Role models, Katoa and a curious call

‘When I was assigned to cover the Bingham-Layton girls’ basketball game last Saturday, it gave me a great idea.
A selfish one, at that.
I have two daughters ‘ Alexis, 6, and Zoe, 3. I’ve always wanted them to participate in sports. I’ve seen the benefits that female high school athletes receive when they play sports ‘ higher self esteem, good physical shape, and they understand the value of teamwork.
What I found on Saturday were great role models on both teams for my girls.
Bingham guard Nicole Yazzie is wildly talented, yet also plays with tenacity. Malorie Dixon plays with great passion. The Lancers, led by Sheila Adams, played their hearts out from the opening tip to the final buzzer.
I wish I would have taken my girls to Thursday night’s Bingham-Jordan game to see the Beetdiggers’ Steph Burt. She was probably the smallest player on the court, but she made some big shots and created key ones for her teammates. If my girls are “blessed” with my height, they’ll probably be playing a role similar to Burt if they choose to play basketball.
My girls have played T-ball in the past, and Zoe found that participating in the sport offered good opportunities to take naps on the grass at the Northwest Multi-Purpose Center last spring. Alexis seems to have more interest in playing sports, and I got a big assist from Bingham and Layton in turning her in that direction.
It only took the starting lineups being announced and a couple of possessions for Alexis to turn and say, “I want to play basketball in high school.”
And for that, I have to say thanks to the teams at Bingham and Layton.
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There has been much speculation about where Cottonwood linebacker Lynn Katoa will play his college ball. Yes, he made a verbal commitment to play at Colorado last month. But people have wondered if it is a firm commitment, especially with Oklahoma still after him.
I talked to Katoa shortly after he finished up his dinner in San Antonio last night. He’s there to prepare for Saturday’s U.S. Army All-American Bowl. He said he might do the “hat thing” where he’ll choose from a few college caps and place the one of his choice on his head on national TV to make his decision official. Of course, nothing is set in stone until national signing day.
Katoa’s words should end the speculation of where he’ll play next year ‘ and that’s at CU.
“I’m going to be a Buffalo,” Katoa said.
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It’s early to be getting on the officials, but there was an interesting sequence in the Bingham-Jordan game last night. Yazzie attempted a 3-pointer a little past mid-court with three seconds remaining in the first half and a foul was called on a Jordan player on the shot. It was a questionable call vs. no-call type of play.
Next, Jordan coach Greg Cramer was whistled for a technical foul for arguing the call. Strangely, he wasn’t given the technical from the guy he was yelling at, but instead from the official who didn’t have anything to do with the play.
Of all the high school basketball games I’ve covered, I’m not sure I’ve seen a less-deserved technical. I’ve seen coaches argue calls with much more ferocity than Cramer did last night without getting T’d up.
I don’t know, maybe officials are being told to take less arguing from coaches this season. I do know that the sequence gave Bingham four points, as Yazzie went 4-for-5 from the line. But I can’t say for certain that the Miners deserved those four points.