Dustin Staggs goes to the floor after a loose ball during the 3A State Championships, Cedar City, Utah, Mar. 1, 2014 | Photo by Robert Hoppie, St. George News
CEDAR CITY – Speedy Morgan wasn’t up to its 70 points a game self, but it was still too much for Cedar Saturday night.
The Trojans ran past the Redmen and to the top of the 3A podium, winning the 3A Boys Basketball State Championship with a 59-45 victory at SUU’s Centrum Arena.
Morgan, which won its final 16 games of the season after a rough start to the year, used speed and a full-court press to overwhelm opponents in every game since the calendar turned to 2014, including the Redmen, who were playing just miles from their own school.
“Cedar was practically on their own home court,” Morgan coach Jim Wiscombe said. “We don’t care who scores or stars, we just want to win.”
Garren Miles scored 16 points, hitting a pair of 3-pointers, and three more Trojans were in double-figures as Cedar had no answer for the multi-tired attack of the Morgan monster.
Kordan Nielson suffered through a difficult shooting night for the Redmen, though he did finish with 15 points. Dustin Staggs added 12 and Weston Bettridge had 9 for Cedar, which finishes 16-9 on the year and takes home the 3A second-place trophy.
Morgan, 21-6, wins its second consecutive state title. Last year, the Trojans beat Bear River in the championship at Weber State University.
Videocast by Bryce Griffin and Amber Green, St. George News
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File photo of Ben Brown from Mar. 1, 2014 | Photo by Robert Hoppie, St. George News
Cedar's Kordan Nielson gets fouled going to the hoop during the 3A State Championships, Cedar City, Utah, Mar. 1, 2014 | Photo by Robert Hoppie, St. George News
Cedar's Jaren Forsyth brings the ball up the court against Morgan during the 3A State Championships, Cedar City, Utah, Mar. 1, 2014 | Photo by Robert Hoppie, St. George News
Kyle Wood-3A State Championships, Cedar City, Utah, Mar. 1, 2014 | Photo by Robert Hoppie, St. George News
Kordan Nielson makes a strong move to the hoop against Morgan during the 3A State Championships, Cedar City, Utah, Mar. 1, 2014 | Photo by Robert Hoppie, St. George News
Weston Bettridge-3A State Championships, Cedar City, Utah, Mar. 1, 2014 | Photo by Robert Hoppie, St. George News
3A State Championships, Cedar City, Utah, Mar. 1, 2014 | Photo by Robert Hoppie, St. George News
Cedar head coach Craig Cardon-3A State Championships, Cedar City, Utah, Mar. 1, 2014 | Photo by Robert Hoppie, St. George News
Kordan Nielson-3A State Championships, Cedar City, Utah, Mar. 1, 2014 | Photo by Robert Hoppie, St. George News
Cedar guard Jeff Rogers looks for an open man during the 3A State Championships, Cedar City, Utah, Mar. 1, 2014 | Photo by Robert Hoppie, St. George News
The Cedar defense collapses on a Morgan player during the 3A State Championships, Cedar City, Utah, Mar. 1, 2014 | Photo by Robert Hoppie, St. George News
Dustin Staggs fires a shot from inside during the 3A State Championships, Cedar City, Utah, Mar. 1, 2014 | Photo by Robert Hoppie, St. George News
The Morgan Trojans celebrate their second consecutive state championship-3A State Championships, Cedar City, Utah, Mar. 1, 2014 | Photo by Robert Hoppie, St. George News
The Cedar Redmen with the second place trophy-3A State Championships, Cedar City, Utah, Mar. 1, 2014 | Photo by Robert Hoppie, St. George News
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Andy Griffin has been in sports media since 1989 and has covered BYU, Utah State and the Utah Jazz as well as all sports in southern Utah. A journalism graduate of USU, Andy has carried on a dual career as both a sports writer and a sports broadcaster and has been heard around the country. He has also been published in USA Today, Sport magazine, The Sporting News, Fairways magazine, the Los Angeles Times and locally in the Deseret News, the Salt Lake Tribune and the Spectrum. Andy was “The Voice of Region 9 sports,” for many years. He also hosted a daily sports talk show for three years called AG in the a.m.
Andy has been married to his college sweetheart Shelly for 28 years and has five children ages 13 to 25.