WEST VALLEY CITY — The best boys basketball team in Class 3A ended the season where everybody figured they would — holding aloft a state championship trophy.
No. 1 Bear River put the finishing touches on a near-perfect season Saturday night at the E Center knocking off rival Logan 59-49 to claim the school's third state championship and first since 2000. The Bears finished the season with a 23-1 record.
"We've been working ever since we started playing basketball in the third grade to be to this point," said Bear River senior Wade Bronson. "It's like saving up your money and buying something you want. Once you get it you're just tickled to death to have it."
It wasn't easy beating Logan for the third time this season, but the Bears offensive balance and defensive commitment ultimately wore down Logan and proved to be the difference.
"It's like a dream come true. We've been wanting to play in the state championship since we were little, and this was opportunity, we just tried to make the most of it," said Bear River's Isaac Ericksen, who led all scorers with 17 points.
In a game both teams enjoyed the lead, the decisive stretch came early in the third quarter.
Back-to-back buckets by Jeff Manning and Omar McDade early in the second half pushed Logan in front 20-19. That's when Logan coach Van Park decided to mix up his defense. Bear River's half-court pressure defense often overwhelms teams, but Logan was prepared for it and didn't seem fazed.
"Where we know each other so well they had a very good scheme against our match-up pressure defense and they were attacking it very well," said Bear River coach Van Park. "In the third quarter we changed to a full-court man pressure, and they hadn't seen that from us before and the kids stepped up and did a great job."
That defensive switch changed momentum for good.
By forcing Logan into six turnovers during a 3-minute stretch of the third quarter, Bear River opened up a 34-24 lead, its largest of the game, with Bronson and Ericksen accounting for a combined 10 points.
Logan, which last won a boys basketball title in 1920, clawed to within five points on a several occasions in the fourth quarter, but Bear River always had a response mostly by burying 12-of-16 free throws in the fourth quarter.
Chris Brower and Matt Weyland chipped in with 11 and 10 points respectively, while Wade Bronson added nine for a Bear River team that's been the favorite since day one this season.
"I know that's what's most satisfying for these kids. They've known since the start of the season we were going to get everybody's best game," said Park, who is retiring as Bear River's boys basketball coach.
Early in the game nerves seemed to get the best of both teams. Bear River led 19-16 at the half after making only 8-of-26 shots, offensive struggles that Logan failed to take advantage of by turning it over eight times and making just 6-of-19 field goals and 4-of-10 free throws in the first half.
Logan continued to struggle from the foul line in the second half finishing the game 8 of 17. A few more makes along the way could've made the final minutes much more interesting.
In the loss, McDade and Manning each finished with 12 points.
3A All-Tournament Team
MVP — Isaac Ericksen, Bear River
Matt Weyland, Bear River
Wade Bronson, Bear River
Omar McDade, Logan
Darrick McIntosh, Logan
Dee Crandall, Judge
E-MAIL: jedward@desnews.com