Emery boys basketball takes on Delta/Manti

By GARY ARRINGTON Sports Writer

One needed to be in the Spartan Center last Friday night to appreciate the battle that all present witnessed as the second ranked Manti Templars battled the third ranked Emery Spartans in a boys’ basketball game. In a fast-paced classic between two good teams, the Spartans outlasted Manti 88-87.
To say that this game was close would be an understatement. This game was tied after the first quarter at 18-18, this game was tied at the half 51-51 and this game was tied after three quarters at 67-67. Emery did not lead at the end of the game until there was just 1:32 left when Dillon Wilstead nailed a three-point shot.
After the Wilstead basket, Tai Justice made a pair of free throws with 1:07 left and Koby Butler hit a close in shot with :38 seconds left to give Emery a three point advantage and then the Spartans held on to win one of the better games one could ever hope to watch.
In the first quarter Emery’s Tyson Roper scored the Spartans first three baskets of the game and it took him less than a minute to do so as Emery grabbed an early lead. When Justice hit his first three of the game, Emery went up 9-4. Manti scored the next seven points to take their first lead of the game at 11-9 and the battle had begun. That was the way it went all night.
Roper finished the first quarter with 10 points on five baskets and Justice hit another three-point shot to give him six point in the period as the two players kept Emery in the game. Kevin Butler made a basket to end the period in a tie.
The second quarter was a sprint the entire period as the two teams combined for 66 points. One had to actually feel sorry for the officials as they probably got much more exercise than anticipated. They were not able to call a time out nor did they have a sub waiting to come into the game.
In that second quarter Wilstead scored 12 points and Justice 10 points to lead the Spartans. Roper, Kevin and Koby Butler and Bowdie Jacobsen all scored a single basket in the period. Emery scored 20 of the first 30 points of the period to lead 38-28 but Manti would then score the next 11 points to retake the lead at 39-38. The score was tied five times over the final two minutes of the half.
Emery fell behind in the third quarter 62-56 but tied the score at 67-67 with another Kevin Butler basket at the end of the period. Kevin and Koby Butler each scored four points in this period to pace the home team.
In the final quarter Emery trailed by six points midway through the period before winning in the closing seconds. Wilstead led the team with 26 points and Justice finished with 24 points. Tai made six three-point shots in the game as his outside shooting to start the season has been pretty remarkable. Roper finished the game with 14 points and Koby Butler scored 12 points as four Spartans scored in double figures. Kevin Butler scored 8 points and Jacobsen and Kolton Butler each scored 2 points.
Emery also hosted Delta last week and the Spartans got a relatively easy win over the Rabbits by the score of 68-42. Emery played a good game as a team against Delta, shot the ball well and played good defense. Delta only made free throws in the third quarter as Emery won the period 21-8.
Wilstead scored 19 points in this game including three three-pointers to lead the team in scoring. Roper added 15 points and Justice scored 12 points. Justice hit four three-pointers and made his first three shots of the game.
Also scoring for Emery were Koby with 6 points, Kolton and Kevin with 4 points each, and Ridge Nielson, Keaton McDermott, Jacobsen and Jackson Jensen with 2 points each.
Emery plays three games this week, all on the road. They played at Merit Academy on Monday night and will travel to Beaver and Parowan on Thursday and Friday nights.