Utah County Preps of the Week

Blake Johnson

Orem Tigers

Sport: Basketball

Class: Senior

Position: 6-foot-7 center

The numbers: In a year when outstanding centers at the high school level are few, Johnson has quietly become one of the better ones around. With little varsity experience coming into the season, he's one of the most-improved hoops players in the state and has played an effective post all season for the Tigers. In Orem's final Region 7 win, a 54-37 thumping of Timpanogos, Johnson hit every shot he took, scored 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. In the Tigers' opening-round upset win over Highland Monday, Johnson made three of four shots, scored nine points, grabbed nine rebounds, had one assist and one steal.

Mallory Bateman

Payson Lions

Sport: Basketball

Class: Senior

Position: 5-foot-10 forward

The numbers: Years from now when Payson people are talking about the Lions first-ever state championship in basketball, they'll surely talk about the "big shot." With her team down by one in the final minute, Bateman calmly sank a clutch 3-pointer that eventually sank the Timpview Thunderbirds. Even though she only scored seven points in the championship, she made the one that counted. She also had a great overall championship game — with nine rebounds, six steals and two assists. For the season, Bateman averaged almost nine boards per game, a little more than five steals, five assists and nine points.