High school boys basketball: 5A state tournament capsules

As dominant as No. 1 Lone Peak has been throughout the 2012-13 basketball season, the outcome of next week’s 5A state tournament is probably a foregone conclusion. However, that doesn’t mean the state tournament will lack drama — in fact, far from it. Class 5A has been very balanced this season, and the “inevitable” battle for second place figures to be very competitive.

Realistically, as many as seven teams from the top half of the bracket (Alta, Bingham, Weber, Hunter, Syracuse, American Fork and Jordan) are good enough to win three straight games next week and advance to the state championship.

Lone Peak’s toughest test in the bottom half of the bracket, and perhaps the entire tournament, could come from Brighton in a potential semifinal matchup. It would be a rematch of last year’s 5A state championship, which was won easily by Lone Peak.

Here's a team-by-team look at the 14 teams who've already qualified for the 5A state tournament and the four teams who are trying to play their way into the tournament on Friday.

James Edward is the Deseret News prep editor and Real Salt Lake beat writer. Email: jedward@desnews.com; Twitter: @dnewspreps