Outstanding Athlete from Our Community Plays Basketball for University of Utah March 20, 2003 Koford rises in right direction By RANDY HOLLIS_ Standard-Examiner staff Cameron Koford's collegiate basketball journey started six years ago at Weber State University. It may very well end this weekend at Nashville, Tenn., where Koford and his University of Utah teammates go up against Oregon on Friday afternoon in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Along the way, there have been highs and lows, joys and disappointments, praise and criticism. He's had some huge nights - 15 points last year against Air Force, 22 points and 13 rebounds in a road sweep of Pepperdine and San Diego last December, and six blocked shots against Pepperdine on that same trip - offset by frustrating stretches when his playing time shrunk and so did his performance. But, for the most part, the 7-foot, 227-pound senior center has enjoyed the ride. "Of course, I'd want it to end up better for me statistically," he said, sizing up his collegiate career. "But I'm happy with the decisions that took place and the way everything turned out for me. I don't have any regrets. "Some days you second-guess yourself when you come home after Coach (Rick Majerus) laid into you at practice, but nothing to where I was ever going to quit or anything like that. "The education I got down there at the University of Utah, the basketball experience and the conference championships, the friends I've made and meeting my wife (the former Emilie Tidwell of San Diego, whom he married last June), everything that's happened since I made the decision to go to Utah has helped my life out and got me going in the right direction," the 25-year-old Koford said. "It's just been a great experience and a great platform for me to take off the rest of my life from." The former Fremont High School standout has averaged around three points and two rebounds per game this season, and for his career. But his major contribution has come on defense, where his crowd-pleasing 38 blocked shots are the seventh-best single-season mark at Utah. He needs two more blocks to take over the sixth spot -not bad for a guy who averages only 12-plus minutes per game - and with 61 career blocks, he has moved into the school's all-time top 10, needing three more to move into a tie for the No. 9 spot. "I like blocking shots," Koford said. "I think it gives us a big lift. A lot of times, it's a skill that you really have to develop. "It's something that I feel is important for me to try and do to keep smaller guys from coming in there (in the paint). It gives the other team's offense something to think about." Still, one can't help but wonder might might've been if Koford would've stayed at Weber State. "Utah has a great program and Coach Majerus pursued me. How could you not want to play for a program that has an 80-percent winning percentage, and a coach who has 400 career wins and 10 conference championships? The decision speaks for itself." Koford is a sociology major who is on track to get his degree at the end of the current school semester. That, too, was part of his journey. CHARLIE RIEDEL/The Associated Press Utah center Cameron Koford gets past UNLV's Dalron Johnson (right) for a dunk during last week's Mountain West Conference tournament at Las Vegas. "I fell into the freshman woes and took too many karate and volleyball classes," he said. "I got home off my mission and somebody said, 'You're a sociology major." I ended up liking it. "A lot of good things happened for me this past summer. I got married, and I went to a camp just to try and get better as a player. I was playing against NBA players, and my confidence has taken hold. I think that's what was keeping me down. ... I've got confidence now that I can do certain things." Majerus, who doesn't make it a habit of handing out tributes to his players, is proud of the progress that Koford has made during his stay at Utah. "Cameron has worked extra hard to make himself a very good player," the Utes' coach said. "It's been a journey for him. He's a great young guy; he's become a good player, and he's a tremendous person." Indeed, it was a rocky, winding road at times. But for Cameron Koford, the trip was well worth it.