This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
When it came down to making a decision on his future, it was as easy as making a free throw in practice for Sky View's Jalen Moore.
It takes him five minutes to get to Utah State's campus if he hits all the red lights from his Logan home. His father played at Utah State, and the Aggies' offer was the only Division I option when he signed last November.
Talk about your all-time slam dunk.
It must have been an easy decision for Utah State as well. Moore is a 6-foot-8, 200-pound post player who isn't done growing. He's a mad rebounder, an excellent free-throw shooter and a good leader.
He's also The Tribune's 4A Most Valuable Player.
"I think it's pretty cool that a player from Sky View would be given that award," Moore said. "I think it's good for our program and for the school. I know I couldn't have gotten it had it not been for my coaches and teammates."
Moore helped the Bobcats, the No. 3 seed from Region 5, become the talk of the state tournament. He finished the season by averaging 21.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. He shot 52 percent from the field and connected on 83 percent from the free-throw line.
"I wouldn't say he surpassed our expectations, I would say he lived up to them," Sky View coach Kirk Hillyard said. "I think he felt like he could be one of the best players in the state, and it was his work ethic that helped him reach that level."
Orem was the defending Class 4A champs and the tournament favorites, but that only made Sky View's improbable title run more enjoyable.
"It's so cool to be the last team standing in 4A," Moore said. "Even though it was a couple of weeks ago, it still feels unreal. This is something I will remember the rest of my life." —