Basketball Heaven

Dear elder Benjamin,

How are you my fine young man?  During her temple recommend interview, Sister Gates (our neighbor across the street on the corner) asked me to give you her best. This is the first time I really had a conversation with her, she is a very kind lady. So far you’re right about me liking my calling, it’s really rewarding to get to meet our ward members. We have a really great Ward, literally every person asks about you.

Yesterday was an epic day for basketball, I’m sure you’ve heard details from Jacob. It actually started Friday night with Jacobs Jr. Jazz game, they won’t pretty handily. Saturday morning, the Priests team played the 9th Ward. The 9th Ward had to forfeit before the game for not having enough players. On our team it was Jacob, Joseph, Parker, and Jacob Fielding. The other team had a couple of football players, a little kid and two super athletic girls. Our team dominated for the first half. Overall Jacob had 6 or 7 threes, a bunch of blocks on the football players, and a ton of rebounds. Joseph had a couple of gorgeous threes and several assists. Parker played well too. Jacob F plays hard, but he’s kinda hilarious to watch. The second half was a little rougher, the taller of the two girls brought her team back from more than 20 to a one point lead. Turns out she starts for Riverton high girls varsity, she was great. Then, with seconds left, our guys missed three, got three rebounds, jacob got the ball and made it at the buzzer. It was awesome!

The Utes had an epic comeback, I’m sure Jacob told you. The best since those Van Horn comebacks in the conference tournaments from the 90s. I’ll paste an article at the bottom. But to sum it up the Utes came back from 22 to win by an epic 25’ three at the buzzer by Parker Van Dyke. I only watched the last 5 minutes because I went to the store with your mom, and I really didn’t expect much. When the three dropped, we screamed and screamed, I hyperventilated a little. We recorded it, hopefully it will still be there for you to watch. The Utes are once again in a three way tie for 2nd in the PAC 12 with Oregon state and Arizona state. Washington is in the lead with a perfect record. 

The Jazz won too, I think they’re 6th in the West.

Well kid, we look forward to your letter tomorrow. I hope all is well with you. We love you, pray for you and your are always on our minds.

Pops 

Are you kidding? Utes rally from 22 down in second half, and Parker Van Dyke’s buzzer-beater lifts them over UCLA to cap stunning comeback.

Los Angeles • Utah coach Larry Krystkowiak forever will claim to have seen this rally coming. Ute guard Sedrick Barefield knew he passed the ball to the right teammate for the biggest assist of his career. Parker Van Dyke liked the shot from the moment the ball left his hand, although he thought the same thing a month ago at Arizona.

So when Van Dyke’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer from 28 feet away in the middle of the court ripped the net and completed the Utes’ comeback from 22 points down in the last 12 minutes, the senior guard was not sure what just happened Saturday afternoon at UCLA’s fabled Pauley Pavilion.

“I couldn't believe it,” Van Dyke said. “I was like, 'Holy cow.' I couldn't believe I hit that shot.”

Unbelievable, indeed: Utah 93, UCLA 92.

Van Dyke concluded, “I'll remember this forever.”

Who won’t? Pick any checkpoint you like, and this outcome would have seemed ridiculous. The Utes somehow the game, after appearing overwhelmed for nearly three-fourths of it and never leading until it was over. Even after rallying in the interest of mere respectability, they trailed by 13 points in the last three minutes. And absolutely nothing had suggested what would develop when UCLA went ahead 69-47 with 12:10 to play, as the Bruins continually shredded Utah’s defense.

No transcript is available to prove it, but Krystkowiak insists he kept telling his players and even the referees as the second half unfolded, “We're coming back. This one's gonna be 'SportsCenter' [material], mark my words.' ”

Krystkowiak continued, “So in the back of my mind, I was a believer that something crazy could happen.”

The craziness ended – or began, as the Utes stormed down to UCLA's end of the court, chasing and swarming Van Dyke in celebration – after the Bruins' David Singleton missed one free throw and made the next shot for a 92-90 edge with 5.9 seconds remaining. The Utes were out of timeouts, but they had talked about having Barefield watch for Van Dyke as a trailer.

That's what Timmy Allen reminded Barefield, and it all worked wonderfully. Barefield wanted to drive, needing only a tying basket, but UCLA's zone defense was stacked against him. So after dribbling near the 3-point line, he flipped the ball back to Van Dyke, who let it fly. Swish.

“Just a great, unselfish play by Sedrick,” Van Dyke said.

“Honestly, every time Parker shoots it, I think it's going in,” Barefield said.

At Arizona, after Barefield had fouled out in regulation, Van Dyke had to create his own, go-ahead attempt that rimmed out in the last two seconds of overtime. This shot came perfectly in rhythm, as Van Dyke drilled his fifth 3-pointer of the second half after a scoreless first half.

Allen led the Utes (13-10, 7-4 Pac-12) with 22 points, followed by Barefield with 19, Riley Battin with a career-high 18 and Van Dyke with 15.

Sophomore guard Jaylen Hands scored 27 for UCLA (12-12, 5-6).

UCLA shot 70 percent from the field in taking a 49-32 halftime lead. Thanks to a bunch of layups and dunks, the Bruins made 20 of their first 24 shots from inside the 3-point line in a showing attributable to Utah’s “complete lack of effort on a lot of guys’ part,” Krystkowiak said.

The comeback, similarly, required a lot of contributions. Both Gach's 3-pointer helped the Utes score eight points in the last 8.9 seconds. As always happens in these sequences, UCLA cooperated just enough.

The Bruins know how Utah feels. In January, UCLA came from nine points down in the last minute of regulation and won in overtime at Oregon. Saturday’s turnaround was slightly less sudden than that one, but the Utes will savor it just as much.