Judge Memorial Catholic High School’s Teya Sidberry, who has been selected as the Deseret News’ 2022 Ms. Basketball, poses for a photo at the school in Salt Lake City on Thursday, March 17, 2022.
Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
When Teya Sidberry took the court for the first time as a high school basketball player back in 2018, the freshman recorded a double-double with 25 points and 13 rebounds in a win over Taylorsville.
Considering her giddy, infectious personality, Sidberry was understandably over the moon about her accomplishment on the same Judge Memorial High School floor she’d watched her older brother play numerous great games a few years prior.
The absolute furthest thing from her mind that night, however, was a state record. She was too focused on the next game and juggling the adjustment to high school student life and her other passion as a dancer.
Nobody knew it at the time — least of all Sidberry — but that was the night a 25-year-old state record started to crumble.
Now granted, her 25 points that night was a small pittance compared to the 2,384 career points for state record holder Julie Krommenhoek of American Fork, but over the next four years night by night Sidberry slowly climbed the scoring ladder. This season, the Judge Memorial senior did what seemed impossible, breaking Krommenhoek’s scoring record en route to leading the Bulldogs to a perfect season and a 3A state title, and she’s been named the 2022 Deseret News Ms. Basketball recipient after her storied career.
“Game inspires game, and I hope someday another girl will break my record,” said Sidberry, who’s signed to play at the University of Utah just like her scoring record predecessor.
Sidberry finished her career with 2,534 points, which is 150 more than Krommenhoek scored at American Fork from 1990 to 1994. What makes both of their accomplishments so remarkable is that third place is a huge distance behind at 1,908.
“Looking back on my freshman year and how much I’ve improved in my game is crazy to me. It’s crazy to think how I’ve started here and now I’m a senior going to the U.,” said Sidberry.
Judge Memorial claims the 3A girls basketball state championships over Richfield at Weber State University in Ogden on Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022.
Mengshin Lin, Deseret News
“My maturity of the game grew over the years, but also my teammates are such hard workers and that’s why we won the state championship because it does take a team.”
Sidberry no doubt benefitted in her record pursuit playing against some bad 3A opponents, but regardless of who the opponent was throughout her career Sidberry put up points. In fact, it was the games against larger schools like Green Canyon, Syracuse, Desert Hills, East and Corner Canyon this season that seemed to bring out the best in her as she averaged exactly the same amount of points against the upper classification schools as she did the lower classification schools.
“I love playing bigger teams, I think I play way better against better competition, like this summer with my EYBL team. I just feel like (when) the competition is better I’m able to play at a faster speed and faster pace. I love that we were able to play those bigger teams,” said Sidberry.
It’s what makes her ceiling so high as she moves on to the next level.
Judge Memorial coach Josh Pike, who coached Sidberry in several years of AAU basketball before four seasons at Judge, said her development in high school has been remarkable.
- 2022 Deseret News girls basketball 6A All-State team
- 2022 Deseret News girls basketball 5A All-State team
- 2022 Deseret News girls basketball 4A All-State team
- 2022 Deseret News girls basketball 3A All-State team
- 2022 Deseret News girls basketball 2A All-State team
- 2022 Deseret News girls basketball 1A All-State team
“Teya’s growth is all her. She’s mentally strong. Same with her grades, if she wants to do something she puts a lot of work and effort into accomplishing what she wants to accomplish. I think everybody wants to do that, but the willingness and determination behind her is so much stronger than most,” said Pike, who said Sidberry’s club coaches Anita Rowland and Keith Van Horn played a major role in her development into a standout college prospect.
In addition to her the new career scoring record, her 868 points this season shattered the previous single-season state record of 733 points, while her 33.4 ppg in 2021-22 also broke the previous single-season record of 32.2 ppg. Her 56-point performance against Providence Hall is also a new single-season state record.
Most of these records will likely never be broke as they’ll require the perfect combination of elite talent, roster opportunity and a favorable schedule at times that allows a player to essentially average 25 points per game over 100 career games.
Judge Memorial Catholic High School’s Teya Sidberry, who has been selected as the Deseret News’ 2022 Ms. Basketball, poses for a photo at the school in Salt Lake City on Thursday, March 17, 2022.
Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
Judge Memorial Catholic High School’s Teya Sidberry, who has been selected as the Deseret News’ 2022 Ms. Basketball, poses for a photo at the school in Salt Lake City on Thursday, March 17, 2022.
Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
Judge Memorial Catholic High School’s Teya Sidberry, who has been selected as the Deseret News’ 2022 Ms. Basketball, poses for a photo at the school in Salt Lake City on Thursday, March 17, 2022.
Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
Judge Memorial Catholic High School’s Teya Sidberry, who has been selected as the Deseret News’ 2022 Ms. Basketball, poses for a photo at the school in Salt Lake City on Thursday, March 17, 2022.
Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
Judge Memorial Catholic High School’s Teya Sidberry, who has been selected as the Deseret News’ 2022 Ms. Basketball, poses for a photo at the school in Salt Lake City on Thursday, March 17, 2022.
Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
Judge Memorial Catholic High School’s Teya Sidberry, who has been selected as the Deseret News’ 2022 Ms. Basketball, poses for a photo at the school in Salt Lake City on Thursday, March 17, 2022.
Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
Judge Memorial Catholic High School’s Teya Sidberry, who has been selected as the Deseret News’ 2022 Ms. Basketball, poses for a photo at the school in Salt Lake City on Thursday, March 17, 2022.
Spenser Heaps, Deseret News
Judge Memorial’s Teya Sidberry (32) celebrates with teammates after Judge Memorial claimed the 3A girls basketball state championship over Richfield at Weber State University in Ogden on Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022.
Mengshin Lin, Deseret News
Judge Memorial’s Teya Sidberry (32) passes the ball at the 3A basketball state championship against Richfield at Weber State University in Ogden on Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022.
Mengshin Lin, Deseret News
Judge Memorial’s Teya Sidberry (32) goes for a layup at the 3A basketball state championships against Richfield at Weber State University in Ogden on Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022.
Mengshin Lin, Deseret News
Judge Memorial vs. Summit Academy at Summit Academy in Bluffdale on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2020.
Laura Seitz, Deseret News
Pike said Sidberry’s ability on the court will of course be missed, but so will her overall presence in the halls of Judge Memorial.
“The school is going to miss her because she’s part of SBO, she’s always involved with stuff, the younger kids look up to her. It’s going to be some big shoes that we need to fill and it might take a few years to find somebody to fill those shoes,” said Pike.
Perhaps as important as anything, Sidberry is leaving behind a championship legacy. Girls basketball became a sanctioned UHSAA sport in Utah back in 1976, and Judge Memorial had never won a state title. That finally changed last month as Sidberry scored 27 points in the 3A state championship against Richfield as her team rallied from a halftime deficit to claim the state title and a perfect 26-0 record.
Judge played like a nervous team in the first half, only scoring 13 points, but Sidberry faced the adversity head on, scoring 18 of her 27 points in the second half as her team prevailed 43-37.
Sidberry’s experience playing in countless big games both in high school and club helped her find the right balance of when to share the ball and when taking over a game became necessary.
“She knew when to get her teammates involved and when to take over. I’m that way with most girls, you’re not going to build confidence if you don’t try things,” said Pike.
The final tally on Sidberry’s incredible career: 94 games, 2,534 points (26.7 ppg), 1,105 rebounds (11.8 rpg), 140 assists (1.5 apg) and 440 steals (4.7 spg). She finished with 67 double-doubles and three triple-doubles.
This season Judge Memorial played 10 games against upper-classification teams, and Sidberry averaged 33.5 points and 14.2 rebounds in those numbers.
The gaudy numbers were never what it was about though for Sidberry
“I think it just came and it was fun, but it was more fun winning and being a part of an amazing group girls,” said Sidberry.
28 years of Deseret News Ms. Basketball recipients
2022 — Teya Sidberry, Judge Memorial
2021 — Emma Calvert, Fremont
2020 — Kennady McQueen, North Summit
2019 — Kemery Martin, Corner Canyon
2018 — Lauren Gustin, Salem Hills
2017 — Taylor Moeaki, American Fork
2016 — Kennedy Redding, Bountiful
2015 — Lindsey Jensen, Sky View
2014 — Shelbee Molen, Fremont
2013 — Malia Nawahine, Springville
2012 — Brittney Martin, Syracuse
2011 — Brittney Martin, Syracuse
2010 — Lexi Eaton, Springville
2009 — Kimberly Parker, Wasatch
2008 — Jenteal Jackson, Skyline
2007 — Tasha Dickey, Brighton
2006 — Michelle Harrison, Mountain View
2005 — Vanessa Hutson, Brighton
2004 — Mallary Gillespie, Mountain View
2003 — Heather Hansen, Mountain View
2002 — Nancy Seljaas, Bountiful
2001 — Danielle Cheesman, Mountain View
2000 — Lana Sitterud, Lone Peak
1999 — Erin Thorn, Mountain View
1998 — Lisa Osguthorpe, Mountain View
1997 — Sarah Pratt, Mountain View
1998 — Megan Jensen, Davis
1997 — Emily Freeze, Timpview