Making the Team

Chris Burgess knows what it feels like to have the entire basketball world watching. Coming out of Woodbridge High School in Irvine, California as the nation's #1 recruit and a McDonald's All-American, Burgess had his pick of programs — and chose Duke University over BYU, playing for Coach Mike Krzyzewski and reaching the national championship game in 1999. He later transferred to the Univ...

DJ Conner grew up playing basketball at Orem High School — and now he's back, this time as the head coach of the Golden Tigers. After spending two years as the head coach at Mountain View High School, Coach Conner has returned to his alma mater to build something special in Orem. In this conversation, he shares his full journey: what it was like playing for Orem, the lessons he's carried w...

Coach Casey Stanley sits down for an in-depth interview about his journey to becoming the new head men's basketball coach at Westminster University in Salt Lake City. With 18 years of collegiate coaching experience — including 15 seasons at the NCAA Division I level — Stanley has worked alongside some of the biggest names in basketball, including Rick Pitino at Louisville and Richard Pitino at...

Alex Jensen sits down to talk about his journey from Viewmont High School standout and Utah's Mr. Basketball to the 17th head coach of the University of Utah Runnin' Utes men's basketball program. Coach Jensen opens up about getting recruited by the legendary Rick Majerus, starring on Utah's 1998 Final Four team, winning the first-ever Mountain West Conference Player of the Year aw...

Cyprus High School head basketball coach Tre Smith sits down to talk about his 12-year journey rebuilding the Pirates basketball program from the ground up. A former Cyprus star and University of Utah basketball player, Coach Smith returned to West Valley to transform a program that had won just 2 games the season before he took over. In this interview, we dive into his coaching philosophy, how he...

Mountain Ridge Sentinel Boys Basketball head coach Andre Ashton sits down to talk all things basketball after completing a historic first season at the helm. Coach Ashton and his players led the Sentinels to the winningest record in school history, capping off the remarkable year with a run to the state quarterfinals. In this conversation, he reflects on building a winning culture, the key moments...

What does it take to build a championship-level high school basketball team? In this episode of Making the Team, we sit down with Kyle Straatman, head coach of the Bingham Miners and Utah 6A Coach of the Year, to talk about Bingham’s incredible season that ended with a state runner-up finish. Coach Straatman shares insights into building team culture, developing players, leading a competitive prog...

What does it take to succeed as a high school basketball player? In this episode of Making the Team, we sit down with Luke West, standout guard from Bingham Miners, to talk about his basketball journey and what it takes to compete at a high level. Luke shares insights into the work behind the scenes — the training, mindset, discipline, and sacrifices required to succeed in competitive high school...

What does it take to become a great high school basketball player? In this episode of Making the Team, we sit down with Crew Fotheringham, standout player from Lone Peak Knights, to talk about his basketball journey, development, and what it takes to compete at a high level. Crew shares insights into the work behind the scenes — the training, mindset, discipline, and sacrifices required to succeed...

🏀 Go inside Lone Peak High School Basketball with Head Coach Izzy Ingle as he shares his coaching philosophy, team-building strategies, and what it takes to develop championship-level players. In this interview, Coach Ingle breaks down his approach to creating winning basketball programs, developing player talent, and building the team culture that makes Lone Peak Basketball one of the premier hi...

What does it actually take to train and develop great basketball players? In this episode of Making the Team, we sit down with legendary performance coach Bob Medina to talk about the science and philosophy behind training basketball players — especially at the high school level. Coach Medina shares decades of experience developing athletes and explains what most players, parents, and even coaches...

We sit down with Zach Gagon - senior guard for the Skyridge Falcons, and we talk about the varsity basketball experience. Zach is a tough, tenacious defender and senior leader. He shares his perspective on the preparation for guarding some of the best players in the state and his reflections on his career. Subscribe to Making the Team for real conversations with players and coaches about growth, m...

In this episode of Making the Team, we sit down with Joel Gardner, senior point guard for Skyridge Falcons, to talk about the real experience of being a high school varsity basketball player. Joel shares what people don’t always see—early mornings, pressure to perform, balancing school with basketball, leadership expectations, and the mental grind that comes with playing at a high level. We dive i...

Jeff Gardner is the head coach of the Skyridge Falcons in Lehi, Utah. He won 2 state championships as a player and has been to the state championship game multiple times as a coach. His teams are known for their aggressive, fast-paced play and disciplined approach. He shares his thoughts on building teams, preparing the youth, and fun coaching stories including the real story behind the 2013 Brigh...

What does it take to make a Junior College basketball team? In this episode of Making the Team, I sit down with Coach Andrew May, head coach of the powerhouse Snow College Men’s Basketball program. After finishing last season as the #1 ranked JUCO team in the nation and currently sitting at #4, Coach May shares exactly what it takes to succeed at the JUCO level — on and off the court. 🏀 Topics we...

In this episode of Making the Team, Erik Soderborg sits down with Connor Patten, head basketball coach at Tintic High School, a small-town program in Eureka, Utah. Tintic is a 1A school - the smallest classification of high schools in the state. Coach Patten opens up about what it’s really like to lead a basketball team in a community where every player matters, every season is personal, and resou...

In this episode of Making the Team, Erik Soderborg sits down with Parker Van Dyke, former University of Utah basketball standout and current professional player, to break down his incredible journey through the game. From AAU tournaments and Utah high school hoops, to playing for the Utah Utes in the Pac-12, and now taking his game to the professional level, Parker shares the highlights, the grind...

In this heartfelt interview, Making the Team host Erik Soderborg sits down with Coach Gus Sopeña, head coach of the Summit Academy boys basketball team, for an honest conversation about the emotional and mental challenges of coaching — and the deep rewards that come from helping young athletes reach their full potential. Coach Sopeña opens up about: The pressure and expectations coaches quietly ca...

In this inspiring interview, Erik Soderborg sits down with Coach Patrick Amico, the head coach of the Pine View High School Boys Basketball Team. Known for his leadership both on and off the court, Coach Amico shares how he's working to give his players more than just a basketball season — he’s giving them a high school experience they’ll never forget. 🏀 Topics covered include: • How Coach Am...

Coach Jon Judkins share what he and his staff at Utah Tech look for when recruiting high school players to make their D1 Basketball team. Coach Judkins is headed into his 21st season as the head coach of the Utah Tech Trailblazers Mens Basketball Team and is a Six-time Pacific West Conference Coach of the Year winner. Coach Judkins (622 career wins and counting) became the first men’s coach in Uta...

Chris Jones has been coaching for decades, with most of his time at the college level with the University of Utah, Utah State, and Westminster. He also coached professionally in England and now coaches the Highland Rams high school team in Salt Lake City. Highland made it to the state championship this last season and Coach Jones shares his experience and knowledge about the game of basketball, co...

We sit down with Rylan Jones — one of the most decorated high school basketball players in Utah history. A two-time Mr. Basketball, state champion, and on the Utah high school basketball record books. Rylan shares the highs and lows of his incredible journey through high school, college, and now professional basketball. From starring at Olympus High School to competing at the University of Utah, U...

Coach Landen Cummings just finished his first year at East High School in Salt Lake City and he talks about what he looks for in players, lessons he's learned so far, and what he looks forward to with his team in the upcoming year. Landen lives basketball. Playing in college and coaching through AAU, as an assistant high school coach, and now a varsity head coach. Be sure to check out the East...

Coach Steve Galley is a legendary coach in the state of Utah. He started at Olympus High School, was the head coach at West Jordan and spent most of his career at Riverton High School - the school's first head basketball coach. He was also the coach of the Riverton team that knocked Erik's team out of the state tournament his senior year. Coach Galley is now a podcaster and professional co...

Coach Brian Allfrey just completed his first year as the Copper Hills High School Boys Varsity Basketball Coach. While this is his first year as the Copper Hills head coach, Coach Allfrey has been coaching for decades, and is one of the most well-connected coaches in Utah. He shares the challenges of being a 1st year head coach, coaching a star talent like Isaiah Reiser, and building good young me...