Where Utah would turn to for points and leadership this season was never a question.
Senior Morgan Warburton and junior Kalee Whipple were coming off 2007-2008 campaigns in which they averaged double figures in scoring and led the Utes to a 16-0 record in regular season conference play.
Every other Mountain West Conference team knew going into this season that the Utes’ wing combo was going to be a challenge to defend. But for Utah to have a truly successful year, more players would need to step up.
Teams have a hard enough time relying on two players to carry them through a game, let alone an entire season. For Utah, that is where forwards Halie Sawyer and Katie King step in.
They might not be the most well-known names on the women’s basketball team, but Sawyer and King are just as important as Warburton and Whipple are for the team’s long-term success.
During Utah’s current seven-game winning streak, Sawyer and King are averaging 21.6 points and 16.8 rebounds between them. With that type of production out of Utah’s frontline, other teams are having a harder time defending the Utes.
“Sawyer and King’s play is critical,” said head coach Elaine Elliot. “You got to have more than two players. Two players can lead you, but you’ve got to have a team. Collectively, we are getting good contributions from everyone and important ones to win.”
Sawyer said that it seems the boost in production is mostly due to the team chemistry having improved during the course of the season.
“Morgan and Kalee have really helped us with that,” Sawyer said. “There are times that they draw two defenders and they get us the ball every time. It’s a trust issue with our whole team that they trust us to make those open shots.”
Numbers only tell half of the story, however, when it comes to Sawyer and King.
The two make more of an impact on the defensive end. They are a big reason Utah’s team defense ranks second overall in the MWC, because teams have a hard time getting good looks inside the paint against the 6-foot-1-inch tandem.
“Defense has always been a team thing for us,” King said. “We all know the rotations and what needs to be done. Our coaches do a great job of scouting and we know what they’re going to be running. We always know what to expect.”
Despite King and Sawyer being so similar in playing style and in-game production, the two couldn’t have come from more different backgrounds.
King’s road to Utah was fairly routine. She was the 5-A Player of the Year her senior year at Layton High School. She was also an All-American at Salt Lake Community College.
Sawyer, on the other hand, came out of nowhere. She played for 1-A Panguitch High School in Panguitch, Utah.
“I probably came in a bit behind everyone else,” Sawyer said. “It took a lot of dedication to get to where I’m at now.”
Although she played against tougher competition in high school, King said the level of commitment is the same for any high school team.
“I’m sure it’s just as much a change from high school to college no matter where you’re from,” King said. “You always just have to work harder. It was also just a big change from going to Salt Lake (Community College) to here.”
Their roads to becoming an anchor on the Utes’ frontcourt were very different, but the results so far have been the same. With the improved and intimidating play from both Sawyer and King, other teams need to start preparing for more than just Warburton and Whipple.
Lennie MahlerUte forward Katie King plays a critical role in the team?s success. Both she and Halie Sawyer bring experience and toughness to the Ute?s frontcourt.