| Emery Spartans huddle up before the game. |
After winning two games on the road last week, the Emery Spartans came home to host the Coal Country Classic this past weekend. The Spartans have now won four straight games as they defeated the Park City Miners 71-55 on Friday night and the Morgan Trojans 65-58 Saturday night. Other teams playing in the Spartan Center were the Snow Canyon Warriors, the Tooele Buffalos and the Canyon View Falcons.
On Friday in a 9:45 p.m. start, a great first quarter by Darrin Winn propelled Emery to a 19-14 lead. Winn had 10 points in the quarter along with 4 rebounds to have a good start to a pretty good night of basketball for the Emery senior. Emery opened the period on a 17-8 run before two late three’s by the Miners cut into the Emery lead.
Emery started the second quarter on a 6-0 run before allowing Park City to go on their own 9-0 run to cut the lead back to 2 points. Emery then responded with a 7-0 run to go to the half leading 33-26.
Park City left their man-to-man defense and went to a zone, as they were constantly being beat by Emery’s penetration into the paint. Emery also changed defenses as they went to a 1-3-1 zone to slow down Park City’s three point shots.
The third quarter belonged to Emery as they won the quarter 17-9 as Josh Eden hit two 3-pointers to pace the Spartans. Eden hit three more in the final period to lead the Spartans in scoring for the night with 17 points.
The Emery offense runs through their point guard Dave Justice as a lot of teams do but Emery does it with a twist. Justice is especially effective when he gets the ball to the high post. He has the ability to hit the shot from there but also to dish to his two big guys inside or to the outside shooters set up along the three-point line. Against Park City, the offense ran smoothly.
Justice finished the night with a triple double. Along with scoring 11 points, he also had 12 assists and 11 rebounds. Vic Rosen, a left-handed post player at 6’6″ finished the night with 11 points and 9 rebounds. Winn, a right-handed post player, finished the night with 16 points and 22 rebounds. Dempsey Jeffs, the other Emery starter hit a couple of three pointers to finish with 8 points.
| This Spartan gets up a shot in the crowd of Park City players. |
Also scoring were Kyler Edgehouse, Blake Mortensen, Karson Jensen and Tyler Killpack.
On Saturday night against the undefeated Trojans, Emery had a big first half to withstand a good second half by Morgan to secure the victory. Emery led 35-21 at the half.
Morgan went to a full court press in the second half and threw the Spartans off their game. Morgan got physical as they double and triple teamed the ball with a harassing defense that forced Emery into numerous turnovers. Emery failed to score for the first four minutes of the second half.
Coach Todd Jeffs after the game talked about his team, “We did not play smart in that second half. We have got to get our heads up, see the floor and play smarter.”
Eden again led the Spartans, this time with 22 points as he also hit four 3-pointers. Winn had 11 points, 9 rebounds and 4 blocks and Rosen had 10 points and 11 rebounds.
Justice finished with 7 points; Jeffs with 5 points and Edgehouse had a good game and finished with 10 points. Justice and Winn fouled out of the game. Emery had 19 turnovers, 18 assists and 36 rebounds.
Emery will host Hurricane and Pine View this Thursday and Friday in the Spartan Center. Games start at 3:30 pm with Varsity action slated at 7 p.m.