| Alexis Swasey, Emery, attempts to block the shot by Carbon’s Jamie King. |
Before a packed crowd in a hot gymnasium an epic of a ballgame was played with the Lady Dinos of Carbon High defeating the Lady Spartans of Emery High in double overtime 58-57 last Thursday night.
The story for the Spartans was missed free throws; the story for the Dinos was perseverance. Emery shot only 42 percent for the game as they made only 16 of 38 attempts. Carbon hardly ever led in the game but they did at the right time and snatched a victory.
Emery led 9-6 after the first quarter as both teams played good defense and each offense had way too many turnovers. Emery got out to a 9-1 lead to start the quarter before Carbon scored the last 5 points. Emery then led 23-15 at the half. Natalee Hanson led Emery with 7 points and Morgan Warburton led Carbon with 6 points.
The Dinos came out pressing in the third quarter and got themselves back into the ballgame as they outscored Emery 16-8 in the quarter and were tied 31-31 at the end of the period. Carbon scored the first 7 points of the quarter before Emery got on track. Warburton added 7 more points in that period.
In the fourth quarter, Carbon got out to 37-32 lead before Hanson finally scored for Emery and then Emery took the lead back on two Shala Pitchforth free throws at 39-37. Jaime King scored to tie the game again at 39-39. Emery had an opportunity but missed two free throws and Carbon had a missed shot attempt just before the buzzer.
In the first overtime, the game went back and forth to 48 apiece and Emery missed another free throw at the end to send it to another overtime.
In the second overtime, Emery scored six of the first 7 points before Warburton hit a three. With 16 seconds left, Camille Fehlberg was at the line shooting with Emery enjoying a 1-point lead. She made the first, missed the second, the rebound went to Carbon and Tabby Cummins was hit with a long pass streaking for the basket. She scored, was fouled and scored again and Carbon had the win.
Emery Head Coach Steven Gordon had this to say after the game, “Sixteen for 38 says it all. We had our chances but 16 for 38 says it all. We’ve got to learn to play to win instead of play not to lose.” Emery had the opportunity to win the game in regulation and in both overtimes but each time missed free throws. In the second overtime, Emery made only one free throw in six attempts, in the first OT they were 3-6 and in the fourth quarter they were 6-13.
Coach Bruce Bean added this about his team, “Our kids just keep finding ways to win ball games. People are overplaying Morgan and somebody else usually steps up and takes the pressure off. Last time our kids might have overlooked Emery, but not this time, they are a good team.”
Leading scorer for Emery was Hanson with 18 points before she fouled out in the second overtime. Warburton led Carbon with 23 points.
Also scoring for Carbon were King with 10 points, Maquette Potts with 6 points, Halee Rasmussen and Cummins with 5 points each, Danielle Martino with 4 points, Meesha Rasmussen with 2 points and Kim Bunnell with a single point.
Also scoring for Emery were Fehlberg with 16 points, Pitchforth with 10 points, Meagan Pearson with 8 points, Alexis Swasey with 4 points and Ashley Hansen with 1 point.
Emery hosts Delta and North Sanpete next week while Carbon travels to Delta in their only game. First round playoff games at home sites on Feb. 19. The state tournament is Feb. 24-26 at the E center in Salt Lake.