at a state title.

Tintic is a team I wouldn’t sleep on either. Coach Patten is building something special there and his teams will never take a night off

Altamont won enough to stay in the middle. St. Joseph and Wendover will take their lumps and ruin a seed if somebody shoots it.

How I see Region 22: 1. Manila 2. Tabiona 3. Rich 4. Tintic 5. Altamont 6. St. Joseph 7. Wendover

10 players to watch

1. Rocky Rhoades, Tabiona — senior. 17.7, 7.3 and 1.7 blocks. Top-ranked 2027 at a small school, and yes, the best name in Utah high school basketball.

2. Brace Syrett, Bryce Valley — senior. First-team all-state. The Mustangs played for a title. He is back.

3. Kale Chowning, Manila — senior. 15.9 and 3.4 assists. Third-team all-state on a 21-win team. The reason Manila sits first.

4. Coby Bentley, Panguitch — senior. Already produced for Barney.

5. Crew Montague, Piute — senior off a 21-win roster.

6. Kolton Myers, Piute — senior. Point guard who already started in Region 20.

7. Bode O’Mealy, Rich — senior who sat through a title year. Randolph’s next wave.

8. Conrad Carrillo, Rich — senior. Same locker room.

9. Kaden Bailey, Panguitch — senior. 6-2. Size that stays.

10. Tayze Barney, Panguitch — junior. Played all 29 games last year. The next Barney in that gym.

Lundgren, Scott, Peterson, Hernandez, Gleave and Robins are off the board. Manila has the returning scoring. Tabiona has Rhoades. Panguitch and Bryce Valley still have all-state pieces. Rich has the banner and a new first five. 1A is going to be decided by the kids who spent last year playing next to those seniors. This year they get the ball first.

Subscribe now

2A is four regions and a lot of gyms that hold a few hundred people and still get loud. Kanab went 22-3 and 12-0. North Summit was 20-4. ALA was 20-6. South Sevier was 19-8. Rowland Hall was 19-8. Then Kyle Brown, Carson Visser, Kestin Richins and a pile of other seniors walked out. The classification did not get smaller. The first options just got younger.

Region 15 is the Back and the mid-state valley. Region 16 is the Salt Lake charters. Region 17 is the valley privates. Region 18 is the south. All four send teams that can win a Friday in February.

Share

Region 15

North Summit, South Summit, Gunnison Valley, Millard, North Sevier, Duchesne.

North Summit went 20-4 and 10-0 under Aaron Preece. Kestin Richins and Chase Padfield graduated. Tayton Pace did not. He averaged 20 a night as a sophomore on that team. Cru Richins added 9.2 as a junior. Coalville is not starting over. First in this region still runs through that gym.

South Summit dropped from 3A and won 17 games. Blake Osguthorpe and Maddox Welch are gone. Malachi Skinner is back. Kamas has been a playoff program for a long time. They belong in the top three of any 2A region they land in.

Gunnison Valley won 17 and made the quarters. Tyson Moosman kept size: Daxton Knudsen at 6-4 and Bronson Allen at 6-5, both juniors. The Bulldogs have been trending up. Millard and North Sevier both have kids who already saw varsity in this league. Duchesne is a long trip and a proud gym. Nine wins last year is a start.

How I see Region 15: 1. North Summit 2. South Summit 3. Gunnison Valley 4. Millard 5. North Sevier 6. Duchesne

Region 16

APA West Valley, UMA Camp Williams, Rockwell, Vanguard, Salt Lake Academy, Freedom Prep.

APA-WV went 19-4 and made the quarters. Mark Vialpando’s Eagles have been the most finished roster in this group. UMA Camp Williams won 20 against a lighter slate and still found the bracket conversation. Rockwell can score in bunches. Vanguard has athletes. Salt Lake Academy and Freedom Prep are building. This region is APA-WV’s until somebody takes a night, and the kids in those smaller programs are the reason the next two rows stay interesting.

How I see Region 16: 1. APA West Valley 2. UMA Camp Williams 3. Rockwell 4. Vanguard 5. Salt Lake Academy 6. Freedom Prep

Region 17

Rowland Hall, American Leadership Academy, Draper APA, Waterford, Maeser Prep, Intermountain Christian, UMA Hill Field.

Jrue Miller changes this region. 24.8 points, 643 on the year, 101 threes, 42 at Draper APA, 41 at South Summit. He is a sophomore. Zack Alvidrez already had Rowland Hall in the quarters at 19-8. With Miller back, the Winged Lions sit first.

ALA went 20-6 and was a title threat and they return 2028 G Kobe Ross,one of the top playmakers in the state regardless of class in . Spanish Fork still has size and pace. Draper APA won 15 and brings Urban Baldwin back after 16.1 a night. Waterford and Maeser are organized. ICS will surprise some people if Ben Wanner returns to the Lions. and UMA Hill Field will take their lumps and steal a night when the shots fall. This is the deepest 2A region on paper.

How I see Region 17: 1. Rowland Hall 2. ALA 3. Draper APA 4. Waterford 5. Maeser Prep 6. ICS 7. UMA Hill Field

Region 18

South Sevier, Kanab, San Juan, Parowan, Enterprise, Beaver, Grand County.

South Sevier went 19-8 and 9-3 and played in the mix all year. Raidon Barney is an absolute stud and should keep them in the mix all year long and might even make them the favorites to take it all! Monroe always has athletes. San Juan went 16-11 and 8-4 with a young group that is about to be a year older. Andrew Nielson is the junior holdover. Jonah John, Max Stearns and Beau Yeomans already got varsity run.

Kanab was the measuring stick — 22-3, 12-0, the gym everybody else pointed at. Kyle Brown went for 18.2 and 4.5 assists. Carson Visser went for 15.4 and 7.8 boards. Tyce Hill and Trey Castagno left with them. What Jerron Glazier kept is Latimer Glover (5.2 boards, 3.0 assists, 2.3 steals) and Easton Gilberg. The standard in that gym does not leave with one senior class.

Parowan was 11-11 and a handful of possessions from the next tier. Enterprise and Beaver both won 11. Grand County had a hard year and still has kids who want the next one to look different. Blanding to Kanab is a long bus ride. Those Friday nights are the best part of this region.

How I see Region 18: 1. South Sevier 2. Kanab 3. San Juan 4. Parowan 5. Enterprise 6. Beaver 7. Grand County

Players to watch

1. Jrue Miller, Rowland Hall — 24.8 a night, 643 points, 101 threes. Sophomore. Might be the best returning player in the class.

2. Raidon Barney, South Sevier - Raidon is a difference maker and will be in the running for POTY in 2A with Jrue, Tayton, Kobe, and Ben

3. Tayton Pace, North Summit — 20.0 as a sophomore on a 20-win team. 6-4. Coalville’s next first option is already here.

4. Kobe Ross, ALA — Expect a big growth year in game and size for Kobe at ALA. He could average 20/10 this year for Coach Ronnie Ross.

5. Ben Wanner, ICS — Last season the 2029 PG flirted with a move to Anthem Prep before returning to the Lions. After a great summer with the Mountain Stars, he’ll be great wherever he lands.

6. Latimer Glover, Kanab — 5.2 boards, 3.0 assists, 2.3 steals next to Kyle Brown. Brown is gone. Glover is the Cowboy who already did the dirty work.

7. Cru Richins, North Summit — 9.2 on that same 20-win roster. Junior guard who already knows Preece’s gym.

8. Easton Gilberg, Kanab — 4.6 and 21 threes off the bench for a 12-0 region champ. The next Kanab guard is not a mystery.

9. Daxton Knudsen, Gunnison Valley — 6-4 junior. The Bulldogs won 17 and made the quarters. He is the size that stays.

10. Bronson Allen, Gunnison Valley — 6-5 junior. Gunnison has two bigs coming back. That matters in this class.

11. Urban Baldwin, Draper APA — 16.1 last year. One name from the valley privates, and he already produced.

12. Andrew Nielson, San Juan — junior on a 16-win team. Blanding’s holdover.

13. Malachi Skinner, South Summit — junior guard in Kamas after a 17-win drop from 3A. The Wildcats still belong in the conversation.

Miller and Pace already scored like aces. Glover is why Kanab is more than a rebuild. Gunnison’s size is the sleeper pair. San Juan and Draper still have a name each. 2A is going to be decided in Coalville, Kanab, Spanish Fork and a Rowland Hall gym that just handed the keys to a sophomore who already dropped 40 twice and South Sevier has Barney. Really good 2A class this year!

Subscribe now

Share

Show notes:

In this crossover episode for the People of Packaging and Utah HS Hoops podcasts, Adam Peek sits down with veteran sports executive Tommy Sheppard to discuss servant leadership, building relational equity, and navigating a career in an NBA front office. The conversation bridges the gap between basketball operations and everyday business management by highlighting how genuine connections and treating people right remain the ultimate metrics for success.

Episode Timestamps

• 00:00 Introduction to the unique crossover format and welcoming listeners.

• 01:17 Tommy Sheppard details his background and entry into the sports industry.

• 02:00 Early career steps working in sports information at UNLV under Jerry Tarkanian.

• 02:15 Joining the Denver Nuggets in 1994 and experiencing a decade of massive organizational change.

• 03:41 The emotional rollercoaster of the NBA, from thrilling playoff runs to a historically difficult 11 win season.

• 06:16 A humorous look at the contrast between teenage sports fandom and the reality of working alongside professional athletes.

• 08:26 Honoring the life and legacy of Joe Wolf, emphasizing the profound and lasting impact of authentic friendships.

• 11:32 Tommy explains his internal transition from public relations into scouting and formal basketball operations.

• 12:24 The journey to the Washington Wizards, ultimately taking on the General Manager role after years of dedicated work.

• 15:00 Core leadership principles, the necessity of humility, and why executives should never take themselves too seriously.

• 18:00 The immense value of servant leadership and building relational equity instead of relying on purely transactional interactions.

• 20:52 Final reflections on maintaining a positive attitude, protecting your work ethic, and controlling what you can control.

Key Takeaways

• Servant Leadership Translates Everywhere: Whether managing an NBA roster or a corporate team, prioritizing people and prioritizing relational equity consistently yields the best long term results. Tommy highlights that job titles are temporary, but the way you treat people endures forever.

• Control the Controllables: Attitude, daily effort, and how you treat your colleagues are entirely within your control. Even when external circumstances fluctuate wildly, showing up with gratitude makes a tangible difference in team culture.

• Authenticity Over Ego: Moving through various roles requires checking your ego at the door. Remaining grounded, remembering your roots, and acting with kindness toward everyone in the organization builds a resilient and supportive professional environment.

This detailed exploration of the human side of sports provides practical lessons that apply directly to navigating any corporate landscape, proving that solid fundamentals win both on the court and in the boardroom.

Subscribe now

Share

3A is three different regions and one shared fact: Morgan just won the state title and then graduated almost everybody who touched the ball. Bracken Saunders went for 23.0, 7.9 and 3.7. Jake Hansen handed out 5.5 assists. Brody Peterson stole the ball 4.2 times a night. Mason Williams pulled 9.9. That group is gone. The classification did not get worse. The favorite just moved.

Region 12 is the north group. Region 13 is Carbon County and Sanpete. Region 14 is the south-central valley. All three send teams that can beat each other in February.

Region 12

Morgan, American Heritage, Ogden, Logan, Grantsville, Ben Lomond.

American Heritage already played Morgan even in a title game. Paora Winitana’s Patriots went 19-8, 9-1 in region, and took the Trojans to a 64-51 final. Jackson Black was a junior in that rotation. Josue Kajinga is a junior forward who played in the middle of a state championship and is a beats in the middle. Heritage scores. They have for years. With Morgan turning the roster over, this is their region until somebody takes it.

Ogden went 15-11 and 5-5 and made the quarterfinals. Trent Porter left but new Coach Corey Doolan has been around the program and kept Ryan Kirkland, a 6-7 junior who already knows that gym, plus Blake Weston and Dallin Eliason. The Tigers were organized last year. They should be organized again. Second in this group is a real basketball team.

Morgan is still Morgan. Scott Hunt does not get 24 wins by accident. Cade Spens already played 27 games and guarded on a title team. Rhett Richardson and Krew Asay were in that locker room every night. The Trojans will be younger. They will not be unprepared. Third here is not an insult. It is what a reload looks like when four first-team pieces leave at once.

Grantsville made the semifinals and lost to Morgan 67-41. Stace Riding’s Cowboys have been in the conversation two winters running. Logan went 5-5 in region even while the overall record lagged — the Grizzlies can play with this group on a good night. Ben Lomond is building. Two wins last year does not mean those kids stopped competing. A couple of nights where the shots fall, and the Scots make somebody uncomfortable on 31st.

How I see Region 12: 1. American Heritage 2. Ogden 3. Morgan 4. Grantsville 5. Logan 6. Ben Lomond

Region 13

Emery, Manti, Union, Carbon, North Sanpete.

Emery won the region at 5-3 and went 15-11. Castle Dale has been the most consistent program in this group. Fifteen wins in a region this tight is the standard. They sit first until Manti or Union proves otherwise.

Manti and Union both finished .500 in region and both can score. Carbon went 4-4 and beat Emery twice in the last two weeks of the season — 64-57 and 58-56. Taylor Brower’s Dinos are right there. North Sanpete won nine games and already showed they can hang 65 on Carbon. This region is four teams within a couple of possessions of each other. That is the fun of it.

How I see Region 13: 1. Emery 2. Union 3. Carbon 4. Manti 5. North Sanpete

Region 14

Richfield, Canyon View, Delta, Juab, Providence Hall.

Rand Janes has been in Richfield for two decades. The Wildcats went 18-8 and 7-1, beat Ogden in the quarters, and played Heritage in the semis. Jorgen Southwick went for 20.3 and is off the board. Trey Yardley, Cord White and Derek Barton already played in that system. Richfield defends. They always have. First in this region is still theirs.

Delta won 15 games and made the quarters. The Rabbits have been a bracket team. Juab went 12-11 with a junior group that includes Kelsen Allred and Wyatt Downard, and sophomores Clayton Pay and Bryson Downard already got varsity run. Canyon View was 13-14 and 5-3 in a hard region — Cedar City always has athletes. Providence Hall went 0-8 in region and still has kids who showed up every night along with a new Coach in Terence Drisdom who knows what it takes to win. Year two and three in 3A are when those minutes start to look like a program.

How I see Region 14: 1. Richfield 2. Delta 3. Juab 4. Providence Hall 5. Canyon View

Players to watch:

• Jackson Black, American Heritage

• Ryan Kirkland, Ogden

• Cade Spens, Morgan

• Rhett Richardson, Morgan

• Kelsen Allred, Juab

• Josue Kajinga (AH)

• Blake Weston (Ogden)

• Derek Barton (Richfield)

• Clayton Pay (Juab)

Saunders, Hansen, Peterson, Williams and Southwick are off the board. 3A still has Heritage, Ogden, Richfield and a Morgan team that knows exactly what the last weekend in February is supposed to feel like. The title just does not automatically go back to the same locker room.

Subscribe now

Share

Region 11 is Cache Valley plus the Tooele County schools, and last winter it ran through Smithfield. Sky View went 19-5 and 13-1. Ridgeline was 11-3. Green Canyon and Mountain Crest both made the bracket. Then Zach Oxborrow, MaCade Rolle and Easton Mills graduated together. Gavin Crane and Gavin Erickson left Green Canyon. Cam Earl left Ridgeline. The north did not get quiet. The scoring just moved a few miles down the road.

Mountain Crest

Twelve and twelve. Eight and six in region. Chandler Smith’s Mustangs were the group that already had juniors eating first.

Those juniors are back. Easton Pugmire went for 14.1 and 5.8 boards. Jackson Branz went for 14.0. Noah Cordon added 9.6 and almost two steals. Mason Smith graduated after running the show, so the assists will get shared. That is still the most finished returning trio in the region. Hyrum has a chance to sit first if those three keep playing like they did last February.

Stansbury

Ten and fourteen. Seven and seven in region. Payton Dastrup’s Stallions already stole a 56-37 night from Green Canyon.

Ethan Miller is the reason they sit this high. 6-3, junior, and the jump he made this spring and summer is the thing people around the 2027 class kept bringing up. Cash Bawden is 6-5. Wesley Kellogg is 6-4. The Stallions were a .500 region team with Miller still growing into the first option. If that growth holds, Stansbury is a problem on the west side of this region.

Ridgeline

Sixteen and nine. Eleven and three. Derek Wadsworth’s RiverHawks were right there with Sky View all winter.

Cam Earl went for 14 and graduated. Stockton Hansen and Tyson Brenchley already scored in that rotation — 7.2 and 8.3 in the sample we have. Cade Berrett is 6-4. Ridgeline has been physical and well-coached. That does not leave with one senior. They will be in the pile that decides the top three.

Sky View

Coach Kirk Hillyard has 15 years and a pile of wins in Smithfield. Nineteen and five last year was a real team. Oxborrow (16.2), Rolle (15.0) and Mills (11.2, 6.0 boards) all graduated.

Bryson Penrose already got varsity minutes. The Bobcats are going to look younger. They are not going to look unprepared. Hillyard’s teams play the right way in January even when the roster turns over. Fourth is a starting point, not a ceiling.

Green Canyon

Sixteen and nine. Logan Brown’s Wolves took a step back from the 25-2 year and still won 16. Crane (19.7), Erickson (13.0) and Carter Etherington (9.4 and 9.1 boards) graduated.

Seth Anderson already ran point and handed out 2.1 assists. Keaton Crosbie, Carter Perry and Dakota Calverley at 6-7 were in that gym. Green Canyon has enough pieces to stay relevant. The first month will tell you how fast the next group grows up.

Bear River

Nine and fifteen. Six and eight in region. Reggie Shaw’s Bears were never an easy trip to Garland.

Kaser Thurgood graduated. Hudson Wood, Jaxon Freeze and Austin Palmer are 6-3 and 6-4 juniors who already saw this region. Caleb Napoli and Preston Wilkinson give them guard minutes. Bear River competes. That has been true for a while. A couple of those juniors taking a step puts them in the middle of the table.

Tooele

Five wins last year and a region record that did not show how hard some of those nights were. The Buffaloes have kids who already played varsity in this league. A clean night from three and a little more size on the glass, and Tooele steals a Tuesday from somebody who is looking past them.

Deseret Peak

One win in year one under Bryan Detweiler. That is a hard way to start a program.

Look at the roster anyway. Chris Yerke is 6-9. Maddox Zimmer is 6-8. That is real length for a school that just opened. The Golden Eagles are going to take their lumps. They also have two kids who can change a possession just by standing in the paint. That is a foundation.

How I see it finishing

1. Mountain Crest — Pugmire, Branz and Cordon already produced. Best returning core in the region.

2. Stansbury — Miller’s jump is the X-factor on the west side.

3. Ridgeline — Earl left. Hansen and Brenchley did not.

4. Sky View — new faces, same coach. The Bobcats will be ready in January.

5. Green Canyon — Anderson and the next wave. Still a Cache Valley gym you have to play in.

6. Bear River — junior size. Always organized.

7. Tooele — capable of a surprise if the shots fall.

8. Deseret Peak — Yerke and Zimmer give them a start. Year two should look different.

First-team preseason

• Easton Pugmire, Mountain Crest

• Jackson Branz, Mountain Crest

• Ethan Miller, Stansbury

• Stockton Hansen, Ridgeline

• Fifth: Noah Cordon, Seth Anderson, Tyson Brenchley, or Cash Bawden

Oxborrow, Rolle, Mills, Crane, Erickson, Etherington and Earl are off the board. Region 11 spent last year watching Smithfield sit on top of the valley. The next year starts in Hyrum, runs through Miller in Stansbury, and waits to see if Sky View’s next group grows up as fast as Coach Hillyard needs it to.

Subscribe now

Region 10 changed coaches before it changed standings. Drew Trost left Juan Diego after 13 years and 246 wins and took the Park City job. Sam Hoopes, who was already in the building as a counselor and lead assistant, took over at Judge. Cottonwood still has the two bigs who actually produced last winter. East has Oscar Keegan. That is the new shape of the region.

Cottonwood went 18-6 and 10-2. Juan Diego and East sat at 8-4. Murray and Judge were 7-5. Then Deng Deng graduated from JDHS, Isaiah Beh from Murray, Ismail and Mbodj and Peek left Judge, and Trost packed for the mountain. The Colts did not lose their frontcourt and East didn’t lose their star.

Cottonwood

Marc Miller won the region with size and a roster that could score inside when the game slowed down. Luka Cecez is 6-9 and already dropped 20 on Judge. Malei Atem is 6-5 and had 16 in the same gym. Those two were not coming off the bench hoping for a look. They were the look.

MJ Diemoz, Isaac Smith and Andreas Katsanevas all played. Christian Standiford is 6-6. The Colts still have the most finished roster in the region. First is theirs until East or somebody else takes a night from them.

East

Fifteen and ten. Eight and four. They already showed they can beat Cottonwood at home.

Oscar Keegan is the reason they sit second. 6-6, sophomore, all-state level talent, and he does this in two sports — basketball in the winter, lacrosse when the snow melts. That kind of athlete changes what a young roster is allowed to believe. Thatcher Dood, Cade Black and Welch McCormick already got varsity run around him. The Leopards lost some seniors. They kept the kid who can guard a 4, finish above the rim, and make the gym lean forward when he touches it. Second is not a courtesy ranking.

Murray

Thirteen and twelve. Playoff team. Coach Isaachar Beh’s group could drop 80 and they could grind out a 53-45 win at Cottonwood.

Isaiah Beh graduated. The wings who stayed are the story now: Isaiah Rains at 6-4, Mason Mitchell at 6-5, Hudson Pickering, Sven Larson, Keeton Whiting. That is a lot of length for a junior class. Murray is not rebuilding. They are asking those kids to start a little earlier than they did last year.

Juan Diego

Trost is in Park City. Deng Deng is gone to UVU after 17.6 and 11.2. That is the coach and the best player in the same summer.

Luke Lowery is 6-5. Easton Putzke is 6-4. Keurik Bare and Sam Vansice already know the system. Sixteen wins last year was real. The standard in Draper does not vanish because the office changed. It does mean this year is going to ask more of Lowery than last year did. Fourth feels honest. The talent is still there.

Judge Memorial

Sanjin Kolovrat left for Westminster. Sam Hoopes got the job — counselor at the school, lead assistant last year, Snow and Southern Utah as a player, 3A coach of the year at Union in 2017. He already knows every kid in that locker room and knows the game exceptionally well

Ismail, Peek, Mbodj, Arok Kuang, Anderson, and Flickinger all graduated. Ruot is at Cyprus. What Hoopes kept is young and hungry: Max Steffensen, Miller Semerad, Munok Kuang at 6-4, Landon Ouellette, Kon Ngor. Judge went 7-5 in this region last year with a senior-heavy group. This version is going to play with a chip. That is a dangerous thing in the Yerk.

Park City

Five wins. Zero in region. Then they hired Drew Trost.

Penn Larkin already averaged 11 a night on a thin roster. Brooks Hickam, Koa King, Mason Marchetti and Hudson Simmons are back. Trost does not take a job to stand still. Larkin finally gets a coach who has been to the deep end of 4A. The Miners are still young. They are no longer a roster without a plan. I have them sixth, and I would not be shocked if they climb.

Jordan

Seven and sixteen. Two region wins, and one of them was a 69-58 night at Park City. They also hung around with Cottonwood. Tallon Robertson’s group has already seen what this region looks like up close. A couple of returners taking a step is all it takes to turn those close ones. The Beetdiggers will be better than the record people remember.

How I see it finishing

1. Cottonwood — Cecez and Atem. The region still runs through Holladay.

2. East — Keegan is the best two-way athlete in the group. The Leopards belong here.

3. Murray — junior length everywhere. Still a bracket team.

4. Juan Diego — new coach, same pieces around Lowery.

5. Judge Memorial — Hoopes, young, hungry, 7-5 in this region a year ago.

6. Park City — Trost plus Larkin. Watch this one climb.

7. Jordan — closer than people think. The step is there.

First-team preseason

• Luka Cecez, Cottonwood

• Oscar Keegan, East

• Malei Atem, Cottonwood

• Penn Larkin, Park City

• Fifth: Luke Lowery, Isaiah Rains, Easton Putzke, or Max Steffensen

Deng, Ismail, Mbodj, Peek and Beh are off the board. Trost is in a different gym. Region 10 still starts with Cottonwood. It runs through Keegan at East, and it has a new story up the canyon if Trost gets Larkin going the way he used to get Juan Diego going.

Share

Region 9 is about to look younger than it has in a long time. Kemp, Simmons, Odjegba, Ranson, Schmitt, Lindquist, Travis Murdock, MacKay, Rowley — that’s most of last winter’s scoring, all gone at once. St. George still has the gyms and the coaches. The first options are different.

Dixie and Pine View were the two teams you circled on a Friday night. Crimson won the region. Hurricane dragged Provo into a state final. Cedar went 3-21 and still had a kid drop 21 on Dixie. That kid is back. The rest of those headliners are not.

Dixie

Collin Simmons was the problem in the paint. He’s not walking through that door again. Tyler Roberts still is.

Asher Spence already did the work last year — 319 points, 22 against Pine View, 20 at Cedar, the kind of nights that tell you who is taking the first shot in November. Mack Howard played next to him. Beckham Webb is 6-7 and was barely unwrapped. Foster Simmons is a freshman with the last name people in that gym already know. Sixteen wins. Seven region wins. The Flyers don’t need last year’s post if Spence is allowed to hunt.

Pine View

Eighteen wins. The Pit was loud because Odjegba, Ranson and Schmitt all scored in bunches on the same night. All three graduated.

Ethan Ott is the one who stayed and actually produced — almost five a night and he shot it like he belonged in that group. Easton Jensen gives them length on the wing. Maddox Schijf is 6-7 and has already been in the rotation. Amico’s teams are rarely easy to beat in October and rarely soft in January. This version has to grow up in public.

Crimson Cliffs

Ten and two in region. Lindquist and Travis Murdock carried the scoring. Both seniors.

Scott Murdock still has the building. Alex Ogden is 6-7. Baden Cottam and Ben Luekenga already know the system. Tyler Murdock is a sophomore who has been around winning. The Mustangs will look smaller. They will not look lost.

Snow Canyon

MacKay was the Warriors in a lot of ways. Fourteen and eleven without him is the question Ryan Ball has to answer and I believe he will.

Issaiah Thompson is 6-5 and already took varsity hits in this region and is an exceptional 2 sport athlete who can impose his will on a game. Terrail Brown, Dante Ochoa, Brody Lounsbury and Parker Olson were not spectators. Snow Canyon has enough pieces to stay in the middle of every Tuesday. Whether those pieces become a first unit is the whole story.

Subscribe now

Cedar

Three wins. One region win. Ty Rowley went for 18.2 and left.

Owen Ryan is why they are not automatically last. Eight points a night on a team that couldn’t buy a stop, 21 with six threes against Dixie, 19 at Canyon View. He guarded, he rebounded, and he recently picked up an offer to play D2 basketball. If this is the year his usage jumps, Cedar stops being the trip everybody pencils in as a win. I’m putting them fifth because I think Ryan forces that conversation by Christmas.

Hurricane

Kemp averaged 23, 3.7 assists and almost four steals and then played in a state championship. Gubler, Blair, Stout and Clyde Berrett left with him.

Carter Wardle, Parker Hurst and McKabe Gardner were on that roster. Adam Stout will have them organized. Somebody has to score 18 now. Until that happens, the Tigers are a dangerous five-out night and a short bench.

Desert Hills

Nine and fourteen. Openshaw isn’t walking back in either. There aren’t any easy nights in Region 9 when Desert Hills is at the bottom. Very well coached team who will make you work every game.

How I see it finishing

1. Dixie — Spence already produced. Webb gives them a different look inside.

2. Pine View — Ott, Jensen, Schijf. The Pit still travels badly for visitors.

3. Crimson Cliffs — younger, still coached, still physical.

4. Snow Canyon — Thompson and a junior core that has already seen this region.

5. Cedar — Ryan’s year. If he takes the leap, the Reds wreck a seed.

6. Hurricane — talent left. The habits didn’t.

7. Desert Hills — compete every night. Need a closer.

First-team preseason

• Asher Spence, Dixie

• Ethan Ott, Pine View

• Owen Ryan, Cedar

• Issaiah Thompson, Snow Canyon

• Fifth: Mack Howard, Beckham Webb, Easton Jensen, or Alex Ogden

Photo corrected!

Region 8 is a different animal than it was in February. Provo just cut down the 4A nets. Then Makai Allen and Callen Tollestrup walked out the door, and Chris Collinsworth took the Wasatch Academy job. Wasatch High walked in from 5A. Jace Tavita left Orem for Summit Academy. Deer Creek is a brand-new school in Heber. There is still a real basketball region here. The top of this region is extremely murky for me right now!

Special thanks to my AI research helper for the box scores and editing. If I get a class year wrong (or even an entire team in the wrong region :), blame the robots.

Provo went 23-4, 7-1 in region, and beat Hurricane for the state title. Timpanogos was 5-3. Mountain View 4-4. Uintah and Summit Academy brought up the rear. Then the gym emptied. If you only read last year’s trophy case, the Bulldogs are still the team. If you look at who is actually walking back in, this region flipped.

Provo

Collinsworth just won a state title and then left for Wasatch Academy. Allen was 4A player of the year at 22.2. Tollestrup went for 20.7 and 8.3. Lucas Castagnetto was right there with them. That is a championship core and the coach who built it, gone in the same summer.

What they kept is the next wave with the same last names. Malik Allen already got varsity run. Hudson Miles and Cameron Rust are 6-4 juniors. Kaleb Tollestrup is a 6-4 freshman who has been in that gym his whole life. A new coach and a senior class that just left is a lot to ask. The Bulldogs do not start from zero. They hand the keys to the next Allen/Tollestrup combo and see if the standard survived the moving truck. It’s a toss up for me on who starts at the top, but I’ll take the state champs!

Wasatch

They spent last winter in 5A Region 7 going 19-6 and making the bracket look ugly. Now they live here.

JJ Serre is gone — 18.5 and 9.1. Carsen Behnke is gone — 17.1. Dante Rodriguez is gone. That is a lot of usage leaving Heber. What Dan McClure kept is Caleb Balch, who already averaged 11.8 as a junior and does not need a press release to run a team. Cole Moore got varsity minutes. 4A is not 5A. It is also not a rebuild if Balch is the first option from opening night.

Mountain View

Fifteen and eleven. Four-and-four in a region Provo owned. Josh Hair graduated. The Bruins have been the team that makes Provo work on a Tuesday. If the young wings step forward, they stay in the conversation. If they don’t, they are the third team in a three-team race that used to be two.

Timpanogos

Jaxen McCuistion went for 23.5 and 71 threes and graduated. Golden Ingle’s Timberwolves were 13-14 and 5-3 and good enough to steal a region night from Provo. Miles Montague and Tyson Knapp got varsity run on a senior-heavy team. Timp is not starting from zero. They are starting without the guy who could drop 25 on a random Friday.

Summit Academy

Seven and seventeen. One and seven in region. Then they hired Jace Tavita out of Orem.

That hire changes the sentence. Beckham Meredith and Korbin Clegg are the juniors who already know the gym. Sam Troester is a 6-5 sophomore. Tavita does not show up to a 1-7 roster to sit still. There’s not a much more intriguing team in 4a than the Bears

Uintah

Nine and fifteen. Three and five in region. Mitch Argyle’s first year was a fight. The Utes were never a bye and never a favorite. Same sentence this year unless someone steps and proves me wrong!

Deer Creek

Brand new school. Brand new gym. They already have a football team playing Wasatch this week. Basketball is going to look like a first-year program because it is one. Respect the kids who chose to start something! Randomly, Deer Creek is the street corner I grew up so I’m rooting for them!

How I see it finishing

1. Provo — the program is still Provo. The stars and the coach graduated.

2. Wasatch — 5A leftovers, 4A problem. Balch is the guy now.

3. Mountain View — always a Tuesday you do not sleep on.

4. Timpanogos — McCuistion is gone. The program is not.

5. Summit Academy — Tavita changes the building. Meredith and Clegg get to grow up in it.

6. Uintah — compete. Need a first option.

7. Deer Creek — year one. The region does not wait.

First-team preseason

• Caleb Balch, Wasatch

• Malik Allen, Provo

• Beckham Meredith, Summit Academy

• Miles Montague, Timpanogos

• Fifth: Kaleb Tollestrup, Hudson Miles, Cameron Rust, Korbin Clegg, or Cole Moore

Special thanks to my stupid AI research helper for the box scores. If I get a class year wrong, blame the robots.

Timpview went 21-3 and 8-0 in region. Springville and Orem sat at 6-2. Pleasant Grove was 3-5 and 15-12 and somehow never felt like a team you could ignore. Then the gym emptied. If you only read last year’s standings, the T-Birds are still the team. If you actually look at who is walking back in the door, the top of this region flipped.

Share

Pleasant Grove

Preston White is in American Fork but we still see PG as BIG favorites

Oliver Mosman is 6-8 and had a monster spring and summer. Brennan Blackett is 6-7 and arguably the best player in the region. Dax Valgardson is 6-8 and already a name people argue about when they talk about the next wave in the valley (i was told after publishing Dax has transferred?). The Vikings went 15-12 in a region that eats wings for lunch. Last year that size was a piece. This year it is the team. Carsen Williams does not need a hero. He needs those bigs to play like bigs for 32 minutes. That’s why they sit first until someone proves they can’t.

Orem

Kaufusi walking to Wasatch Academy is the headline that still stings. The next sentence is why the Tigers are second and not fifth.

Cooper Harris had a real year. Not a cameo. He is one of the best guards in the 2027 class and he is will make the opposing guards lives miserable at both ends of the court and will be asked to carry the load before David Massengo shows up for the second half of the year. Massengo is the center they added who played on the EYBL for 17u and is a force defensively. Lincoln Beck makes the move from Lone Peak as well and will need to step up offensively to help Cooper and sharp shooter 2028 Kekane Manua. Orem will be tough to score on and Coach DJ Connor will have them ready every night. Plan the season in two pieces. First half is Harris/Manua and working in Beck. Second half is a different frontcourt. Fifteen and ten last year, 6-2 in this meat grinder. The Tigers can score. They can defend. Will Rock Speredon enroll early to play football or will he play for the Tigers and bolster the front court?

Springville

Sondrup signed with Purdue after 18.5 and 12.4. Hansen signed with UVU after 19.2. That is two first-team pieces out of the same locker room.

Swift Hall is still here. Fourteen points, 3.5 assists, the guard who made that first unit work when the bigs got doubled. Sam Nadauld gave them 7.5 and 3.2 assists and never needed a press release. The Red Devils were 16-8 with two future college players eating first. Now Hall has to eat first. Springville has been good for a long time. This is the year you find out if that was the bigs or the program. I’m betting the program.

Timpview

Kitchen is in Ephraim. Rueckert is at BYU. Openshaw took the 6-10 rim protection with him. Mason Ford ran the show and graduated. Lincoln Holcombe to Weber State. 3 D1 players and a potential D1 player in Mason Ford.

The T-Birds still have young talent. Dieter Tuitavuki, Jackson Ford, and Jayden Palmer already got varsity run on a senior heavy team. Jacob Billeter and Taj Taylor have been in that building long enough to know what Timpview basketball is supposed to look like. A new coach and a senior class that just left is still a lot to ask in a region that just grew up around them. They are not a rebuilding project. They are fourth until the new staff proves the standard survived the moving truck.

Payson

Austin Staheli and Joseph Wolfe graduated. Blake Jensen and Scott Bylund did not. Jensen went for 12.1. Bylund went for 13.5. The Lions were 14-9 and 3-5 and never felt like a bye. If those two take the next step, Payson stays in the pile that decides seeds.

Maple Mountain

Solomon Krommenhoek and Nash Jackson graduated — 12.3 and 11.0, and Jackson was pulling eight boards a night. Maddux Duncan, Brandt Nelson and Trevor Clegg already know Johnny Averett’s gym. Fourteen and ten last year. Same fight. Fewer easy baskets.

Salem Hills

Fourteen and eleven. Three and five in region. Good enough to beat people they were not supposed to beat. Middle of the table until somebody in that locker room decides they are not.

Spanish Fork

Three wins. Zero in region. Long year. They will steal a night if somebody shoots it. I don’t think they’ll sneak up on Pleasant Grove and challenge for region title this year

How I see it finishing

1. Pleasant Grove — the size is the team now. White is gone. The frontcourt is not.

2. Orem — Harris runs the first half. Massengo changes the second.

3. Springville — Hall has to be the guy. The program is still Springville.

4. Timpview — young talent, new coach, standard still there. Fourth until they take it back.

5. Payson — Jensen and Bylund can score. Need a third.

6. Maple Mountain — Averett’s teams compete. The easy points left.

7. Salem Hills — good enough to ruin a seed.

8. Spanish Fork — long year, some nights.

First-team preseason

• Cooper Harris, Orem

• Swift Hall, Springville

• Oliver Mosman, Pleasant Grove

• Brennan Blackett, Pleasant Grove

• Fifth: Blake Jensen, Scott Bylund, Dax Valgardson, Sam Nadauld, or Dieter Tuitavuki

  Thanks for reading UtahBasketball.net Podcast and Publishing! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.

Region 6 isn’t starting over. It just lost the guy who made everyone else look late.

Share

Olympus went 25-2 and 13-1 and cut down the nets. Highland was right there at 22-4 and 12-2. Bountiful and Woods Cross both finished 9-5. Then the gym emptied. Gavin Lowe walked out of Olympus averaging 24.4 points, 5.6 assists and 3.4 steals. Highland’s whole first unit left as well. If you only look at last year’s box scores, Region 6 looks gutted. If you actually sit in these gyms in November, it still feels like Region 6.

Olympus

Matt Barnes has been doing this for 33 years. He does not panic when the leading scorer leaves. He just hands the keys to whoever already knows the standard.

Lowe is gone. So are Caden Jackson, Adam Bywater and Oliver Clarke. What Barnes kept is the piece that made the Titans hard to play even when Lowe sat: Davian Lazarus, a 6-9 2027 who already averaged 9.2 points and 5.6 rebounds and blocked a shot a night. You do not replace 24 a night but Coach Barnes always finds a way.

The kids who barely got in last year are the ones people will ask about in January. James Jackson and Kirabo Nadauld are promising 2028 players. PrepHoops.com already has both on the class board but you’ll have to pay to see where. Hawkins Bowerman is a 6-7 2027. Track Arrington is a 6-4 2027. None of them have Lowe’s usage yet. They don’t need it on night one. They need to keep Olympus looking like Olympus on a Tuesday in January when Highland and Woods Cross come in thinking the window opened.

Highland

This one is going to feel different for a while. Oberholtzer ran the show. Ries was the 6-9 problem. Dodge and Lee could get buckets and the teams engine, Isaiah Drisdom, is gone too .That group took Olympus to the wire in region and then we all know what happened the last 2 years at state.

Chris Jones is not starting from zero. Hobson Romney is a 6-8 2027. Clinton Lillie is a solid 2028 player. Hudson Manville and Cortland Angstman are 2027s with size. And then there is the name you write in the margin before you leave the gym: Harry Hendrix. He’s a 6-4 2029 who already got varsity run as a freshman. Must-watch player who has the size and strength and skill to make a difference night in and night out. Not because Highland needs him to be Ries tomorrow. Because the Rams just lost a lot of featured pieces and the kid who plays like he belongs in that gym is still in it. The program is still Highland. The minutes are new. Hendrix and Coach Jones are why you don’t bury the Rams in September.

Woods Cross

If you want the cleanest returning line in the region, start here. Elliot Bendinger, Bryson Watson and Nate Smith-Mecham graduated. Madden Johnsen did not. The 6-5 2027 averaged 12.0 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.2 assists on a 17-9 team that already knew how to win close region games. Teiyon Halbasch is back and is a big time defener. Leo Smith is a 6-6 big who might average a double double. Elijah Dankwa makes the transfer from Clearfield giving them 3 lock down point of attack defenders. Coach Josh Margetts needs Johnsen to take the next step as a solid D1 prospect and carry the load if they want to make noise in a wide open 5A.

Viewmont

Carson Tovey (13.8) and Tyson Bromley (13.1) graduated. Lukus Toner graduated. That is a lot of usage leaving Bountiful. Brett Tovey, a 2028, already scored 3.6 as a sophomore and should take a big leap this year. Nash Johnson, Wyatt Hyde and Braden Bredthauer are seniors with some experience. Drake Darnell’s name keeps coming up around Viewmont basketball for a reason — the Vikings develop. Last year’s 5-9 region record was a fight. Ethan Schultz and Corbin Brown might be the players that takes them into the top of the league

Bountiful

Lincoln Smith scored 17.7. Davey Howe and Wyatt Crane were right behind him. All three are 2026 graduates. Brett Hewlett’s first year as head coach ended in the state championship game. Year two is a rebuild with some interesting names: Beckett Tueller and Parker Hoffman are 2027s, Gabe Doxey is a 6-5 2028, Davis Poulton is a 6-4 2029 who already got varsity run. The Redhawks were good enough last year to make you forget they were in a region with Olympus. They will not sneak up on anybody this time. They also will not be easy outs if the young wings grow up fast.

Alta

Dash Reiser put up 23.4 and 6.7 assists. That is first-team production in any region. Travis Ohrn’s Hawks finished 5-9 in this meat grinder and still went 14-12 overall. Krew Eckman returns after one of the most memorable performances and upsets in recent memory. The 2027 G dropped 28/10 to knock off the 5A favorite, Timpview, last year in the state playoffs. Krew and 2028 G Nash Lundberg both got a ton of experience last year with injuries to Dash and Zak Paepke. Alta can score and they’ll defend you at a high level.

Brighton

Five wins. Two region wins. And yet this is the roster that makes you linger on the depth chart. Dax Matheson is a 2027 who already averaged 8.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.7 assists. That is a point guard doing dirty work on a team that lost a lot of nights but those losses turn into learnings going into a new year. Cruz Cowan, a 2028 player, scored 8.5 ppg as well and Knox Westenskow is a 2028 player with size and skill to be a difference maker. Another name I’m hearing a lot of buzz about is 2029 Cooper Anderson who had a great summer with Utah Gold. The young Bengals are going to surprise some people this year.

Skyline

One region win. Three wins all year. Shane Mulvey graduated. Thomas Sunderland, a 2027, was putting up numbers that would start for half the teams in 5A — MaxPreps had him around 14.8 a night. Luke Sanchez is a 6-5 2028. Miles Mercer is a 6-6 2027. Marcus Frazier’s Eagles were young in a region that does not wait. If Sunderland is the first option from opening night, Skyline stops being a scheduled win.

How I see it finishing

1. Olympus — Lazarus is a 6-9 2027 who already started on a state title team. Barnes does not rebuild. He reloads and the Titans stay at the top until someone knocks them off

2. Woods Cross — Johnsen has the best returning stat line in the region. Is this year he takes Woods Cross on a deep run?

3. Viewmont — Tovey and Ethan Schultz might be nightmares to gameplan against

4. Alta — Dash hands the keys to a new Krew

5. Brighton — Matheson is solid. Can Knox stay healthy and the other young players step up?

6. Highland — There aren’t many better coaches in Utah than Coach Jones

7. Bountiful — never an easy game against the Redhawks

8. Skyline — Sunderland can go!

First-team Preseason

• Davian Lazarus, Olympus (2027)

• Madden Johnsen, Woods Cross (2027)

• Dax Matheson, Brighton (2027)

• Krew Eckman, Alta (2027)

• Fifth: Cruz Cowan, Brighton (2028), Brett Tovey, Viewmont (2028), Kirabo Nadauld / James Jackson, Olympus (2028) or Harry Hendrix, Highland (2029).

As with the other previews, I relied on AI for research and editing these articles. I wish I had time to watch and research every team in all 22 regions, but I just don’t!

Share

5A Region 5 Preview: Parker and Speredon Give Roy the Next Wave

Roy went 10-2 and 19-6 and won the region outright. West Field was 9-3. Fremont finished 7-5. Box Elder and Clearfield were 6-6. Northridge was 4-8. Bonneville went 0-12.

The senior class was heavy at the top. Boston Greenhalgh (19.4 points, 4.3 assists, 3.0 steals) and Jesse Jones (12.4 points, 8.4 rebounds) graduated at Roy. At West Field, Daxton Laughter (15.3 points, 3.5 assists), Jaden Fowers (10.4), and Cason Malan (10.1) are 2026 graduates. Daniel Sunkuli (15.4) and Theo Roach (13.2) graduated at Northridge. What comes back is a region with published UtahBasketball.net ranks in multiple gyms.

What comes back

Roy (19-6, 10-2)

Greenhalgh, Jones, and Jake Hamblin graduated. Anthony Parker (2028) is back after 11.2 points, 1.4 threes, and 1.1 steals as a sophomore in a region-title rotation. Rock Speredon (2027, 6-7) added 5.7 points, 5.8 rebounds (EDIT: Rock has transferred to Orem…big loss for the Royals), and 2.8 assists. KK Kennedy (2027) scored 4.2. Lincoln Britt (2027) is in the mix. Ryan Hannah’s Royals lose the featured scorer and still have a 2028 who already produced in double figures and a 6-7 2027 who already ran the glass.

West Field (14-10, 9-3)

Laughter, Fowers, and Malan graduated. Drew Faddis (2028, 6-6) is back after 12.0 points and 5.5 rebounds and UtahBasketball.net has him ranked #17 overall in the class of 2028 and flagged him as a sophomore riser with footwork in the paint and complete player overall. Maddux Purser (2027) and Karter Rich (2027) return from the rotation. The Longhorns were a 9-3 region team.

Fremont (9-15, 7-5)

Cam Campbell, Zach Hancock, Zeb Whetton, and Owen Hibbert are 2026 graduates. Easton Hansen (2028) is back after a sophomore year that jumped to 14.7 points, 3.2 assists, and 3.7 rebounds. UtahBasketball.net has him in the 2028 rankings conversation as early varsity minutes turned into a featured guard. Viewmont coach Drake Darnell said Easton might make the biggest leap of any player in the state this year! Jet Hadley (2028) and Hudson Fishburn (2028) give Corey Melaney another young wave of players. A 7-5 region team will look to make a big lead under new head coach Crosby!

Box Elder (11-13, 6-6)

Gunnar Gunderson (8.8) is the featured 2026 graduate. Krew Peterson (2027) is back after 10.5 points and 3.0 assists. Eli Gilmore (2028, 6-5) added 9.5 points and 4.5 rebounds. Jantzen Vranes (2027, 6-5) grabbed 6.1 boards. Jaxon Jeppsen (2027) scored 7.0 with 5.2 rebounds. Ryan Jenson (2027) put up 8.3 in 17 games. McKay Deem (2027) added 5.1. Deepest returning rotation in the region after Roy who will likely make this preseason prediction look silly.

Clearfield (9-15, 6-6)

Bode Davis (13.6) and Alyric Kelley (9.2) graduated. Jack Galvan (2027) is back after 16.6 points — the highest returning scoring average in Region 5. Elijah Dankwa (2027) and Luke Evans (2027, 6-4) return. The Falcons were .500 in region. Galvan is going to have a heavy load to carry!

Northridge (11-13, 4-8)

Sunkuli and Roach graduated. Jace Whitear (2027) is back after 11.0 points. Jett Williams (2027) added 6.5. Howard Hansen (2027, 6-5) scored 6.1. The Knights could score with anybody. The next backcourt is already in double figures.

Bonneville (2-21, 0-12)

Jackson Call and Cole Monson graduated. Bryson Landis (2028, 6-5) is UtahBasketball.net’s No. 24 player in the class of 2028 — he has touch around the rim, defensive timing, and a freshman year that looked like a double-double threat. Will Vine (2027, 6-5) gives them size. A 0-12 region team with a ranked 2028 is a team very few people will want to play

Predicted finish

1. Fremont — Hansen’s 14.7 as a 2028 is first-team production. UtahBasketball.net already has him in the top of the class rankings conversation.

2. Box Elder — Peterson, Gilmore, Vranes, and Jeppsen are the deepest returning group.

3. West Field — Faddis is a UtahBasketball.net 2028 ranking and already averaged 12.0 and 5.5

4. Roy — Parker already scored 11.2 as a 2028. Speredon is a 6-7 2027 who already started on a title team.

5. Clearfield — Galvan’s 16.6 is the region’s top returning scoring line.

6. Northridge — Whitear is a 2027 player who already scored 11.0 in his varsity minutes last year

7. Bonneville — Landis is UtahBasketball.net’s No. 24 in 2028. The record starts from zero. The ranking does not.

First-team All-Region Preseason

• Anthony Parker, Roy (2028)

• Drew Faddis, West Field (2028)

• Easton Hansen, Fremont (2028)

• Jack Galvan, Clearfield (2027)

• Fifth: Krew Peterson, Box Elder (2027), or Bryson Landis, Bonneville (2028)

Randomly if you want to see how bad AI still is at making stuff, this was a video export 😂😂😂

Ok, on to the preview!

5A Region 4 Preview: Hadzialijagic Stays, Ruot Arrives, Cyprus Still Sets the Standard

Region 4 was not close last winter. Cyprus went 14-0 and 20-4. Hillcrest finished 11-3. West was 10-4. West Jordan sat at 7-7. Everybody else chased.

The senior class emptied several gyms. At Cyprus, Koli Fosita (17.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists) and Beckham Bayles (15.6 points, 3.9 assists) are 2026 graduates. At West, Elijah Albertson and Matthew Fox graduated. At West Jordan, Ian McIntyre, Ahmad Mullahkhul, and Brock Litchfield all graduated. At Kearns, Xian Brown, Josh Kau, and Aiden Oliver graduated. What comes back is still the most interesting young core in the region — and UtahBasketball.net already had both Cyprus names on the board before the transfer.

Subscribe now

What comes back

Cyprus (20-4, 14-0)
Fosita and Bayles graduate. Alen Hadzialijagic (2028) is back after 14.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 3.3 assists. On the UtahBasketball.net 2028 rankings breakdown, he was discussed as a top-15 name — high-IQ, “Jokic-ish” passing and footwork. Braden Rogers (2027) added 5.5 points. Sam Ellsworth (2027) added 4.6.

Then the addition: Kalou Ruot transfers in from Judge Memorial. UtahBasketball.net had him as a 2028 sleeper when he was still at Judge — D1 coaches already asking about him — and later as a 6-7 piece who can take over the paint as he adds strength. Tre Smith’s Pirates lose two leading scorers and still have a ranked 2028 Jokicesque big plus a ranked 2028 rim protector and finisher who just changed addresses. Watch out for Cam Tingey break out season as well!

Hillcrest (15-9, 11-3)
Ezra Bell, Grady Court, Jack Bradburn, and Cyrus Nielsen are 2026 graduates. Tyler Ashby (2027) is back after 9.0 points and 2.2 assists. Miles Ence (2027, 6-5), Anthony Burris (2027), and Carson Powell (2027) return. Taft Ashby and Rafael Olivera Dos Santos (2028, 6-5) are the next wave. The Huskies were the only team that lived with Cyprus for a full region slate. The next group already has size and a year in Brandon Sluga’s rotation.

West (13-12, 10-4)
Albertson (15.2 points, 6.0 assists) and Fox (13.2 points) graduated. Lester Falatea (2028) is back after 8.0 points, 3.2 assists, and 3.0 rebounds. Samiu Taukiuvea (2028) added 8.2 points and 5.0 rebounds. Bobby Mohamed (2028) scored 5.6 with 1.6 assists. A 10-4 region team that could score 70 now runs through two 2028s who already produced in the rotation.

West Jordan (9-15, 7-7)
McIntyre, Mullahkhul, and Litchfield are gone. That was the scoring backcourt. Linkon Hall (2028, 6-6) is the size piece who already saw varsity minutes. Brooks Halterman and Mason Dorenbosch were rotation names last year; the Jaguars are handing the newly renovated gym to the next class after a .500 region finish.

Kearns (7-16, 6-8)
Brown (10.3 points, 4.0 assists), Kau (10.0 points, 5.4 rebounds), and Oliver (8.1) graduated. Naz Herrera (2028) is the name who has shown up on statewide boards. Daniel Owda, Tony Chairez, and Butros Owda are 2027s who were already on the varsity list. The Cougars were competitive in a league Cyprus ran. This year starts with a new featured scorer.

Granger (5-18, 4-10) / Taylorsville (6-16, 3-11) / Hunter (1-22, 1-13)
Hunter has a clear returning piece: Noah Francom (2027) led the Wolverines at 12.2 points. Yussuf Duro (2028) added 5.1. Granger and Taylorsville already won region games. The next 2027 in those gyms changes the middle of the standings.

Predicted finish

1. Cyprus — Hadzialijagic and Ruot give them a front court who can make a deep run at state

2. Hillcrest — Ashby and Ence give them the best returning rotation after Cyprus.

3. West — Falatea and Taukiuvea are 2028s who already produced on a 10-4 region team.

4. Kearns — Herrera is one to watch in 2028

5. West Jordan — Hall is the 6-6 2028. Lost a lot of backcourt scoring

6. Granger

7. Taylorsville

8. Hunter — Francom is a real 2027 scorer to keep an eye on

First-team All-Region lean

• Alen Hadzialijagic, Cyprus (2028)

• Kalou Ruot, Cyprus (2028)

• Tyler Ashby, Hillcrest (2027)

• Miles Ence, Hillcrest (2027)

• Fifth: Lester Falatea, West (2028), Samiu Taukiuvea, West (2028), Braden Rogers, Cyprus (2027), or Noah Francom, Hunter (2027)

Share

As with all the previews, I used AI to help find stats and organize my thoughts a bit in the article. I can’t watch every player and team so these preseason previews are largely driven off stats from returning players from last year

Remember to claim you free profile at UtahBasketball.net so coaches have up to date information

6A Region 3 Preview: Lone Peak Has the 2027 Stars, Corner Canyon’s Young Wave Is Real

Region 3 was tight last winter. American Fork won it at 7-1 and reached the 6A semifinals. Lone Peak finished 4-4. Skyridge, Corner Canyon, and Lehi all went 3-5. The senior classes were heavy almost everywhere except Lone Peak’s headliners.

Off the 2026-27 board: Bryce Mella and Jax Clark (American Fork), Dillon Roberts and Tyler Mortensen (Corner Canyon), Carson Mosteller, Ryder Gentry, Joel Gardner, and Zach Gagon (Skyridge), Nate Rosenlof and Trevor Anderson (Lehi).

What changes the picture this fall: Corner Canyon adds Brayden and Brooklyn James, with Brayden a top-three name in the 2029 class, and Landon Mattice — also a 2029 — coming off a breakout summer that has scouts calling him one of the best shooters in the state. American Fork adds Preston White, a transfer from Pleasant Grove. Those moves possibly push both programs ahead of Lehi, but never count the Pioneers out of any games

Share

What comes back

Lone Peak (15-11, 4-4)
Jayden Hughes and Cole Caton graduate. Almost everything that mattered stays. Crew Fotheringham (2027) averaged 15.6 points and 4.6 rebounds and sits at the top of Prep Hoops Utah’s 2027 list. Saxon Young (2027) averaged 16.1 points, 2.8 assists, and 1.7 steals. Camden Broadhead (2027, 8.1) and Logan Brimhall (2027, 6.9) are ranked too. Deepest returning group in 6A and Coach Ingles finds his team in familiar territory as an early favorite to win the title

Corner Canyon (12-13, 3-5)
Roberts (15.2) and Mortensen (11.7) are gone. Josh Tolman (2028) already averaged 13.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.5 assists and is a named Prep Hoops 2028 prospect. Manase “Mo” Brown (2027) scored 9.8 with size. Ty Kozlowski, as a freshman, put up 5.9 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists and is primed for a breakout season.

The Chargers are not waiting on the next class. They are already in it. Brayden James is a top-three 2029. Brooklyn James joins him. Landon Mattice, another 2029, had a breakout summer that has scouts saying he might be the best shooter in the state — and that he can start. Dan Lunt’s roster just went from a ranked young core to one of the most interesting groups in the classification. I expect them to be right there come state championship season

American Fork (18-8, 7-1, region champs)
Mella (16.9) and Clark (16.2) carried them last year. Both graduated, along with Ashton Hucks. Jax Oyler (2027) is back after 5.1 points and 2.5 assists. Dieter Tuitavuki and Lincoln Zimmerman are both top ranked 2028 names. Preston White, transferring in from Pleasant Grove, gives Ryan Cuff another piece in a year that already needed new production. That addition is probably enough to slide the Cavemen past Lehi on paper and, like LP and CC, into the state title conversation

Lehi (11-14, 3-5)
Rosenlof (11.3) and Anderson (10.3) graduate. Ashton Shewell (2027) is back after 21.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.2 assists — he is a top 5 player in his class with multiple Division 1 offers already. Tuk Howe (2027, 6-7) added 11.1 points and 3.7 rebounds and is one of the toughest matchups in the state. The Pioneers still have the best individual returning scorer in the region. The two teams above them just added more.

Skyridge (15-9, 3-5)
Mosteller (14.7), Gentry (14.5), Gardner (10.4), and Gagon (8.3) are all 2026 graduates. Koa Wallwork (2028) returns after 3.3 points and 2.5 assists in the rotation. Cohen Plewe and other 2027s give Jeff Gardner pieces. Heaviest reset in the region — and a chance for the next group to grow together.

Predicted finish

1. Lone Peak — Fotheringham and Young are two of the best 2027s in Utah.

2. Corner Canyon — Tolman, Brown, Kozlowski, plus Brayden James (top-three 2029), Brooklyn James, and Mattice, a 2029 who can shoot it with anybody.

3. American Fork — White’s arrival from Pleasant Grove, plus Tuitavuki and Zimmerman.

4. Lehi — Shewell is a 21-point 2027. Howe is a ranked wing. The additions above them matter.

5. Skyridge — Wallwork and the 2027/2028 group after four rotation seniors.

First-team All-Region lean

• Crew Fotheringham, Lone Peak (2027)

• Saxon Young, Lone Peak (2027)

• Ashton Shewell, Lehi (2027)

• Josh Tolman, Corner Canyon (2028)

• Fifth: Tuk Howe, Lehi, Mo Brown, Corner Canyon, or Jax Oyler, American Fork

There are no nights off in Region 3 as it features 3 of the top 5 6a teams in the state and every team is well coached and is capable of winning any night. Lone Peak will have a target on their backs all year long so we’ll see what Saxon and Crew are made of this year!

Reminder that the rankings page has migrated to UtahBasketball.net! Profiles are free to claim and build upon

6A Region 2 Preview: Sika Leads the Champs, Tia and Hatton Anchor What’s Next

Region 2 set the standard last winter. Westlake, Bingham, and Herriman all finished 9-3. Mountain Ridge was a game back at 8-4. Then Westlake won the 6A title, 71-55 over Bingham at the Huntsman Center.

The senior class was heavy. Off the 2026-27 board: Luke West and Parker Snedaker (Bingham), Carlo Mulford and Cy Arnell (Herriman), Graydin Anderson, Brody Thompson, Lincoln Norwood, and Walker Jensen (Westlake), Beckham Rees (Riverton), Isaiah Reiser (Copper Hills), Isaac Langston (Mountain Ridge), and Carson Stocking (Cedar Valley).

What actually returns is still a region full of ranked 2027 and 2028 names.

What comes back

Westlake went 24-3 and won state. Anderson (13.8 points, 3.9 assists), Thompson (12.7 points, 5.4 rebounds), Norwood (10.6 points, 5.0 rebounds), and Jensen (7.6) move on. Malik Sika (2027) is back after 13.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.8 steals. Slone Sua (2027) is back too. Both are on Prep Hoops 2027 lists. Championship culture plus one of the most talented players in the state returning? — that’s still the standard in this region.

Herriman tied for first at 16-9. Carlo Mulford (about 19.7 points) and Cy Arnell graduate. Stone Tia (2027) already scored in the 11–13 range and sits on the UtahBasketball.net 2027 board. Xavier Mulford put up double figures as a freshman and can shoot it. Azan Afridi (2027) and Kaysan Afridi (2028) give Doug Meacham more ranked depth, with Nash Meacham and Owen Willes also back. The Mustangs shoot and compete. That doesn’t leave with one class.

Mountain Ridge was 17-8 and 8-4. Isaac Langston (2026) is gone. Dylan Hatton (2027, 14.8 points) and Spencer Dow (2027, 11.6) are coming back along with Jordan Horsley (2028, 12.0), who is one of the best 2028 players in the state and only got better with Team Utah this summer. Three returners who already scored in double figures is as good a young core as anyone in the region has.

Bingham played for a state title last year but 2026 graduates Luke West (21.6 points, 4.0 assists) and Parker Snedaker (17.7 points, 6.2 rebounds) were the engine along with Will Cain, Denzel Peoples, and Lucas Neidig. The next group is already on the lists: Owen Bagley and Logan Goncalves (2027), Carson Edmunds and Brady Peterson (2028), plus Derek Peterson. Bingham brings in a new coach this season as well after the surprising firing of Coach Straatman in the offseason after a state title appearance

Cedar Valley went 8-17, 1-11 in year one of 6A Region 2. Carson Stocking (2026) graduates. Austin Biehl (2027) scored 13.0 a night and is one of the most underrated players in the state. Year two in this league starts with a proven returning scorer.

Riverton was 9-15 and 5-7. Beckham Rees (2026) led them at 17.9 points. Isaiah Latu is on the Prep Hoops 2028 board. This year is about the next wave taking the keys. 2027 G Carter Milbourn is a dawg and ready to step up!

Copper Hills finished 7-17, 1-11. Losing Isaiah Reiser (2026) and his 19.6 a night is huge. Eli Mulford (2028) already produced in the 9-point range and is on the Prep Hoops 2028 list, with juniors such as Connor Behunin also back. Young roster in West Jordan!

Predicted finish

1. Westlake — Sika is a ranked 2027 who already produced like a No. 1. The Thunder are still the champs.

2. Herriman — Tia plus Xavier Mulford is the best returning duo after Westlake.

3. Mountain Ridge — Hatton, Dow, and Horsley. Most returning scoring in the pack.

4. Bingham — Bagley, Goncalves, Edmunds, Peterson. The young core is excellent.

5. Cedar Valley — Biehl is a proven 2027 scorer.

6. Riverton — Can Carter carry them his senior year?

7. Copper Hills — Eli Mulford and a young group

Preseason First-team All-Region

• Malik Sika, Westlake (2027)

• Stone Tia, Herriman (2027)

• Dylan Hatton, Mountain Ridge (2027)

• Austin Biehl, Cedar Valley (2027)

• Fifth: Xavier Mulford, Herriman, Owen Bagley, Bingham, or Jordan Horsley, Mountain Ridge

The rankings say the next two classes — Sika, Sua, Tia, Hatton, Dow, Bagley, Goncalves, Biehl, Horsley, Edmunds, Peterson, the Afridis, Latu, Milbourn, Eli Mulford — keep this region crowded. It should still be one of the toughest group in 6A.

Subscribe

I had some assistance from AI for some research and formatting. A lot of these players I have yet to watch so I’m leaning on opinions and last years stats!

Reminder - the rankings page has migrated to UtahBasketball.net and may have some fun video content coming soon if I can figure out how to code the site for it 🙏🏼

6A Region 1 Preview: Miller Sets the Standard, and Everybody Has a Reason to Be Excited

Region 1 should be fun again in 2026-27. Last year Layton and Davis shared the top at 6-2, Syracuse was right there at 5-3, Farmington battled to 3-5, and Weber kept competing through a tough 0-8 region slate. The senior class was heavy, and Davis’s Bode Sparrow may decide to enroll early at Oklahoma for football, so he might not be part of the Darts’ basketball picture. What comes back is still a region with a true star, multiple returning scorers, and a deep group of 2027 and 2028 names that Prep Hoops and UtahBasketball.net already like.

The returning pieces

Layton has the headliner. Karter Miller (2027) just put up 22.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 2.6 steals, earned 6A first-team All-State, and sits in the top five on the public Prep Hoops 2027 board. He’s the engine — scoring, distributing, defending. Karter might average 35+ ppg this year. The Lancers will miss Chase Randall, Jack Godderidge, and Nic Anderson, but Josh Gee and Isaac Thompson give them size, and the 2028 class already has Prep Hoops attention on Kaden Mabry and Bode Knudson. That’s a team built to stay at the front of the region.

Farmington might be the most interesting group in the region. Malakai Tobler (2027) scored in the 14-point range and is on the Prep Hoops and UtahBasketball.net 2027 lists as a top PG in the class. Brycen Rudolph (2027) was a double-figure piece. Jack Layton (2028, 6-7) already produced at 10-plus a night, landed near the top of UtahBasketball.net’s 2028 board, and is a named Prep Hoops prospect — a mismatch who keeps adding to his game. With Isaac Anderson moving on, the Phoenix still return skill, size, and two ranked classes. This is a team that can take a step and challenge Layton

Syracuse brings back Colton Hoenigman (2027), who averaged 19.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 2.4 assists and is a regular on Prep Hoops 2027 updates. Losing Carter Robinson and Skyler Orton is real, but Cohen Godderidge’s playmaking and Krue Black’s potential length give the Titans a foundation that can win nights in this league. Hoenigman is ready to step into the spotlight.

Davis has a chance to rewrite the roster in a good way. Turley, Brower, Bessinger, and Petersen gave them a lot last winter; the next wave is already on the rankings. Cooper Rigby and Corbin Brown are back from the 2027 class. Owen Barney (2028) drew “pure shot” and workhorse notes and sits high on the UtahBasketball.net 2028 list and on Prep Hoops. Luke Wray and Cole Klaumann also showed up on Prep Hoops 2028 mover lists. Chad Sims’ program has been here before. The young Darts have names and a chance to grow together and if Bode Sparrow opts to forgo the common early enrollment at Oklahoma to start football early, Davis will prove this 4th place prediction wrong

Weber gets a fresh start with Beau Potokar and Carson Hill leading the way after Bowden and Packer left. Creed DeVries giving the Warriors a Prep Hoops 2028 mention is a nice marker for the next group and could really make a big jump. This year is about those returners taking the next jump.

Predicted finish

1. Layton — Miller is the best player in the region and one of the best 2027s in the state. The supporting cast and 2028 depth keep them in first.

2. Farmington — Tobler, Rudolph, and Layton is as good a young core as anyone has.

3. Syracuse — Hoenigman is a proven No. 1 option with help around him.

4. Davis — Ranked 2028 talent and program stability. The ceiling is higher than the short-term questions.

5. Weber — Returning guards plus a ranked 2028 piece. Opportunity to climb.

First-team All-Region lean

• Karter Miller, Layton

• Colton Hoenigman, Syracuse

• Malakai Tobler, Farmington

• Jack Layton, Farmington

• Fifth: Cohen Godderidge, Syracuse, with Davis’s Rigby or Barney in the conversation if they take the jump their rankings suggest. If Bode plays, he slides into this spot.

Region 1 still has a star in Miller, a second punch in Hoenigman, a rising Farmington Phoenix group, a young Davis squad who will surprise people and Weber with a Coach and players ready to prove the doubters wrong! That’s a region worth watching.

Share

2028:

Alen Hadzialijagic - scores at all 3 levels as a 5. One of the best passers in the state. Played as an offensive hub for a Team Utah team that had a great spring and summer. If he gets the ball in a post up on the block he’s scoring every time. At the top of the key he can score in the midrange of the dribble as well as shoot from 3. Would not be surprised at all if he put up multiple triple double at Cyprus this year. Kid is really really good.

Easton Hansen - Offensively he is a top 3 player in the state this age (UHSAA). Yes I know there is lots of talent this age but this kid is the goods. Obviously he played for me so I watched him a ton. There was not a team that could stop him all year. Teams tried length, size, speed all of that and nothing could slow him down. Averaged 20+ this spring and summer and averaged 15 as a sophomore at Fremont. He’s a top 10 player through and through. The scoring shows it but he has a very complete game. He’s got to get better defensively but definitely isn’t a liability. As a passer and ball handler he’s incredible. Doesn’t turn the ball over and makes the right read even as a big time scorer. He will average upwards of 18 5 and 5 at Fremont this year.

Troy Kaufusi - he’s really good at everything!

Brett Tovey - I promise you this will be the second biggest riser in the state of Utah by the end of high school season. already a honorable mention all state guy at Viewmont as a sophomore and he didn’t touch the varsity floor until region play. This kid is ridiculously good. Earlier this spring him and Troy had one of the funnest matchups I’ve seen in a while. Averaged around 8 5 and 3 as a sophomore on a team loaded with seniors and senior guards at that. Has grown to 6’2 and will keep growing. Can guard all 5 positions cause of his athleticism and iq. He will be the guy at Viewmont this year. I have never been around a kid who plays with a motor like him. Shot 49% from three at the varsity level last year. Can get to the hoop whenever he wants and has some of the best vision from a guard in the state. He will give coaches nightmares. He similarly to Alen will probably also put up multiple triple doubles this coming year but Brett is a point guard. He’s smart skilled and has a motor and wants to be good. He is the starting quarterback as well so he’s an athlete but basketball will be his sport. He is on an unreal trajectory he was on the sophomore team to start this year and finished as our go to guy on varsity. He’s a top 15 player this age and if you seen him play you’ll agree.

Kingston Tapusoa - another guy I got to watch a ton on the Puma circuit from Team Utah. He is one of the most underrated pure point guards in the state. I believe he will get some good run with Corner Canyon this year. Very smooth guard who is unreal at running an offense. Finds his bigs in all the right spots and throws shooters open. He can shoot pretty well but his first step and change of speed and direction makes him a very hard cover. As a point guard he was and is one of my favorite guys in the state to watch play. He will be a stud this year.

Lincoln Zimmerman - got to watch him both with his AAU team and with AF. He is very similar to Alen. Great passer who can handle and score but his motor and defensive ability is very impressive for his build. He will be the X factor for AF but I’m a big fan of him and his play style.

Tayton Pace - one of my favorite lower classification guys. Can score at an unreal clip. Only watched him for a half but he elevates everyone around him

Hudson Fishburn - Brett will be the second biggest riser after high school season cause of Hudson being first. This kid is special. Was hurt last high school season and didn’t play till the back end but got a little varsity run at Fremont. This kid will be top 5 in the state in 3 pointers made. Led ALL of NXT and Pro16 in 3 pointers made on the circuit this year with missing a tournament cause of an ankle fracture. If he’s hitting, Fremont becomes dangerous with him and Easton. They are cousins so they have some chemistry. They both play AAU for me so I’ve seen them a lot. He’s in a system now with coach Cosby being the coach there where he has the ultimate green light and when I say this kid is in range the second he passes half court I mean that. He will average 15-18ppg this year. He has a shot where even when contested he still can and probably will hit it. He is a great defender who will probably guard the opposing teams best player every game too so he plays on both ends. Fairly unknown name now but people need to buy stock in him now cause after high school season it won’t be a surprise anymore. I’ve coached and played with a lot of great scorers and shooters. Hudson is the best of them all on that regard.

Ethan Schultz - another Viewmont and guy I coach in AAU very underrated but with his size and skill will be a nightmare for a lot of teams to gameplan against. He’s a stud of a scorer as well. Needs to put it all together still but when he does it’s gonna be impressive.

Kade Andersen - plays over at American heritage. Very very skilled player. I believe he’s played a lot of varsity last year but he’s a 6’4 ish athlete that has a smooth stroke and can guard all over the court. He is an absolute stud of a player. He will be a big factor in the state this year. He is the host family for Josue Kajinga who played with our 17u team so Kade practices with us a lot he played in one event with us before he had some ankle issues. He’s a smooth player who will be good.

Evan Willis - just moved here to go to Utah prep but he was on the Pro16 circuit with us. He played up in 17u. Kid is unreal. (Adam’s note: Evan has had the best offer posts over on X)

I tried to keep it to some newer guys that aren’t talked about as much as well as obviously the guys I watched a lot. Here’s my top 25 list:

1 Evan Willis

2 Troy Kaufusi

3 Jayden Cecil

4 Tchoyi Bryant

5 Stra Zelic

6 Josh Tolman

7 Alen Hadzialijagic

8 Oscar Keegan

9 Easton Hansen

10 Dieter Tuitavuki

11 Kalou Ruot

12 Jordan Horsley

13 Brett Tovey

14 Jack Layton

15 Lincoln Zimmerman

16 Drew Faddis

17 Jrue Miller

18 Owen Barney

19 Carson Edmunds

20 Kingston Tapusoa

21 Jackson Ford

22 Hudson Fishburn

23 Knox Westenkow

24 Kobe Ross

25 Tayton Pace

Subscribe now

Share

You’ll notice an incredible lack of D2/D3/NAIA schools in Utah (1 to be exact)

Parents, as you are venturing into the world of recruiting please do not ever ghost a coach at any level and be prepared for the fact that your student will most likely not play basketball in Utah or maybe not even at a school in a bordering state

The opportunities outside the Rocky Mountain area are massive, but you have to be willing to let go and let your kid grow up to have the best chance of playing!

Also, updates are up on 2027 and 2028 player rankings over at www.prepbasketball.net. I actually have some interesting stuff developing with some more contributors and, given the recent Private Equity acquisition of Prep Hoops, hope to have some help and get more content that’s not behind a paywall out about the players in our state

If any data is wrong on the site, please send me a note at support@prepbasketball.net

Cheers!

Adam

Timestamps and Topic Breakdown

00:00 Introduction

• Welcome to the Utah High School Hoops podcast.

• Adam outlines the three main topics for the episode and sets the stage for a deep dive into the current state of youth basketball in Utah.

00:51 The Impact of Private Equity on Youth Basketball

• A look back at the October 2025 acquisition of the Prep Hoops network by a private equity firm.

• Adam breaks down how private equity firms operate, explaining concepts like leveraged debt, EBITDA multipliers, and management fees in simple terms.

• A direct warning for parents: how the shift in ownership often moves a platform’s focus away from accurate local coverage and toward aggressive monetization.

• Predictions for the future of prep basketball coverage. Adam expects to see more paywalled rankings, gated content designed to make parents pay to see what is written about their kids, and a potential increase in automated or AI generated articles to cut costs.

• A reminder that college coaches do not care where a player is ranked on a paywalled list in the seventh or eighth grade.

10:09 Analyzing the Class of 2027

• A deep dive into the complexities of evaluating and ranking the Class of 2027 in Utah.

• Spotlight on Owen Ryan from Cedar City securing a Division 2 college offer. Adam emphasizes the importance of trusting actual college coach evaluations over internet rankings.

• A statistical comparison between the Class of 2026 and the Class of 2027. The 2026 class had 94 college offers and 73 commitments among 870 players. In contrast, the 2027 class currently only has 27 offers among 850 players in the database.

• Discussion on why the 2027 numbers appear lower right now. Adam points out that many talented players in this class are currently playing JV or varsity reserve minutes, or participating in unverified club circuits where stats and data are impossible to track.

• Why parents and players need to celebrate simply making the varsity roster and playing meaningful high school minutes.

17:41 The Case for Multi-Sport Athletes

• A passionate plea for athletes to play multiple sports rather than specializing in basketball year round.

• The physical dangers of early specialization, specifically how repetitive motion in basketball takes a massive toll on knees, ankles, hamstrings, and joints.

• Real world examples of how playing other sports translates to basketball success. Adam notes Steve Nash playing soccer to build different muscle groups and court vision, as well as his own experience playing tennis to improve fast twitch muscles.

• A direct message to high school coaches: stop threatening young athletes with losing their roster spots if they choose to play other sports during the offseason.

• The mental, physical, and social benefits of stepping away from the court to enjoy other activities and connect with different communities.