Why Morgan is the favorite to repeat in 3A

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It’s no secret in Utah HS Hoops world, that Morgan is the clear favorite to repeat in 3A this year, but as I’ve said repeatedly…you never know what’s going to happen in a single elimination tournament when a bunch of 15-18 year old teenage boys get under the bright lights!

That being said, I’ll share my thoughts on why I expect Morgan to cut down the nets again this year below this wonderful video I made showing another reason why BallerCam.com is such a no brainer investment for $29/month (they put an expiration date on my code at the end of October! Use VIPADAM to get $25 off an accessory!)

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The Path to a Repeat: Why Morgan is the 3A Team to Beat

Last season, the Morgan Trojans climbed the mountain and captured the 3A state championship. This year, the message to the rest of the classification is simple: they aren’t going anywhere. While champions often face a rebuild after key seniors like Kolt Asay and Nate Pace graduate, Morgan is in the enviable position of “reloading.” The Trojans return a dominant senior core, making them the clear-cut favorites to repeat.

The Reigning POY is Back for a Final Run

The conversation about 3A basketball begins and ends with Morgan’s Bracken Saunders. After earning 3A Player of the Year honors as a junior, Saunders is back for his senior campaign, and he’s only gotten better.

Looking at last year’s stats, it’s easy to see why he earned the top honor. Saunders was a complete player, averaging 18.4 points (ranking #8 in the state), 6.2 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 2.3 steals per game. He’s a 6’4” crazy athletic shooting guard who can score from anywhere, crash the boards, and facilitate for others. He might have the best mid range game in the state!

Any hopes he might plateau should be dismissed. Saunders is already making noise this offseason, after a great spring and summer with UV Prime, he recently dropped 32 points in a fall league game against a talented 5A Orem squad. He’s not just maintaining his POY form; he’s elevating it as he prepares for his final high school season.

An All-State Backcourt

A Player of the Year is a huge piece, but a championship team needs more. Morgan has it.

Running the offense is fellow senior Jake Hansen. Hansen was named 3rd Team All-State as a junior, proving himself as one of the state’s elite floor generals. He averaged 14.0 points and, more importantly, 5.5 assists per game. His ability to manage the game and create for others is the perfect complement to a high-volume scorer like Saunders. Jake is also a dawg on defense causing problems for other teams who want to get comfortably into their sets.

Having an All-State point guard and the 3A Player of the Year in the same senior backcourt is a luxury no one else in 3A can claim.

Don’t Forget the Bigs

The Trojans aren’t just a guard-oriented team. They return their senior anchor in the paint, Mason Williams. The 6’6” power forward was a rebounding and defensive force last season.

Williams averaged a staggering 9.2 rebounds per game and 2.8 blocks per game. His presence inside allows Saunders and Hansen to play aggressively on the perimeter, knowing he is protecting the rim.

The Verdict

While the Trojans graduated key seniors, their championship foundation remains firmly intact with the returning 3A Player of the Year (Saunders), a 3rd Team All-State point guard (Hansen), and one of the classification’s most dominant big men (Williams).

This loaded senior class has already proven they can win it all. But to do it again, they’ll need young guys like Cade Spens, Eli Mortensen, and Krew Asay to step up and fill some roles as well if they want to keep formidable challengers like Richfield and Logan away from their second straight championship trophy.