Beky Beaton / American Fork Citizen

For two years they’d had to endure it.

The doubt. The questions. The enormous pain of losing in a state championship game two years in a row, the way only a teenage athlete can feel it – like it was the end of the world. The year before they’d been the favorite, and that made it sting even more.

When the 1975-76 basketball season started, the players on the American Fork boys basketball team were on a mission – to win that elusive state title. Interviewed after they achieved their goal, point guard David Dean told a reporter that there was “no way we were going to let that happen again.”

It’s not like this team had come out of nowhere. Everyone knew they were good; they had been for years. Some of the seniors had been on varsity for three seasons and had only gotten better.

Wesley Ruff, ABC4 sports anchor, was a senior playing for Springville that season. The Red Devils were one of the Cavemen’s league foes. “Their second team could have started for most teams in Utah County,” he said.

The team had experienced great success in Region 6, winning three straight league championships, and American Fork appeared most of the time in the top three of the 3A rankings for that entire stretch. They had earned the state silver trophy twice, but they wanted more.

However, making a wish or setting a goal doesn’t make it so. They still had to do whatever it took, day by day, practice by practice, game by game.

They rolled to a 12-0 record in the league and wrapped up their fourth consecutive region title weeks before the tournament. Right after that though, the Cavemen lost to Pleasant Grove in overtime, a repeat of a defeat exactly one year earlier which had ruined a perfect record then too.

American Fork responded by trouncing Springville 86-59 to finish the regular season. Keep in mind this was before the adoption of the 3-point shot, which was still a decade away. “We thought we could have beaten them, but they were mad,” Ruff said. “Their team culture was great.”

The loss to the Vikings may in part explain how the Cavemen were considered the underdogs to defending state champion Davis when the tournament started, but that only added fuel to the fire.

The first-round opponent was Cyprus. The game started a little tentatively, but American Fork quickly warmed to the task, building a 24-8 lead by the end of the first quarter and going on to an 89-44 victory using the entire roster.

Cedar City put up a stiffer fight in the quarterfinal, but the net result was the same. The Cavemen raced out to a 27-10 advantage in the initial period and cruised to a 98-84 victory. The Redmen made up a few points only late in the contest against American Fork’s deep reserves.

That brought on the Dixie Flyers in the 3A semifinals. Dean called this “one of the best games of all time.” A sportswriter of the day opined, “The Cavemen’s triple-overtime victory … was one of the most memorable games ever played in the long, illustrious history of Utah prep basketball.”

American Fork trailed by eight points early in the third quarter but then mounted an 18-4 run to gain a six-point advantage. The Flyers fought back and worked to a 65-63 lead with seconds left and looked to have punched their ticket to the final.

However, forward Andy Burgess managed to beat the buzzer with a 10-foot jumper to send the game into overtime.

Dixie got ahead in both of the next two periods, but each time the Cavemen responded as first center Mike Bond and then guard Brian Hansen hit jump shots to tie the score and bring on another chance.

A successful drive by Bond followed by a made free throw was the key play that secured the 81-77 victory for American Fork in the third extra stanza.

The Darts could be forgiven for thinking that such a long, tiring game for their next-day foe would be to their advantage. They had sailed through the earlier semifinal and no doubt watched at least part of the subsequent game to size up their opponents.

If that was indeed their opinion, it turned out to be wrong.

In front of 10,000 fans in the Marriott Center plus a statewide TV audience, the Cavemen took the floor. The teams battled toe-to-toe through the first half and American Fork had only a slight lead of 22-19 heading into the locker room at the break.

However, once they returned to the court, they owned it, leaving no doubt by outscoring Davis 46-30 in the second half to roll to the 68-49 oh-so-sweet victory.

“Psychologically, we wanted it more,” Coach Carl Ingersoll told a reporter, who also noted that the coach had “been living with the bridesmaid syndrome more closely than any other human these past couple of years.”

Ingersoll added, “I know there were some who stayed away tonight, thinking that we’d do it again. But we soft-pedalled that second-place business. We had confidence in our program.”

With gold trophy in hand at last, the Cavemen rode into the sunset. It was the school’s first hoops title since 1962, and the first after they had joined the “bigger school” ranks. Class 4A was as high as it went in those days and Class 3A wasn’t far behind in prominence.

This was a rich year in the state for athletic talent on the court, with a crop that included Bruce Hurst, Scott Runia, Danny Vranes, Scott Labrum and others who would be familiar to Utah basketball fans. Yet even with that competition, the Cavemen racked up an impressive list of post-season honors.

Ingersoll skippered American Fork to another title in 1979 and eventually went on to an assistant coaching job at BYU. Though well past 90 now, he continues to attend ball games whenever he can to watch his numerous descendants and relatives or just for the fun of going.

The echoes of this team and its other personalities have continued to resonate down through the years. Many have assisted the program as coaches, booster parents and fans. Some of their children have suited up for the Cavemen, or played against them.

The team’s reputation for toughness has remained intact too. Here’s an anecdote shared by Reed Bromley, a player on a later team who also coached at American Fork. He shared an experience with Frank Pulley, a junior reserve on the 1976 team who played in the post despite being only six feet tall.

Pulley also had a nickname: the Wolverine, which may offer a clue to his approach to the game. “He only got limited minutes that year but talking to the seniors, he brought a fight to the team that was impacting in them winning that state title,” Bromley said. “Every practice was a war.

“Well, Frank served for years as a volunteer fireman in AF and was also an assistant sophomore coach for Bob Eckles,” Bromley went on. “He was so great and again taught toughness like few I’ve seen. I had first-hand experience with what the varsity boys in 1976 must have gone through.

“I was afraid to come to practice for nearly two weeks because I had caught Frank with an elbow and I knew the Wolverine would get his revenge,” Bromley explained.

Enough said.

See https://afcitizen.com/2026/01/31/cavemen-celebrate-1976-state-basketball-champs/ for the story on the celebration.

Beky Beaton / American Fork Citizen

The semicentennial celebration of the 1976 American Fork High School state championship boys basketball team raised an interesting question: What happens to the hometown heroes once the cheers fade away and the trophy gets locked up in a display case?

The answer will of course be different for every team, but for this 1976 group, it blends both disparate and singular paths.

Following graduation, the seniors scattered to attend school, serve missions and get on with the business of life. They married, started careers and had families. Some stayed close by, others moved to different parts of the country.

Most remarkably, however, wherever their individual paths led, they took with them the friendships and camaraderie they shared as a member of this team, and those bonds remain strong today despite the passage of 50 years and all the living that stretch of time contains.

As the team regathered to celebrate their achievements a couple of weeks ago, the seniors were asked to share something about their lives after high school. Below are excerpts from the notes they gave, in their own words except for necessary editing.

The players are listed in the order of their uniform numbers and roster information from the original document is included. The state tournament program noted that American Fork High School had an enrollment of 910 that year. It has about 2 ½ times that today.

#22 Brian Hansen 6-1 G

Brian has worked the last 42 years as a financial advisor and is currently splitting time living in St. George and Mapleton. He’s married to Pamela. “We’ve spent the last 30 years raising his, her and our kids. Between the two of us we have two girls and five boys. We Love hanging out with our kids and 10 amazing grandchildren.”

#25 David Dean 5-7 G

“After graduation, I attended BYU on a leadership scholarship. I was offered a chance to join the basketball program as a walk-on but declined because I was planning to go on a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I served two years in El Salvador. After returning home of course I went to the high school to visit with the coaches. At this moment Carl Ingersoll introduced me to Molly Doxey and the rest is history. Forty-seven years later, three sons, two daughters, wonderful sons- and daughters-in-law and soon to be 10 grandkids.” Dave is a retired air-traffic controller. He began his career in California because that’s where he could get a job but returned to Utah at the earliest opportunity and spent the rest of his working life at the Salt Lake City airport. He lives in Highland.

#32 Robert Shelley 5-9 G

“I served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Buenos Aires, Argentina. I graduated from BYU and received an MBA from Harvard Business School. I spent 28 years in the insurance industry working with Progressive, AAA, and Mapfre, which is the largest insurer in Latin America and Spain. I finished my career as CEO of a DIY home security startup. I married my high school sweetheart Kristen McGhie and we have four children and 14 grandchildren. I moved back home to Alpine 30 years ago and I’m still a Caveman and BYU superfan. I love the mountains and skiing and riding motorcycles, ATVs, Razors and snowmobiles.”

#34 Gary Cook 6-2 G

“I graduated from BYU, served a mission in Spain for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and then worked as a CPA in both public and private industry, primarily in Louisiana and Colorado. After I moved to the Denver area in 1988, I enjoyed having the AF high school varsity basketball team come and stay at my house for a week each summer as they participated in a Denver-area summer high school basketball tournament. It was one big slumber party with up to 30 people sleeping in my house at a time for this anywhere they could find space. This happened for at least 15 years if I remember correctly.” Gary and his wife Ellen had seven children.

“For years I thought winning the state basketball championship was one of the biggest and most positive events of my life. But after raising our kids and experiencing their friends, coaches and general high school environments, I have realized that associating with my 1976 basketball teammates has been one of the crown jewels of my life. Their character, drive, ambition, example, show of faith and general lives helped create an atmosphere that helped me have a great experience in high school, including on the basketball court. The same is true for the coaches, second to none in their knowledge of the game, their desire to excel and example in character and faith. It’s been so fun to see everyone at the reunion and be treated so well by the current coaching staff. Go AF!”

#35 Randal Thomas 6-2 G

“After high school graduation, I served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Argentina, then graduated from BYU, graduated medical school in Washington DC, then completed training in Atlanta and at Stanford to be a physician in cardiology. I’m currently professor of cardiovascular medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester MN, keeping busy with clinical care, teaching and research. Also, I have enjoyed a variety of church service. With my wife Jodee, we have six children and 16 ½ grandchildren.”

#40 Andy Burgess 6-2 F

“Following high school, I attended BYU on a football scholarship. After one year at BYU, I served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Illinois Chicago Mission. After my mission, I resumed my schooling and football at BYU. I married Wealtha Mendenhall in the fall of 1979. My field of study was Civil Engineering. After a year home from my mission, I decided to end my football career and focus on my education and my family. I graduated in 1985 with two of our children in tow. I went to work for a national construction company building large concrete structures in the intermountain west. I retired after 39 years with this company.  

“Wealtha and I have three boys and three girls. We have enjoyed following all of our children in their school activities and sports. We had a great deal of fun following four of the six in college sporting events. We have stayed very busy with our children and now we are enjoying our retirement by following 30 grandchildren. Wealtha and I have served in many city and cultural responsibilities as well as church responsibilities over the years. We currently live in Alpine and serve as missionaries to the Paradise Branch in Alpine. We both love our teammates and friends at AF High!”

#45 Dave Nerdin 6-2 F

“I served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to the Venezuela Caracas Mission. I married the former Rhonda Southwick of Lehi. I worked at Bank of American Fork, Utah Power and Light, Navitaire (an airlines reservation company) and currently I work as a Registered Representative with Transamerica Financial Advisors, Inc.

“Rhonda and I have four children, Skyler (Kinslee), Trevor (Candice), Ashlee (Mark) and Braxton (Brynlie) and 19 grandchildren. I have served in various church assignments including bishop and in a stake presidency. I served heavily in the Boy Scouts of America in various positions including Lehi District Scout Commissioner and Wood Badge Course Director. I have served for more than 40 years in the Lehi Roundup Rodeo organization including the past 17 years as the Rodeo Concessions chair with Rhonda. We live in Lehi.”

#54 Mike Bond 6-4 C

After graduation, Mike played basketball at Utah Tech, now Utah Valley University. He worked for Geneva Steel and Union Pacific, later running his own business in southern California. He’s married and has three kids and five grandkids. Mike loves to take his grandkids to Tabiona to hunt and ride 4-wheelers, but the favorite activity is to enjoy his grandkids at Lake Powell.

#55 Ron Allen 6-6 C Ron worked as an Electrical Planner for 35 years. For the last 37 years he’s been living in Spokane WA, where he worked for Kaiser Aluminum. Prior to that he lived in Long Beach CA and worked for Matson Terminals after some time in Green River WY. “I met my beautiful bride Julie in California years ago and we have two awesome kids – Jacob and Hunter. I retired five years ago. My wife and I travel the world and we’re still traveling. Life is great!”

Beky Beaton / American Fork Citizen

The American Fork High School girls basketball team dropped their final Region 3 game by a single point on the road. The Cavemen finished fourth in the challenging group but ended up with a 13-8 record overall. They received the No. 9 seed in the final 6A RPI rankings.

After a bye in the first round, they get a fresh start as the playoffs begin when they will visit No. 8 Davis (15-8), the second-place team in Region 1, on Thursday (Feb. 19) at 7 p.m. American Fork beat the Darts at home by 10 points in January.

If the Cavemen win this game, they will advance to the state quarterfinals to play No. 1 Westlake (19-4), the Region 2 second-place team, on Feb. 25 at 7:30 p.m. at the University of Utah’s Huntsman Center.

They rely on two adept scorers in junior shooting guard Jalise Chatman and senior small forward Julia Fugal, who together have averaged about 28 points per game and also contribute in other ways. The players also have some size and quickness and are capable of applying good defense.

This American Fork team won nine more games this season than last and had multiple close losses, so they’re going to be a tough out for any opponent if they play up to their potential.

Feb. 13: Skyridge 56, American Fork 55

The Cavemen kept pace with the Falcons on the road at the start of this contest, ending the initial quarter trailing by just two points. However, they struggled through the second period and fell behind 19-30 at the half.

They reduced the deficit by one bucket in the third quarter but then mounted a furious rally, taking the lead in the late stages of the game before the home school netted a long shot that ended the clash in their favor.

Nine players scored in an all-out team effort. Chatman led the charge with a double-double of 15 points and 13 rebounds. Senior power forward Taylor Jensen added nine points with three boards.

Fugal tallied eight points with eight rebounds and freshman small forward Maya Durrant scored eight points as well with six boards and two blocks. Junior point guard Morgan Felix collected six steals and dished out four assists.

“Our effort was unbelievable,” said Coach Robert Harmon. “The girls worked and played so hard the entire night, they really gave their all in this game.

“It’s not the way we wanted the regular season to end, but I’m so proud of these girls and the amount of hard work they’ve put in all year,” he went on.

“I have pushed them hard and thrown a lot of new concepts and expectations on them, and these amazing girls showed up each day willing to work and wanting to learn,” the coach said.

“As much as this game hurt, it has prepared us for what’s next and helps build us for what we’re ultimately trying to accomplish: a state championship,” Harmon concluded.

Beky Beaton / America Fork Citizen

The American Fork High School boys basketball team ended the regular season on the road at Skyridge. Since losing to the Cavemen in the first round of league play, the surging Falcons had won five games in a row and were gunning for the upset on their Senior Night.

It took overtime to accomplish it, but American Fork eventually prevailed in the thriller to end Region 3 play at 7-1 with a 16-7 overall record. The Cavemen drew the No. 2 seed in the final 6A RPI rankings and got a pass in the first round.

They will start the playoffs in the second round by hosting No. 15 Copper Hills (7-16), the last-place team from Region 2, on Friday (Feb. 20) at 7 p.m.

If the Cavemen advance to the quarterfinals on Feb. 25, they will face either No. 7 Skyridge (15-8) or No.10 Herriman (15-8) at 12:50 p.m. at the University of Utah’s Huntsman Center.

The Cavemen reversed their overall record from last season with most of the same players and were dominant in rugged Region 3 with the second-toughest overall schedule in 6A, according to the UHSAA’s own numbers.

The team is built around the two senior pillars of Bryce Mella and Jax Clark. Mella is a very tall guard with elite ball skills and shooting touch, while Clark is one of the state’s few true big men this year and a monster down low. Together they average about 33 points, 14 rebounds and six assists per contest.

However, they are also surrounded by a group of teammates who are, like them, unselfish and hard-working, demons on defense and resilient in adapting to ever-changing game situations.

With a championship coach at the helm and a team-first mindset, American Fork has to be considered one of the favorites to win it all this year, though as is normally the case, they will have to earn it in a challenging field.

Feb. 13: American Fork 61, Skyridge 58 (OT)

This contest was tight from bell to bell and played out as a nail-biter. The Cavemen had the slim early lead at 11-9 after the first quarter, and the margin remained the same at the half as each team netted 17 points during the fast-paced second period.

American Fork inched ahead in the third quarter to take a four-point advantage into the final stanza, but a furious rally by the home squad down the stretch knotted the game at 55-all before the final whistle.

Every point was hard to come by in the overtime, but the Cavemen did enough to pocket the win as an appropriate exclamation point on their league season.

Mella posted a double-double of 24 points with 10 rebounds and also had six assists. Clark added 12 points with six boards and three assists.

Senior guard Ashton Hucks hit three triples and finished with 11 points. Sophomore wing Dieter Tuitavuki and junior guard Jax Oyler each canned a pair of treys and Oyler also registered three assists and four steals.

“We beat a really tough team on the road in overtime,” said Coach Ryan Cuff. “The kids played tough. Defense was our strength at the end. I’m proud of our guys for their toughness and the way they all play so hard together.”

Beky Beaton / American Fork Citizen

The tournament brackets for Class 6A have been released. The American Fork basketball teams both earned byes in the first round and here’s how each is positioned entering the upcoming state tournament.

The first two rounds will be played at home sites and the rest of the tournament will be contested at the University of Utah’s Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City.

Girls

Season record: 3-5 Region 3 (4th), 13-8 overall

Final RPI ranking: 9 in 6A

MaxPreps ranking: 10 in 6A, 23 statewide

Next contest: Feburary 19 at Davis, 7 p.m.

Prospects: The Cavemen won nine more games this season than last and had multiple close losses, so they’re going to be a tough out if they play to their potential. They get a fresh start as the playoffs begin when they will visit #8 Davis (15-8), the second-place team in Region 1. American Fork beat the Darts at home by 10 points in January. If the Cavemen win this game, they will advance to the state quarterfinals to play #1 Westlake (19-4), the Region 2 second-place team, on Feb. 25 at 7:30 p.m.

Boys

Season record: 7-1 Region 3 (1st), 16-7 overall

Final RPI ranking: 2 in 6A

MaxPreps ranking: 1 in 6A, 4 statewide

Next contest: February 20 at home, 7 p.m. Prospects: The Cavemen reversed their overall record from last season with most of the same players and were dominant in rugged Region 3. They are definitely one of the favorites to win it all this year. They will host #15 Copper Hills (7-16), the last-place team from Region 2, on Friday. American Fork has not played the Grizzlies this season. If the Cavemen advance to the quarterfinals on Feb. 25, they will face either #7 Skyridge (15-8) or #10 Herriman (15-8) at 12:50 p.m.

Beky Beaton / American Fork Citizen

The American Fork boys wrestling team had one bronze medalist as they finished up the season at the 6A state wrestling tournament at Utah Valley University’s UCCU Center on Feb. 11-12. Mountain Ridge won the team championship with 225 points. The Cavemen came in 15^th place.

Junior Cohen Mortensen earned the bronze medal in the 144 weight class. He registered first-period pins in the initial two rounds over Lehi and Layton but dropped a close match against Riverton in the semifinal.

He qualified for his spot in the placement match with a fall over Mountain Ridge at 1:08, then claimed his medal with a 22-5 technical fall over Layton at the 4:18 mark.

“Cohen lost to a very good Riverton kid,” said Coach Cody Mortensen. “To get to an elite level of wrestling, as these top 6A kids are, takes thousands and thousands of hours lifting weights and training. So I have nothing but respect and admiration for these kids that put in this type of work.

“Cougar Wilson, Tekoa Stotts and Kade Durrant fell one match short of placement, all losing very close matches,” he continued. “Ideally, we would have placed 3-4 kids this year, but things just didn’t break that way. It felt like everything broke our way during divisionals, but nothing did during state.

“I am super proud of our guys and the fight they brought to every match,” the coach said. “They represented themselves and the school very well.

“On the bright side, we have eight state qualifiers returning next season. We also have a large eighth grade class that did very well at Youth Super State that will join the program next year, including Youth Super State Champion Burk Mecham.

“Overall, we should add around 15 freshman wrestlers next year that have been working with assistant coach Michael Herring. The future of American Fork wrestling is very bright,” Coach Mortensen concluded.

Here’s how the other Cavemen did at the tournament by weight class:

• At 113, Jacob Pletsch earned one win by technical fall over Bingham against two losses.
• At 120, TJ Varney was eliminated by two falls.
• At 120, Hudson Bauerle lost both of his matches.
• At 126, Cougar Wilson won his first bout over Lehi with a 17-0 technical fall at 3:14. He lost to Riverton in the quarterfinal but defeated a Herriman opponent with a 15-0 technical fall at 1:23 in consolation. He dropped a decision to Corner Canyon to end his run.
• At 144, Tekoa Stotts also posted a 2-2 mark. He posted two first-period pins over Lehi and Syracuse but bowed out after a technical fall in his second match to Davis and a narrow decision to Mountain Ridge in the final bout.
• At 150, Joseph Holman exited after a pair of technical falls.
• At 157, Hyrum Rowley was pinned twice to complete his run.
• At 190, Kade Durrant fell to Davis in the first round but then claimed a duo of decisions over Lehi 7-3 and Lone Peak 8-4 to advance in consolation. He lost to Bingham by 4-1 decision in his final match.
• At 215, Mitt Palmer dropped his first bout to Skyridge 9-6 but then earned a pin in 38 seconds over Weber in consolation before bowing to Layton by decision to end his day.
• At 285, Myers Carter lost both his matches by fall.

American Fork had two representatives in the girls tournament. In the 190 bracket, junior Lacey Watrous was eliminated in two matches.

In her first year of competition, junior Aleana Curley lost her first bout by fall late in the third round to Copper Hills but bounced back with a first-period pin over Corner Canyon in consolation before bowing out after dropping a close decision to Westlake in the 130 weight class.

ASHTON HUCKS

GRADE: 12

SPORT: Boys Basketball

POSITION: Guard

RECENT HIGHLIGHT:

Very consistent in doing the little things to help his team to be successful on and off the court.

COACH’S COMMENTS:

Ashton loves his team and works extremely hard all of the time. He has great love and care for his teammates. He is a leader in all places.

– Coach Ryan Cuff

Sponsored by the Utah National Guard.

TAYLOR JENSEN

GRADE: 12

SPORT: Girls Basketball

POSITIONS: F, C

RECENT HIGHLIGHT:

Taylor scored 11 points against Lone Peak and 18 points against Corner Canyon.  

COACH’S COMMENTS:

Taylor has been an absolute spark for our program over the last three games.  Scoring 18 pts against Corner Canyon and had brought such energy and leadership each game.

– Coach Robert Harmon

Sponsored by the Utah National Guard.

Beky Beaton / America Fork Citizen

The 6A No. 2 American Fork High School boys basketball team prevailed in the last three contests in rugged Region 3 to wrap up the league championship. With one contest remaining, the Cavemen have a 6-1 region record, two games ahead of everyone else, and are 15-7 overall.

Jan. 30: American Fork 65, Lehi 63

On the night when American Fork honored the 1976 state championship basketball team for their 50^th anniversary, a full house of raucous fans was treated to an exceptional battle in one of the state’s oldest rivalries which wasn’t decided until the final seconds.

Both teams took the floor with energy, and the score was already 9-9 after the first four minutes. The Pioneers inched ahead 17-14 by the end of the initial period, and that margin held up to the break as each squad added 20 more points in the second quarter.

Lehi got the biggest lead of the evening for either side following the first play of the final stanza, when the score stood at 57-49. American Fork senior guard Bryce Mella took over the game at that point, and he sparked the home team in their comeback.

He scored five points in the next minute to reduce the deficit to three points. A bit later, senior forward Jax Clark muscled his way to the hoop for a layup and sophomore wing Dieter Tuitavuki hit a free throw to draw the Cavemen even at 57-all with 5:29 to play.

American Fork continued to defend well and hit the boards hard, with a 33-21 edge for the night. Clark got another layup and both teams converted more foul shots to bring the tally to 60-all with 1:08 remaining.

The Cavemen made their last five points at the charity stripe as Lehi was forced to foul for possession. Mella finished with 30 points and got seven of them plus three of his four rebounds in the fourth quarter.

Clark also had an outstanding game as the Pioneers could find no answer for his prowess down low. He posted a double-double of 19 points on 70 percent shooting plus 14 boards with three assists and a critical steal.

Tuitavuki contributed significantly to the necessary effort down the stretch as well and finished with seven points plus seven rebounds. Senior guard Ashton Hucks added five points and a pair of assists.

“We won a tough game,” said Coach Ryan Cuff. “Lehi came into AF shooting red hot and we trailed most of the game. Again, we relied on defense to keep the game close, and at the end, we had some excellent execution to pull ahead.”

Feb. 3: American Fork 58, Lone Peak 48

It was the Cavemen who started hot against the Knights on the road, surging in front 14-5 in the initial period. The teams dueled essentially even for the rest of the night, so that early advantage proved decisive in enabling American Fork to hold on for the victory with a total-team effort.

The visitors converted on 57 percent of their tries inside the paint and 43 percent from beyond the arc with 13 assists on 22 field goals. They also combined for seven steals and 12 recoveries with just seven turnovers.

Clark led the way with 15 points, six rebounds and three assists. Tuitavuki scored 13 points including four triples while Mella added 11 points, eight boards and four assists. Hucks posted eight points with three steals and senior guard Bridger Burnside collected five points and four rebounds.

“We played a tough Lone Peak team on their floor,” Cuff said. “We jumped to an early lead and with a disciplined defense and disciplined offense, we were able to maintain our lead for the entire game.

“Our guys worked hard together, shared the ball well, plus played great team and help defense,” the coach added. “It’s been fun to watch them coming together like this.”

Feb. 6: American Fork 61, Corner Canyon 57

Back at home, the Cavemen survived another drum-tight battle, this time against the Chargers. An initial advantage proved crucial again here, as a first-half margin of 30-25 held up through the rest of the contest.

Clark had his second double-double in a week with 17 points and 12 rebounds plus four assists and two steals. Hucks had a big night with four long bombs and finished with 16 points while Mella added 11 points and three assists.

Burnside had a good floor game with five points, five boards and three assists. Junior guard Jax Oyler added four points and three rebounds. Sophomore forward Lincoln Zimmerman grabbed three boards.

“We won a tough, tough game against a very physical and talented Corner Canyon team,” Cuff said. “Keys to the win were the way we played solid defense as well as rebounding, only allowing their team one opportunity as much as possible on offense.”

American Fork outrebounded the visitors 29-22. “Our guys really stepped up on defense and we played a nice steady pace on offense,” the coach said.

The Cavemen conclude the regular season at Skyridge on Friday (Feb. 13). Double-header game times are 6 p.m. for varsity girls followed by varsity boys at 7:30 p.m.

The 6A state tournament bracket reveal show is scheduled for Saturday (Feb. 14) beginning at 10 a.m. at KSLSports.com/stream.

Beky Beaton / American Fork Citizen

Despite a pair of recent losses in Region 3 games, the American Fork High School girls basketball team   hung onto third place with a later win as the rugged league season winds down. With one contest remaining, the Cavemen are 3-4 in region play and 14-7 overall.

Jan. 30: Lehi 52, American Fork 43

The teams dueled even through the first half in the Cave, tying at 13-all after the initial period with the Cavemen owning a slight 25-23 advantage at the break. However, the Pioneers surged in the third quarter and clamped down defensively in the fourth to secure the win.

Senior power forward Taylor Jensen led the charge offensively with 13 points while junior shooting guard Jalise Chatman added 10 points, three rebounds and a block. Freshman small forward Maya Durrant snagged 10 boards with a block and junior point guard Morgan Felix scored eight points.

“This was a tough loss for us,” said Coach Robert Harmon. “The girls played so hard throughout the game. Sometimes shots just don’t fall for you, but I was proud of the girls’ effort.

“We were missing a key piece with Julia not playing due to an injury, but next-man-up mentality and I felt that everyone brought something to the game,” he added.

“We just put them on the line way too much and that’s where they were able to generate their lead,” the coach said. “We had our chances, but we just couldn’t close it out.”

Feb. 3: Lone Peak 58, American Fork 35

The Cavemen struggled to find the hoop in the first half on the road and dug themselves into a hole. They matched the Knight points in the third quarter and played well in the fourth also but couldn’t overcome the early deficit.

Chatman netted a team-high 13 points with six rebounds and a pair of steals. In her return from injury, senior small forward Julia Fugal provided seven points, 10 boards, three assists, a steal and a block in a lively effort on both ends of the floor. Jensen added six points and three rebounds.

“Energy is everything,” Harmon said. “I don’t care who you’re playing, you can compete with anyone if you will just show up with energy and effort, and the first half we had neither.

“Against a great team like Lone Peak, if you get behind early it’s really hard to get yourself back in the game,” the coach said. “But in the second half we decided we wanted to play and we gave a good account of ourselves. You can’t win a game in the first half, but you can sure lose one.”

Feb. 6: American Fork 75, Corner Canyon 40

The Cavemen scorched the nets at home on Senior Night, posting 29 points in the first quarter and 27 in the third on the way to a huge win over the Chargers. Nine players scored for the hosts, four of them in double figures.

Chatman had an outstanding all-around game with 19 points, five rebounds, five assists, seven steals and a block. Jensen added 18 points and five boards, while Fugal scored 16 points with seven rebounds and three steals and Felix contributed 14 points with three assists and a block.

A couple of youngsters provided some solid minutes off the bench. Sophomore power forward Rebekah Jacob collected four boards plus four assists and sophomore shooting guard Ruby Dunford picked up four rebounds and a pair of steals.

American Fork finishes up the regular season at Skyridge on Friday (Feb. 13). Contests will tip off at 6 p.m. for varsity girls followed by varsity boys at 7:30 p.m.

The 6A state tournament bracket reveal show is scheduled for Saturday (Feb. 14) beginning at 10 a.m. at KSLSports.com/stream.