Run to 5A finals highlights successful Riverton season

Once again, the Riverton Silverwolves had what it takes in the postseason.

At the 5A boys basketball tournament, held last week, Riverton advanced to the state championship game for the second-straight season. The Silverwolves notched three fairly comfortable wins en route to the state final.

And though they lost to Lone Peak in that game, the state tournament run was nonetheless a highly successful conclusion to the 2006-07 season for the Silverwolves, who defied the preseason prognostications of many around the state.

"It was an incredible experience because I got to coach the greatest group of guys," said coach Steve Galley.

Riverton began the year with an uncertain prospectus. Star senior Morgan Grim was back, but the Silverwolves lost a ton of experience from their state-finalist team. Galley and others wondered how everyone else would step up around Grim.

As it played out, the new guys, with Grim anchoring everything, were good enough to make another run at the state tournament.

"I think it's really an unbelievable feat," said Galley, "because I don't think anybody would've picked us to do that after we lost all those seniors a year ago."

It took another senior crop to help offset the losses. In 2007, Riverton had five senior starters — Grim, Steven Galley, Kace Cram, Brad Kraft and Baylor Burnside — and reserve players stepped up, too.

Then there was Grim, who signed with the University of Utah during the early-signing period last November. The talented forward broke his nose early in the season and wore a protective mask afterward. It didn't change his dominance, though.

Despite double teams, triple teams and the fact that opposing teams constantly tried to take him away, Grim was usually unstoppable. He finished as the leading scorer in 5A, averaging 21 points per game.

Grim's individual brilliance isn't what Galley will remember most about the forward, however. Instead, as Galley pointed out, the thing that made Grim so special was his ability to make others better.

"The thing is, I'm most proud of Morgan (because) he knew he was a star, and he still wanted to improve his teammates," said Galley. "And he really, truly understood what was required to make his teammates better."

Since Ute coach Ray Giacoletti resigned last week, Grim's future at Utah has been left in doubt. As things currently stand, Galley said he can only speculate on what will happen to Grim's collegiate plans.