Provo's Wesley earns top award

At times, Tai Wesley must feel like a piece of fly paper. He can't walk on a basketball court without having two or three men instantly stick to him.

Early this season, it was a frustrating feeling for the Provo High 6-foot-7 senior center. Last season, he had his older brother Tika, a first-team All-State selection, to take away most of the attention. But this year he was the Bulldogs' main man.

Opposing coaches immediately adopted the philosophy that if they stopped Wesley from scoring, they'd beat Provo. From the first tip of the season, he was double- and triple-teamed. However, once Wesley and his teammates figured out how to deal with the defensive attention, opposing teams couldn't figure out how to stop him.

He almost single-handedly led the Bulldogs from mid-season mediocrity to a Class 4A state title. Despite the nightly double-teams, Wesley shot 65 percent from the floor, averaged almost 17 points per game, eight rebounds, four assists, two blocks and a steal. In four games at the state tournament, he averaged 19.25 points, earning him the tournament MVP.

Wesley's numbers, his standout senior season and the manner in which he carried the Bulldogs to their 15th state crown has garnered him another honor — Deseret Morning News 2003-04 Mr. Basketball.

"He's one of the best players I've ever coached, if not the best," said Provo coach Craig Drury, who has seen a lot of dandies in his 27 years of coaching.

Opposing coaches who fell victim to Wesley are also heaping praise on the Provo star.

"He's the best player in the state," Lone Peak coach Quincy Lewis said. "He can score with his back to the basket, face up and score or hit open 3s. His greatest strength as a player though is his 'mean streak.' All your really good players have it."

Some believe that Wesley benefited from playing on a team without many offensive weapons. However, others say that's what makes his performance so impressive. He'd often touch the ball five or six times on a possession until he dissected the defense and diagnosed a way to score. He was masterful with his options in four games at the state tournament.

"We were just throwing the ball into him and saying 'here, beat 'em,' and he did," Drury said.