Defending champs Orem tabbed team to beat in 4A

Some teams might feel some pressure trying to defend a state title. But the Orem Tigers are too busy trying to win their next game to worry about the possibility of repeating their championship run in February.

"We don't really talk about it," said defending 4A champion coach Ross Reed. "They don't care. They realize last year was last year, and we still have to go out and try to just win our next game. We're just trying to get better each day and trying to make the state tournament."

Coaches voted Orem No. 1 in preseason polls in part because the team returns three of last year's starters, who are seniors this season. Jamie Sagers, a 6-5 center, who averaged 12 points and seven rebounds last season and will play at Southern Utah next year, will be key in the paint for Orem. Point guard Delyse Downey, who averaged seven points and three assists, will run the team's offense and is one of the state's best defenders. Forward Jessica Saliby, who averaged seven points and nine rebounds last season, also returns.

"Our region is very tough," Reed said. "It's going to be just like last year, and you can't do anything but worry about one game at a time."

Reed is trying to prepare his team for the feisty teams in Region 7 with a preseason that would scare lesser squads. The Tigers opened with a close loss to American Fork and then defeated Olympus, a perennial power in girls basketball. Tuesday night they faced 5A's Timpanogos and Thursday they'll take on Murray, a team coaches ranked second in the preseason but with a win over Riverton, the Spartans are currently ranked first in 4A.

"If you look at our preseason, it's tough," Reed said. "People ask me why I make it so tough, and I say if you played in the region we played in, you'd understand if you're going to have a chance you've got to play tough games ... The preseason for us is, yeah we want to win, but the goal is to get better. And you have to play good teams to get better."

Murray was voted second in preseason polls by coaches, but the Spartans have already overtaken Orem in the 4A rankings. The team not only returns seniors Chavalah Washington, Jaclyn Cowley, Koby Solorio, Kylie Murakami and Adris Allen, but it benefited in the paint from move-in Sadie Maughan. The 6-foot-3 senior moved from Colorado during the summer and earned second-team all-state honors in volleyball as she helped the Spartans to a second-place finish in the state tournament.

"I haven't had anybody over 5-10 in I don't know how long," said Murray coach Lisa White. "They have to respect her ... She has skills, and she's a threat. Having her inside relieves some of the pressure on our guards."