On the eve of the greatest college basketball time of the year, I am reminiscent of some great Utah Basketball memories. Here are a few of my favorites from my 50 years of Utedom (although I don’t really remember the first 10 or so):
As a kid, I loved the Jerry Pimm teams. I remember:
1. Utah playing USU and Weber State home and away every year. Those were some of the best games of the year with a full house and a lot of fans from Ogden and Logan making for a super fun environment. Most games were competitive and entertaining. Two memorable games stand out:
a. A Utah vs Weber State game in the Special Events Center where Kelvin Upshaw put on a show scoring in a variety of ways scoring 41 points, but in the end cost Utah the game with a Technical foul.
b. A USU game, also at home where the game was back and forth all night. Utah had a 1 point lead with just a few seconds left only to have Jon Judkins bank in a shot from just inside the half court line.
2. The best run in the NCAA tournament under Pimm was in 1983 when 10 seed Utah beat Illinois and UCLA to advance to the Sweet Sixteen.
Then came the Lynn Archibald years. My favorite players of this era included Jerry Stroman, Manny Hendrix, Albert Springs, Tommy Connors, Mitch Smith and Bobby Adair.
Mitch Smith was an undersized rebounding machine who couldn’t shoot a lick.
I’ll never forget the comeback against WYO with Manny Hendrix completing it on the crazy turnaround in mid-air jumper over Fennis Dembo.
I also recall a double OT winner in Provo where Albert Springs made the game winning shot at the buzzer.
Then the Majerus years…the golden era of the modern Utah Basketball era.
I remember big Rick‘s first year playing a top 10 ranked Purdue team when a young freshman named Phil Dixon made 6 3-pointers on route to nearly upsetting them in the Huntsman Center. Then later that night, in a freak accident Dixon put his leg through a plate glass window severely damaging his leg and he was never the same ever again. While he still had a decent career I still think he could’ve been one of the greatest all-time Utes if that accident ever happened. Not only did he have an amazing shot, but had a variety of moves around the basket to score nearly at will. One of the most gifted players in a Ute uniform.
The 1990-91 season was magical. 28-3 going into the NCAA tournament, the double OT win versus Michigan State only to lose to the powerhouse UNLV team lead by Larry Johnson and Stacey Augmon.
So many favorite players from this era: Walter Watts, Jimmy Soto, Byron Wilson, Josh Grant, Phil Dixon, Jimmy Carroll, Larry Cain, KVH, Darroll Wright, Brandon Jessie, Mike Doleac, Alex Jensen, Andre Miller, Hanno Mottolla, Drew Hansen, Ben Melmeth, Ben Caton, Mark and Craig “Rydash”, Will Carlton, Doug Chapman, David Jackson, Jeff and Britton Johnson,,Nate Althoff, Phil Cullen, Tony Harvey, Nick Jacobson, Chris Burgess, Trace Caton, Mark Jackson, Lance Allred, Tim Drisdom, Bryant Markson, Richard Chaney, Andrew Bogut, Justin Hawkins.
The 3 year run leading up to the Final Four in 1998 was incredible. I still think if Andre Miller doesn’t hurt his thumb against THEM in the Elite Eight matchup in 1997 we may have won the Natty that year.
Hoping for a return to great basketball soon.
Go Utes!!!
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