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Show r SECTION JDmhjHcrotii SATURDAY, MARCH 3. SPORTS EDITOR I Darnell Dickson 344-255- 5 2007 ddicksonheraldextra.com 3fc 2007 BOYS BASKETBALL STATE SEMIFINALS BYU HOOPS li d -- y ; tZZ WJ i. . LZZI Three Utah Valley teams advance to finals; two others fall short vr. STEVE C. WILSONAP 1 'A forward Keena Young, left, gets by Utah guard Johnnie BYU ' Bryant, right, for a basket on Jan. 31. The Cougars look for the out-rigMWC title against the Utes tonight at 5:30 p.m. ht Five BYU J V rv4 I seniors ready i for Marriott Center sendoff Jason Franchuk DAILY V ' L. i HERALD The road to redemption, and the dream that could come true today, was paved a couple of Aprils ago. ' The quick version: Team to finish the 2004-0goes campaign, head coach leaves, longtime assistant gets hired ... and the young and frustrated returning players, assured there was still a place for them if they worked hard enough, continue to improve every facet of their physiques and games. There are five senior Cougars ' aiming for a Mountain West Conference championship, which could be all theirs with a win against Utah in a 5:30 p.m. tipoff at the Marriott Center. Austin Ainge, Jimmy Balder-son- ; Fernando Malaman, Mike Rose and Keena Young have been through just about everything in their varied college careers, which will converge for a final 1 v v (r , -- A . r - home game. Getting to this point, however, may have been about more than Sei BYU, C4 ' J , - MWC HOOPS r i ' f jr h j v ,n ( , 4 PHOTOS BV COBB CONDIEDaily Herald their double overtime victory over Timpview. Middle left Spanish Fork's Jason Steenstra shoots near the basket against Riverton defenders. Middle center lone Peak's Tyler Haws slams down a dunk on a fast break against Bingham. Middle right Dejected Timpview players watch their team lose in double overtime to Payson. Bottom: Provo players celebrate their blowout semifinal victory over Roy. I See C4 for full stories. Top: Payson fans celebrate ITEVE C. WILSONAP Utah basketballoadi Ray GJacoletti shouts at an official during tT game against BYU on Jan 31. , Utes' head" coach resigns DougAlderi THl ASSOC IATID ' PRESS ' UTAH JAZZ Crazy visit ends with solid win over T'Wolves Wo-letti'- SALT LAKE CITY Ray tenure at Utah began with the Utes making their longest run id the NCAAtcirnarnent since play- - ' Ing for the championsJiip In 1998, , It's ending well short of that just three years after he was hired 4s coach. GiacoleUi told his players Fri-- V day that he is resigning, effective M toon as Utah's worst season in " decades ends.', .' . "This is not the way I would s have anticipated three years ago frhat our vision was," Giacotetri said before the Utes practiced The Jazz, who have won , THt ASSOCIATED PRSS overall, widened the MINNEAPOLIS The Utah gap in the Northwest Division Minnesota Jazz had a little trouble getting over third-plac- e to 13 games after to their game against 1 the Minnesota shooting a season-hig- h 57.5 percent. and few difficulties once they , "They sat on a arrived. plane with food and videogames, Deron Williams so they had plenty had 21 points and to do," Utah coach eight assists to help the Jazz beat the 109 Jerry Sloan said. "If JAZZ TimberwoWes 109-83 our guys use it as rwoLvts an excuse, then they 83 Friday night, are looking to lose." shaking off a weather-induce- d Inclement weather in travel delay to win their third nesota forced the Jazz to sit road game. , ; on their plane in Memphis for more than four hours on Thursday before the flight was finally delayed until Friday morning. The weather proved to be more difficult than their game against the Timberworves, whose reserves couldn't keep pace with Utah's subs. (Jordan Giricek made four and finished with a 20 points as Utah's season-higreserves out scored their counterparts 1 Matt Harpring t added 19 points off the bench, and Paul Millsap chipped in 10. See GtACOLITTI, C5 i h , See JAZZ, ANN HHStWB.tAMOcitl P o shot ottempt Juitorward Andrt) Ktrilcnko, left, blocks C3 by rWotves guard Randy Foy on Friday. IrUh Min-straig- ht ' (. , ( |