The buzzer rang out to signal the end of the game Thursday night, where Shadow Mountain defeated Moon Valley 87-47 in the semifinal round of the 4A boys’ basketball playoffs. It was a tough loss for the Rockets, but they chose not to focus on being eliminated. Instead, the boys focused on how far they’ve come in just a few short years and how bright the future of the program looks.
When Coach Matt Elliott took over the program in the fall of 2012, the team went 4-22. The following year when seniors like Trevor Thompson joined the varsity team as a freshman, the program was 10-14 during the season and missed the playoffs. Each year, Elliott and the team worked hard to build the program up to the dynasty it once was. The 2016-2017 season was a sign that they’re on the right path. The leadership he provided for this team earned him the title of 4A West Valley Coach of the Year.
When Thompson was asked about the future of Moon Valley’s program, he said, “It looks real good.” Thompson continued, “We’ve got a lot of Juniors. You know, Jok, Tavarus, Gabe, those guys have learned a lot from us and challenge us at practice, so I’m really looking forward to seeing what they can do next year.”
Thompson was a leader on the court and was instrumental to the successful improvement of the program. “Coach Elliott and Coach Carlos were in the locker room afterwards kind of recapping our season and it’s sad that it’s over, but it was a good run and I’m glad that it lasted,” said Thompson. “The highlight of the season would be winning the region championship against Cactus on our senior night and cutting down the nets at Moon Valley. That was definitely a memory that I’ll hold on to.” Thompson was awarded 4A West Valley Region Player of the Year along with a 1st team All-Region.
Coach Elliott said that the seniors have been an incredible influence on the school’s program. “Our senior class has set the bar high for our underclassmen,” said Elliott. He continued, “It will be an adjustment losing our three senior starters. Trevor has started for three years and Cam’ron Davis and Ja’van Lee for two.” He thinks with continued effort and practice in the offseason, the Juniors will find their place as the new leaders of the team. “Our younger guys will be okay, though. It will take some time, but they will find their roles.”
For junior Cartier Taylor, he is looking forward to hitting the weight room to work on strength and conditioning in the off-season. “We’re going to work hard in the summertime, get stronger, and come together as a team,” said Taylor.
Taylor feels that the more running they do to build their cardio, it will help them be stronger and have better endurance on the court. “If we’re fourth quarter ready, we can beat teams,” said Taylor. He also said the team needs to work on their shooting, dribbling, and ball handling in the off-season.
Coach Elliott echoed Taylor, saying that they boys need to improve their strength and cardio. “We need to get bigger, stronger, and faster in the off-season,” said Elliott. “We will spend a lot of time in the weight room.”
While it may be easy to focus on the loss, the attention should be focused on the success that the team saw all season long. It was among the best that the program has seen in the last 20 years, and it really highlights the dedication these boys, as well as the coaches, have towards their program.
Keep an eye out for the Moon Valley Rockets in the future. The boys will be working hard to return to the court next year with one goal in mind; Making it to the finals and winning the trophy.
