Through 15 games, the Herriman boys basketball team had the best record in all of Class 6A. 

The Mustangs have used a team effort to climb to lead 6A in the RPI rankings, sitting at first overall as of Jan. 17. Several players have helped Herriman achieve success this season. For instance, junior guard Carlo Mulford leads the Mustangs in scoring with an average of 18.3 points per game. Senior forward/center Cale Barclay isn’t far behind, scoring 16.9 points an outing while grabbing a team-best 7.7 rebounds a game. A third player, Stockton Blanchard, a senior guard, scores 10.5 points a contest and collects nearly five rebounds a contest. 

Other Herriman players have been big contributors in other ways. 

Senior guard Dray Stilson might not fill up the stat sheet with gaudy numbers, but he makes his presence known in other ways. He was on the football team this past fall and uses his physical gifts on both ends of the basketball court. 

“Dray brings some toughness he gets from playing football all offseason and during fall,” head coach Doug Meacham said. “He's not afraid of contact and likes to play defense. He is really fun to coach.”

Stilson is averaging 3.2 points a per game to go along with 1.8 rebounds and 2.3 assists every game. He also has just over one steal a contest. He’s the kind of player that will do whatever it takes for his team. 

For Herriman, Stilson sees himself as a good all-around player who likes to get his teammates involved. He’s not shy about having the ball in his hands and does well guarding bigger players. 

“My strengths on the team are playmaking,” he said. “I have good vision on the court and can handle the ball under pressure. Defensively, I am a quick defender with a strong base, which is hard to move when a big tries to post me up.”

Basketball has been part of Stilson’s life for years. 

Before he was even in grade school, Stilson started playing the sport. Thirteen years ago, his mom and dad signed him up for Jr. Jazz, and he quickly fell in love with the game. That passion has stayed with him since. 

“I love the pace of the game and the scenarios,” he said. “I love playing with my teammates.”

Stilson also enjoys being a part of the Mustangs. He appreciates the team culture at Herriman. While some teams have one or two standout players, Herriman has a large cast of contributors. Stilson also said everyone on the team helps one another out and isn’t worried about personal accolades.

“I love the development we have as a team, and I love building a winning culture,” he said. “I like how unselfish we are as a team and what we do to win games together. The chemistry of the team is great.”

Like many of his teammates, Stilson wants to win a region and state championship this season. He also has a goal to make the state All-Defensive team. As the season winds down, Stilson is focusing on improving some areas of his game. 

“I am working on moving to open space to create a shot for myself and the team,” he said.

One challenge Stilson has faced as a player is his size. Though he is currently 6 feet tall, he sometimes goes up against bigger opponents. “I haven’t been the tallest player on the floor, so I overcame that with strength training In the weight room so I can play bigger,” he said. 

After high school, Stilson plans to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After he completes his volunteer service, he wants to go to college, though he hasn’t yet decided what he will study. 

Meacham is confident that Stilson will be successful in college and beyond. He said Stilson had excelled in the classroom. 

“Maybe the most impressive about him is his attention to his studies,” Meacham said. “His is a high-honor roll student, and obviously, his work ethic carries over from the classroom to the court as well.”

Things could not have gone much better so far this season for Stilson and his teammates. 

Herriman’s 14-1 start is coupled with a 3-0 start in a challenging Region 2. Through 15 games, the team’s only loss was to a squad from Colorado on Dec. 6 in the Tournament of Champions. Herriman began Region 2 play with three impressive wins: a 60-47 win at Mountain Ridge on Jan. 10, a 63-47 victory over Bingham on Jan. 14 and a 71-49 blowout of Corner Canyon on Jan. 17. In the win over Corner Canyon, Brady Ninow erupted for 36 points while Barclay added 20. 

In the first 15 games, Herriman had won 11 by double figures and eight by at least 20 points. The dominant Mustangs look poised to capture the region title and be a force at state. Herriman’s final regular-season game will be Feb. 14 at home against Riverton. On Feb. 19, the Class 6A state tournament begins at the home sites of higher-seeded teams. The second round follows on Feb. 21. By Feb. 24, the quarterfinals arrive, and the games move up to the University of Utah. 

Last season, the Mustangs were 20-6 and advanced to the 6A semifinals, falling in heartbreaking fashion to Lehi, 63-62. λ