Well, that wasn’t entirely incorrect. The Knights did have to modify how they played this year without a big man in the middle, but they still found a way to win using their athleticism and a team-first orientation.
It was an ongoing process too. About three weeks ago, coach Quincy Lewis issued a challenge to his team. He told each player two things that he would need to personally do to help the group achieve the goal of earning a second-consecutive 5A championship.
Apparently, they listened.
“Once they got the concept of what we wanted and did the work necessary to execute it, I knew nobody was going to touch us,” the coach said.
“I told them that we were going to need everyone sometime this week,” he continued. “Anytime you get one of these it’s very, very special, because it’s so hard to do.”
Lewis added that it takes more than skilled players and hard work to win a title. There are intangibles too, and he said this year’s team had them.
“It starts with leadership,” he explained. “You can’t put a price on that. We were in great hands with my senior captains, Brody Berry and Chase Hansen. Those guys have been through it all and they understand what it takes.”
It wasn’t that his team hadn’t faced any adversity this year either. The players had to contend with injuries, illnesses, losses and disappointments along the way, but each time, they managed to find a way to pick themselves up and keep going.
………………Berry credits team approach for capturing the prize
In an interview following the title game, Brody Berry, who is the only four-year varsity player on the squad, reiterated what his coach said about the necessity for a group approach to this particular team’s challenges.
“There were times this year we couldn’t win with individual effort because of size differences and other factors,” he explained. “We had to be in the gaps and help each other on defense to be successful.
“Offensively, we knew we could get shots to go in because TJ (Haws) and Nick (Emery) are amazing players, but what we wanted was to take amazing shots, and we were able to do that by moving the ball around,” Berry continued.
“Coming into this last game, I thought we’d be a little more tired and that our threes wouldn’t fall. In our huddle, I told the guys we’ve got to go inside,” he reported. But, to his surprise, the threes started finding the net.
“As soon as everyone hit one, we really got it going,” the guard said.
Berry added that the team took the goal to win very personally this season.
“We were playing for Eric (Mika, who had to sit out the year after transferring). There were a couple of kids from our school who passed away recently, and we were playing for them.
“For me personally, I have an aunt with cancer who’s not doing well right now,” he said. “Everything that happened tonight was for her.”
Preparation was also a big key.
“Everything we did all year was to get us ready for this day,” he said. “Playing four games a day in the summer, playing great teams four days in a row in South Carolina, working until we were so dead tired we could hardly stand up, it was all for this.”
And, finally, there was coach Lewis.
“We had confidence that he knew what we needed to do to get this,” Berry said. “Everything he said was like gold coming out of his mouth. It gave me chills every time.”
………………Hansen taking next step in career
The title game had even more finality for center Chase Hansen, who only stayed at Lone Peak to see his team through to the championship.
As of Monday, Hansen is a Ute.
When he arrived at the arena Saturday, all of his school work was completed. The only thing he had left to do was pack.
The 2011 Mr. Football finished high school early so he could enroll at the University of Utah and participate in spring drills.
Originally planning to leave on his LDS mission before enrolling, the coaches asked him to come and try out for the quarterback spot this year first. Whether he gets the job or not, he plans to stay and learn through the season, and then depart on his service early next year.
………………Championship connections
Saturday’s two winning teams shared a lot more than their location in Utah County and the same style of gold trophy.
Several members of the Lone Peak and Orem teams have spent a lot of time together playing with the same club team on the AAU circuit. Tiger coach Golden Holt also skippers that squad.
In addition, sophomore Quinn Peters played for the Knights last season before a family move brought him to Orem.
The two teams faced each other in the preseason during the Great Western Shootout, and the Tigers won that battle, earning the ensuing bragging rights.
Nevertheless, players from both teams cheered the other one on during the tournament, and embraced after their respective victories whenever they had the opportunity.
Beky Beaton can be reached at bbeaton@heraldextra.com. Follow her on Twitter at @BeatonWrite.
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