Bruins' Harrison headlines 2006 hoops honorees

Team leaders one and all, the girls that comprise the 2006 Deseret Morning News All-Utah Valley team played basketball at a different level than the others in the valley. Some took their teams to the promise land, securing playoff berths and wins. Some even won state titles or made it to the championship game. And they all put on a show for the fans. From 3-point shooting to incredible defense, wracking up the points to pulling in the boards, these girls could do it all.

Though only 11 could be honored on the all-valley first team, many more deserved accolades, and plenty of girls showed basketball is alive and well in Utah Valley. But rising above them all and leading the entire county was a girl that needs no introduction.

MVP

Michelle Harrison, 6-foot-2 senior forward, Mountain View

Harrison has improved her game every year throughout high school, and she's accepted a scholarship offer to Stanford University to play next fall. Harrison has a broad range of capabilities which make it difficult on anyone to stop her or even contain her. Harrison knows how to play down low in the paint, grabbing boards, blocking shots, dishing off to teammates and scoring with a nice soft touch from any range on the court.

Named by her coaches and others in the valley as the top player in the state, the opposition generally focused on controlling Harrison when they took on the Bruins. But rarely could anyone truly control Harrison. She scored 383 points, averaging more than 18 points per game. She led her team to the state finals against a tough Skyline squad that was playing its best ball of the season. Only some amazing performances by the Eagles stole Harrison's last chance at a title.

A couple more girls on this year's all-valley team did get the chance to harness that elusive title.

First team

Lindsie Wilson, 6-foot-2 senior forward, Orem: Wilson led the Tigers all year from beyond the arc and driving to the hole. And she played her all-around game to a T in the playoffs as the Tigers took the title behind some great teamwork. Wilson could play around the basket, but she was also a threat from the outside. She scored 284 points during the season en route to nearly 12 points per game, and she drained 34 treys for a nearly two-per-game average. Most of all, she knew when to take over and when to let her teammates step up.

Delyse Downey, 5-foot-3 junior guard, Orem: One of those teammates was also one of the shortest players on