If you attend a prep basketball game this week, don't be surprised when you see coaches walking around in suits and sneakers.

As a gesture of showing support for Tooele coach Gary Alverson and Taylorsville coach John Bowman, the Utah High School Basketball Coaches Association has set aside the week of Feb. 6-11 as Cancer Awareness Week.

The coaches hope the gesture increases cancer awareness and reiterates a need to find a cure for the deadly disease. All donations can be made to the American Cancer Society at 1-800-ACS-2345.

Alverson was stricken with lung cancer 13 months ago, and on Wednesday, Tooele paid tribute to Alverson and his many years as an educator and a coach prior to its game with Grantsville. Alverson's condition took a turn for the worse a little more than a week ago, and Tooele moved the tribute up nine days from Feb. 10, to ensure Alverson was alive and coherent enough to comprehend how much he meant to so many people.

Last year, Bowman was diagnosed with cancer in several areas of his body.

SAYING THANKS: During halftime of this Tuesday's game with Cyprus, Highland High School will retire the jersey of former star Jeff Judkins.

Judkins, currently BYU's women's basketball coach, graduated from Highland in 1974, and was an all-stater in basketball, football and baseball. He then went on to star for the University of Utah from 1974-78, followed by a five-year NBA career.

QUITE A STORM: The Celtic Storm girls soccer club had eight players sign letters of intent last week to play college soccer, including four out-of-state signees.

The signees are: Timpanogos' Shayla Adams (Dixie State), Jordan's Paige Collett (New Mexico), Lone Peak's Laura Goodrich (Southern Utah), Jordan's Amber Nordhagen (UVSC), Orem's Chelsey Norton (New Mexico), Park City's Alex Phillips (Washington), American Fork's Adrienne Schneider (UVSC) and Waterford's Jessie Sorenson (Gonzaga).

SIX MORE SCHOLARSHIPS: Six boys soccer players from the Inter FC under-18 team signed letters of intent on Feb. 1 to play soccer out of state.

The signees include the following: Mountain View's James Jaramillo (UCLA), Layton's Kellen Christensen (Denver), Woods Cross' David Gates (Oregon State), Juan Diego's Tysen Gehring (Oakland), Park City's Reed Baker (Fullerton) and Weber's Andrew Morris (Loyola Marymount).

KEARNS FOOTBALL: The Granite School District's human resources department is accepting applications for Kearns High School's head football coach. Applications will be accepted until 3:30 p.m. on Friday.

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E-mail: jedward@desnews.com