Two Granite School District basketball programs open the 2026-27 season atop the Deseret News preseason coaches poll, with Olympus ranked No. 1 in 5A and Cottonwood No. 1 in 4A.

The statewide boys basketball season tips off Tuesday, Nov. 17.

Olympus: one starter back, still No. 1

The Titans finished 25-2 last season and claimed their third consecutive 5A state championship, beating No. 8 Bountiful 53-46 in the title game. They enter this season as the preseason favorite despite returning only one starter from that roster.

Gone is Gavin Lowe, the 6-foot guard who averaged 22.0 points, 5.6 assists, 4.9 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game last season. MaxPreps named Lowe its Utah Player of the Year after the 2024-25 season, and he committed to UC Irvine.

Olympus narrowly edged Pleasant Grove for the top spot in the poll, according to the Deseret News. Pleasant Grove coach Carsen Williams led the Vikings to the 5A semifinals last season as a No. 12 seed, and coaches expect that program to build on that run.

Orem, Timpview and Alta round out the 5A top five.

Olympus competes in 5A Region 6 and opens its season Dec. 1 at home against Hunter, according to the MaxPreps schedule. Region play begins Jan. 5 at Skyline.

Cottonwood: overwhelming 4A favorite

The Colts were the overwhelming favorite among coaches, receiving 20 of 24 first-place votes. Cottonwood went 18-6 last season and earned a No. 4 seed in the 4A playoffs but fell to No. 13 Mountain View 76-72 in the second round.

Cottonwood returns two starters from that team and competes in 4A Region 10. The Colts open their season Nov. 19 at Hurricane in a non-region game, according to the MaxPreps schedule.

Mountain Crest, Dixie, Ridgeline and Summit Academy fill out the 4A top five. Defending 4A champion Provo, where Marcus Whimpley is taking over for Chris Collinsworth as head coach, opens the year outside the top five.

What's ahead

Only two of last year's six state champions earned the preseason No. 1 ranking in their classification, according to the Deseret News. Coaches projected significant parity across the state heading into the season.

Cottonwood's first home game is Dec. 3 against Wasatch. Olympus hosts Highland on Jan. 8 in its region home opener. The two Granite District programs will not meet during the regular season, as they compete in different classifications.