For the first three years of her high school career, the scouting report on Milika Satuala was a pretty simple one — sag off the perimeter and defend the drive.
Satuala likely wasn’t going to shoot a 3-pointer anyway, and even if she did, she only connected at a 23% clip. Instead, she did her damage with powerful dribble penetration that was usually an automatic paint touch, leading to her own shot at the rim or a kickout to an open teammate.
Despite that limitation offensively, Satuala was still voted a 5A first team all-stater her sophomore and junior seasons as one of the top players in the state.
To truly elevate her game, Satuala knew she needed to become an all-around offensive player.
It hadn’t been an issue her first three years at Bountiful, as the team won three straight 5A titles, but circumstances were changing heading into her senior year. Not only was Satuala expected to take on a larger role offensively, but it was the most talked about thing by college coaches during recruiting conversations: She needed to become a better shooter.
So that’s what Satuala and her dad worked on endlessly over the summer during daily workouts, whether at the EOS gym or the South Davis Rec Center. Day after day, shot after shot, needing to end with five in a row from multiple spots, Satuala just kept putting in the work.
“Just the same drills at the end of every session, always working on the same 3-point things, just the consistency and implementing those things,” Satuala said.
By the time her senior season arrived, Satuala had transformed her game and had the green light to shoot — and the confidence to shoot. Her bread and butter was still dribble penetration, but she was now a threat from behind the arc, finishing the season shooting 45% as her volume went from eight 3-pointers as a junior to 44 as a senior.
It effectively closed the last weakness to her game.
“It definitely adds another thing for the other team to think about, because before, that wasn’t a tool in my bag, 3-point shooting. They didn’t have to worry about it,” said Satuala.
Satuala could now play all five positions at a high level and defend all five positions, too.
Even though Bountiful’s quest for a four-peat came up short in the semifinals, Satuala finished her senior season averaging 22.1 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.7 steals and 2.0 assists, and is this year’s Deseret News Ms. Basketball recipient — the 32nd in the history of the award.
In the final two games of her career, she looked right at home on the Huntsman Center floor. She recorded 28 points and nine rebounds in a quarterfinal win over Maple Mountain, and then in a semifinal overtime loss to West, she poured in 32 points — with five 3-pointers — and added seven rebounds.
It capped a phenomenal career as she finishes as the second-leading scorer in Bountiful history, just nine points shy of Taylor Harvey, her teammate for the previous three seasons.
“She’s had one heck of a career there at Bountiful,” said Bountiful coach Joel Burton. “Just big shot after big shot and major block after major block. And I’ve said for a long time, I’m glad she’s been at Bountiful so we haven’t had to try to find the answer for her, because she’s just, she is so good.”
Her career started out with a bang, cracking Bountiful’s starting five early in her freshman season. Then, she capped that season by hitting the game-winning shot in the 5A state championship game to deny Springville a third-straight championship.
With all the success she had that freshman season, Satuala put a lot of pressure on herself the next season and each successive season. But each year, she came back better than ever, including this season.
“There was definitely pressure, mostly from myself. It’s not like anyone was pressuring me or anything, just being able to be better than the last year and to help lead the team,” said Satuala.
A huge part of what helped Satuala improve year after year was her physicality, which in many ways was a byproduct of family time.
Satuala is the youngest of three children. Her older sister, Emrie Moea’i, just finished up her college volleyball career at the University of Utah, which also included a freshman season at Idaho State.
Her older brother, Faletau Satuala, is two years older and plays on BYU’s football team.
Their father only played one year of high school football and was by no means a star athlete, but he could see in his kids at a young age that they had athletic potential.
“As we got older, he could see that was our route of sending us to college, opening up pathways outside of sports,” said Milika Satuala.
Family time often became gym time, and Satuala admits some tears were shed along the way as the siblings got stronger together.
“It wasn’t always lifting, it was starting with just like agility training and stuff with my siblings and my dad. It was like our hangout time,” said Satuala. “I wasn’t always a fan of sprints and anything like that. And then the more I grew into it these past couple years, I’ve definitely enjoyed lifting more.
“We would go lift at the gym with my siblings. When we got older, my dad was the one always training us. Definitely a lot of tears shed. It’s hard to tell between when he’s like your dad and your coach, and so definitely that was a hard part about lifting, but he knows a lot, so it was worth it to implement this physicality and bring that to the table.”
The physicality was a huge part of her ability to get into the lane and finish through the years. It’s also allowed her to defend every position on the floor and be a strong rebounder as well. With her physique, Satuala should be ready to compete collegiately right when she steps on court at the University of Utah this fall.
Amid all the success during her four years at Bountiful, she’s never let it go to her head. Satuala’s humility has remained the same all four years, earning the praise of her own coaches, but also of opposing coaches who’ve admired her grace from afar.
“She’s one of the best people I’ve ever met. I’d say that about everybody in her family. I mean, it shows that her upbringing with her mom and dad. I mean, they really believe in that and treating people with respect and being kind,” said Burton. “Yes, she was a leader, but it wasn’t so much the vocal leader that you’d tend to see. It was just ‘follow me,’ and I’m hoping our kids have paid attention. That kid is amazing — better person than she is a basketball player, and that says a lot about her.”
Satuala said she’s humbled by the accolades she’s received during her high school career in volleyball and basketball, and is excited for the next chapter in her career at the University of Utah.
32 years of Deseret News Ms. Basketball recipients
- 2026 — Milika Satuala, Bountiful
- 2025 — Emilee Skinner, Ridgeline
- 2024 — Emilee Skinner, Ridgeline
- 2023 — Kailey Woolston, Lone Peak
- 2022 — Teya Sidberry, Judge Memorial
- 2021 — Emma Calvert, Fremont
- 2020 — Kennady McQueen, North Summit
- 2019 — Kemery Martin, Corner Canyon
- 2018 — Lauren Gustin, Salem Hills
- 2017 — Taylor Moeaki, American Fork
- 2016 — Kennedy Redding, Bountiful
- 2015 — Lindsey Jensen, Sky View
- 2014 — Shelbee Molen, Fremont
- 2013 — Malia Nawahine, Springville
- 2012 — Brittney Martin, Syracuse
- 2011 — Brittney Martin, Syracuse
- 2010 — Lexi Eaton, Springville
- 2009 — Kimberly Parker, Wasatch
- 2008 — Jenteal Jackson, Skyline
- 2007 — Tasha Dickey, Brighton
- 2006 — Michelle Harrison, Mountain View
- 2005 — Vanessa Hutson, Brighton
- 2004 — Mallary Gillespie, Mountain View
- 2003 — Heather Hansen, Mountain View
- 2002 — Nancy Seljaas, Bountiful
- 2001 — Danielle Cheesman, Mountain View
- 2000 — Lana Sitterud, Lone Peak
- 1999 — Erin Thorn, Mountain View
- 1998 — Lisa Osguthorpe, Mountain View
- 1997 — Sarah Pratt, Mountain View
- 1998 — Megan Jensen, Davis
- 1997 — Emily Freeze, Timpview