Show K The Herald Journal Logan Utah Thuraday 2002-0- 3 BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM ALL-VALL- EY ! ft k- I -l "I’A Lee gained weight achieved excfellefice play began Lee recognized he could be a scoring threat while King emerged as a terrific passer when the Bobcats were under pressure Each had terrific moments in tense situations made a huge play in the d minute of a close win against East while Lee sent die Cats into the semis with two clutch free throws vs Payson Yet Lee separated himself by becoming a dominant shot Mocker He made many an opponent think twice before driving down die lane to shoot over him “I was born with long arms” Lee said “Defense has a lot to do with arms I try to use that as an advan- By David Cordero steff writer : Clint Lee wasn’t much to look at as a freshman He was skinny didn’t skills have the greatest and was short — hardly desirable traits for a basketball player Quite expectedly he did not make the Sky View boys basketball program that season It was the type of thing he could have gotten used to having been cut from teams each of the two years prior but chose not to The next season he grew five inches and impressed coaches enough to make the sophomore team The year he started on the junior varsity and even made it into some of the varsity games : But he didn’t stand much of a chance against the big boys His body had always been nothing more than skin and bones “The times I would get in it seemed like I was getting killed by those guys” said Lee who was about and 160 pounds soaklast season wet “They weren’t ing that much taller than me but they beat me up physically ' “I needed to gain more weight” That changed during the 2002-0- 3 campaign After a summer dedicated to hoops and weightlifting Lee added 25 pounds to his now 6-- 5 frame Though he’s no Incredible Hulk he Isn’t a string bean any more Throw in a greater understanding for the game increased confidence vertical leap and you and a have all the ingredients to be an out- frill-co- ball-handli- ng S : ng int first-roun- tage” Lee said his improved largely through pick-u-p games over the summer where hie got his timing down His overall game benefited from an of repetition' Basketball basketball basketball “He got a lot of experience over the spring and summer” Baldwin said “He improved by playing a lot" His offensive game began to click halfway into the season when he was fully able to digest the role Baldwin had in mind for him Basically he needed to use his mobility toget up the floor and get into position for some easy baskets Once that occurred his scoring improved dramatically “I started off really weak scoring six or eight points a game” Lee said “I knew I could score more but it was bard for me to get into our offense at the beginning of the season Finally I was able to get into the plays start moving with the motion and was able to take a lot of shots in the paint” As for Lee’s future plans two things are fairly certain: He will shot-blocki- ng off-seas- on ‘ 35-in- ch standing player Lee was a huge reason for Sky View’s state tournament run helping lead the Bobcats to a berth in the semifinals where they fell to Tim-pvie-w the eventual 4A champion For his efforts Lee was named The Herald Journal Player of the Year “I thought (the added weight) paid huge dividends — especially once we got into league play” Sky View coach Terrell Baldwin said “Clint playing well contributed a lot to the team playing better” Though Lee was the consensus winner among staffers at the HJ not far behind was guard Andy King who had similar statistics Lee averaged 123 points per game King had 124 Lee a forward grabbed $7 rebounds per contest while King a guard dished out 46 assists a night Lee was good for 19 blocked shots an evening King had 1 8 steals Both players seemed to lift their game to another level when Region 4 urt : save an LDS mission and play col- lege basketball What’s uncertain: which college he’ll attend and whether or not it will be paid for Lee said he’s bear in contact with the University of Utah and has been invited to walk on Utah State and Air Force also appear interested in him That is also the chance he could be offered a scholarship at a junior college play there for a year go on his mission then move on to a Divi-- ‘ sion I hoops team Or he could wait to enroll in college leave for his mission in early 2004 (he turns 19 in January) then return with maximum college eligibility remaining & 2002:03 Herald JournalAII-ValleyTear- n ITom Hofland Mitch White sryWSjU Ratings! iMtke Bales srj SYr toward tT Ritey Smith signs with Cardinals PHOENIX (AP) — - The NFL’s career rushing leader believes he still has some yards left in those legs The Arizona Cardinals sure hope so Released by Dallas last month Emmitt Smith agreed to terms with the Cardinals on Wednesday moving from one of the league’s most storied franchises to one of its most downtrodden “Emmitt will start” coach Dave McGinnis said adding that he will also help break in Marcel Shipp who led the Cardinals in rushing last season in his second year Smith will wear the same No 22 he wore with the Cowboys The Cardinals said Smith contract but got a two-yedid not disclose terms It was believed to be worth about $4 million a year A starting job was one of the things Smith had sought and one of the things the Cowboys couldn’t guarantee when they released him Feb 27 after 13 seasons and 17162 yards But Smith’s other desire — winning again after three ar Rory Pattenon Logan forward j At 6 with amazing agility Pat-tenon was a force to be reckoned with on both aides of die baH'-''!-- ' did a great job for us” Logan coach JeffBrimhall said y- “He’s a very good athlete And he ' helped us stay very competitive in all of our ballgamcs” 6-- :'-“Ror- y -- Offensively Patterson averaged 136 points per game leading the Grizz in scaring and was second among valley scorers He posed a threat down low as well as outside -'His finesse and great shooting ' ability allowed him to knock down 17 overthe course of the season With opponents often times focusing on him Patterson who averaged more than three assists per game was more than willing totreed a teammate for die score “Rory came out and ignited us especially late in the season" Brimhall said On defense the senior pulled down nearly seven rebounds per game along with a couple of Mocks Ibm Holland Mtn Crest forward This senior was the most experienced player coming back from last year’s team Holland led the Mustangs in minutes and in 22 games this season averaged 13 points 3 rebounds 25 assists and 1 8 steals From range he shot 45 percent from the field and had 47 on the season Holland also pulled down 77 rebounds this year — 64 defensive 13 offensive “The Mggest thing he did was he was a quiet leader that led by example” Mountain Crest coach Jim CrosMe said “He brought the emotion to our team (and) never complained about what he was asked to 8) do “He went out and did it” Mitch White West Sidet guard When die Pirates needed points they turned to White He delivered “There were games where he liter-allsaid ‘Give me the ball and get out of my way’” West Side coach Lee Ralphs said There were times he could put tip a Jot of points in y uAteYieiMw hurry” It took two sprained ankles to slow him down but he still managed to put up respectable numbers White finished the season by leading the valley in scoring with 156 points a shots on game and made 27 the season He also averaged 6 5 rebounds two assists and three steals a game “Mitch is just a great athlete” Ralphs said “He showed his mettle especially down the stretch because he was playing on two bad ankles If people saw how bad his ankle looked you would be amazed he was playing and playing pretty good on it” Kelly Rawlings Preston guard The Indians were such a team it was hard to single out a player This Prestem junior was a int nd srMC --rtorwaitl - V: f Super Bowl victories in Dallas — may hot be so easy Arizona finished 5-- 1 1 last season and has been one of the NFL’s consistently losing franchises — it has one playoff victory since 1947 Smith contributed to the Cardinals’ woes over tiie years He scored 25 career touchdowns against them his highest total versus an opponent Overall Smith ranks No 1 in NFL history with 153 rushing TDs Smith who will turn 34 on May 15 failed to reach 1000 yards this season for the first time since his rookie year in 1990 gaining 975 yards Smith rushed for over 100 yards in only two games including the one with Seattle on Oct 27 in which he broke Walter Payton's career rushing record of 16726 The Cardinals plan to formally introduce Smith on Thursday at their practice complex in Tempe “I’ve always been very con fident in my abilities” Smith said right after being released by Dallas “I think I’r VO slight cut above his teammates Pre“Kelly was a ston coach Coy Pratt said “He led the team in many statistical areas but more important was how the team looked to him when it was crunch time fa a spark” r” And tiie er usually came through playing a big role in his team’s run to the state championship game He led the Indians in scoring with 13 points a game assists with 31 a contest free-throshooting at 71 percent and made with 31 fourth best in the valley Rawlings also averaged 41 rebounds 18 steals and shot 33 percent from beyond the arc He was a second-teabonoree last year all-stat- w iy&J&rP::- 0 - i SB i APphotoi Emmitt Smith the NFL's leading career rusher reached the Arizona Cardinals on Wednesday 1300-yar- d back and I will be out to prove that” “I am not a guy that is afraid of competition’’ he said “I walk up and face it full throftle I will help some- one’s organization get to tiie Super Bowl get back to tiie Super Bowl or win the Super Bowl” Rod Graves the Cardinals’ vice president said he did not know if any other team was interested in Smith Graves and Bill Bidwill the team’s owner said they believed that Smith's presence alone would enhance the image of the Cardinals both a deal to join locally and nationally If nothing else Smith should help boost attendance — the Cardinals have rarely sold out since moving from St Louis after the 1987 season And when they have it often was against Dallas which still retains a solid fro base that existed before the Cardinals arrived Graves suggested that it a unique contract perhaps involving marketing Smith already does several national television commercials “We recognize Emmitt Smith as a total package” Graves said “He just seemed to make plays in tight games" Platt said Andy King Sky View guard Sky View students chanted every time King stroked a and at times no other word could brtter describe his shooting The senior led tiie Cats by scoring 114 points per game and nailing 43 treys yet he really came of age when he refined his penetrating and distributing skills King led Sky Viewwith 48 per game! shot 58 percent on field goals and sank 69 percent of his free throws long-distan- ce int m No ' ? MascanVHarald Journal earned Player of the Year honors for the valley $-- ¥ v : well-balanc- ed MNch &Vview forward Cant Lea helped lead the Bobcats to the 4A statesem (finals and See HOOPS on B4 change in r w- PHOENIX (AP)— NFL owners changed nothing The league closed its annual spring meeting Wednesday by voting down a proposal to give both teams a shot at tiie ball in overtime And it tabled a proposal to expand tiie playoffs from 12 teams to 14 The dan to change the overtime rule got 17 votes seven short of the 24 required for passage “They made tiie decision because tiie current system presents a tremendous reward or risk That's something that adds a lot of excitement to tiie game” said Indianapolis general manager Bill PtiUan who helped convince the other teams by citing die Colts’ 0 win overtime win over the Broncos in the Denver snow ' The expansion (tf the playoffs got more support than either commiswmer had Thg&abue or competition committee chairman Rich McKay expected But it was tabled until the league's May meeting in ue I would have a bye under the proposed system And both Tagliabue and McKay noted it was a change in an agreement to wait two years with the new right-divisialignment before tinkering with the playoffs “We had no problems last year with the alignment” said McKay Tkmpa Bay’s general manager “The teams that made the playoffs were the teams with the best records” The change in overtime was proposed after a record 25 games went into an extra session last year Ten of those were won by a team on its first possession and 58 percent were woo by the team that won the coin toss at the start of die OT One of those was the game in Denver which seemed to sway many teams In that contest which was televised nationally the Colts’ MikeVandexjagtf tied the pame field goal in regwith a 54-yulation Indianapolis then won die coin toss in overtime and moved die ball fir enough for Vmderjagt to try a into the wind which he made Polian said that if it wasn’t sudden death coach Tbny Dungy certainly would nave chosen to punt on 23-2- Philadelphia because Tkgli-absaid die league had to study the ramifications for both competition and television coverage involved in teams adding two wild-carSome teams also are concerned Ihat only one team OT ' d ' 9 V' v |