Phoenix Suns 105, San Antonio Spurs 101 (OT) — O’Neal takes over

When league experts pinpointed Jermaine O’Neal as on his way out following the Suns’ trade to acquire Marcus Morris, it made sense. O’Neal, after all, didn’t fit into what rebuilding Phoenix was attempting to do.

Unlike most of the team, O’Neal isn’t young or even in his prime. He’s 34. He is banged up.

There’s something else that sets the veteran big man apart from his teammates: he’s been an NBA go-to guy before.

It’s an asset the Suns needed and then some for a dramatic, come-from-behind 105-101 win against the vaunted Spurs. Heading into Wednesday night, San Antonio had lost just twice at home and stood atop the Western Conference.

O’Neal’s 22 points and 13 rebounds basically said, “So what?”

Count the former All-Star as the latest to find renewed life in Phoenix in the latter stages of his career. O’Neal had played well off the bench before. Wednesday, however, he became more than a good rebounder and scoring option. He became the Jermaine O’Neal fans remember in his prime.

Lone Peak boys hoops poised to win national title

After a whirlwind of elite-team tournaments, ESPN exposure and YouTube clips, the Lone Peak boys basketball team is zeroing in on a third consecutive Utah state championship.

Should they three-peat on the state level, the Knights are in a position to snag the title of “national champions” in the same breath.

Lone Peak (22-1) is currently ranked No. 1 in the country, a spot they’ve held for four consecutive weeks. With just the state tournament remaining, ESPN Top 100 and BYU recruits Nick Emery, Eric Mika and T.J. Haws, along with sharp-shooter Conner Toolson and BYU football commit Talon Shumway, are poised to give Lone Peak’s program a national championship.

Guest on 960AM sports radio (Jan. 25, 2013)

Guest on 960AM sports radio (Jan. 11, 2013)

17-year-old Jamaal Williams the perfect source of optimism in otherwise trying year

When asked to stand still and smile for a simple mug-shot for the Herald’s Thanksgiving BYU athlete feature, Jamaal Williams didn’t stop there. He busted out a series of poses. Model with muscles. Gangster. Goofy. Before he was done, he had the group of reporters present for post-practice interviews cracking up.

Scenes such as those serve as reminders that the 17-year-old standout is still, well, 17 years old.

It also makes Williams a perfect fit for what he has become – one of the few points of optimism in an otherwise disappointing season.