PROVO — Within hours of the crowning of the state high school basketball champions each year, fans begin debating which team is better, the 4A champ or the 5A champ.

This debate is never settled in that same year. But unlike football, it's kind of settled a half year later on the court. That might be the claim that Provo fans are making following Friday's 57-52 double-overtime win by the Bulldogs over top-ranked and defending 5A champion Lone Peak.

"That's a statement some people might find in this win, but not us," Provo coach Craig Drury said. "It's way too early for that, only three games into preseason. I've had teams go 0-3 and still win a state championship. When we're playing for a state championship, that's the time for making a statement."

Still, the game lived up to the kind of billing that a No. 1 vs. No. 2 game deserves. Filled with two great Division I players on each team making great plays all night, it came down to Provo's two greats making more plays in the final extra period.

The back-breakers that finished the Knights off were a 3-pointer by Kyle Collinsworth early in the final overtime that gave Provo the lead for good, and back-to-back baskets by Brandon Davies that kept Provo ahead. Collinsworth finished with 26 and Davies added 13.

On the other side, Lone Peak's Tyler Haws carried the Knights for four quarters with 28 points and center Nate Austin came to the rescue late with 12, six of which came in the second OT, but neither could overcome the supporting cast of Provo.

"Basically, the great players neutralized each other, and the difference was the other guys," Drury said.

Through four quarters the Bulldogs, who played much of that without Davies because of foul trouble, got the best of the good-shot category while the Knights were doing a better job of getting to the free-throw line and second-chance baskets. In fact, Lone Peak's final two hoops in regulation were both put-back baskets.

Provo, with the score 40-40, wanted the final chance to win in regulation and ran off almost 90 seconds of time. But when Collinsworth drove to the basket with eight seconds on the clock, a quick double team forced him to dish off to Beau Hunter, who missed a hurried three.

Lone Peak had 2.1 seconds in which to get off a shot, and the Knights actually got a very good look. Out of a timeout, a length-of-the court pass to Haws was knocked away but right into the hands of Dillon Smith. But Smith's wide-open 3-point shot at the buzzer rattled in and back out, sending the game to overtime.

Haws sank two free throws early in the first OT to give Lone Peak the lead, but Davies tied the game again 42-42 on a tough baseline jumper. It was then Lone Peak's turn to go for one shot as the Knights ran off more than two minutes. With 11.9 seconds remaining, Haws tried to penetrate and spin toward the middle but ran into one of his own guys and a double-team, which forced him to pass out to Smith, whose second chance at a game-winner glanced off the iron, forcing another OT.

In that sixth frame, Lone Peak went up 44-43 on a put-back basket by Brandon Reeves. However, Collinsworth came right back with a 3-pointer, and after Lone Peak missed the front end of a one-and-one, Davies added an old-fashion 3-pointer to increase the Bulldog lead quickly to 49-44. The Bulldogs held on from there by making 6-of-8 free throws down the stretch.

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E-mail: jimr@desnews.com