With just over a week and a half until the first round of the 2-A state basketball tournament is held, the Emery High boys basketball team find themselves in a dogfight for the region 15 title. With a loss on the road last week to San Juan, Emery and three other teams are vying for placement in that first round that will be held at Orem High School. Emery lost that game 68-53.
Region 15 right now has North Sevier alone in first place with a 5-2 record followed by the Spartans at 4-2, South Sevier at 4-3 and San Juan at 3-3. Grand High is in last place in the region with a 0-6 record. Emery will host South Sevier this week on Friday for senior night and will travel to Grand next week on Tuesday to conclude the season. If the Spartans win that game they should then be seeded number one in the region because they have defeated North Sevier twice and would possess the tie breaker. This all takes for granted that Grand loses their final two games because they have lost the other six by almost 30 points or more.
If the Rams defeat the Spartans and if San Juan defeats North Sevier and Grand loses like they are supposed to we could end up with a four-way tie for first and then coin flips would possibly decide placement. As you can see there is a lot riding on the outcome of the games this week.
Emery and San Juan were tied after the first quarter at 15-15 and the Spartans led at the half 28-26 but unfortunately the Spartan offense stalled in the second half and Emery got outscored 42-25 after halftime.
Tai Justice led the Spartans offensively as Tai knocked down five three-point shots and scored 22 points. No other Spartans finished in double figures. Tyson Roper scored eight points and Dillon Wilstead scored five points as the two leading scorers on the season were unable to get the ball to go in the basket. Emery shot just 29 percent in the game as only 19 of 65 shots went in. Justice made six of 13 shots in the game.
Also scoring were Kevin Butler and Ridge Nielson with four points each, Jackson Jensen and Zac Jorgensen with three points each and Koby and Kolton Butler with two points each.
On Saturday night, Emery traveled to Mt. Pleasant and faced Wasatch Academy in a non-region game. Wasatch Academy has been playing throughout the year an independent schedule and have played games in seven other states besides Utah. Wasatch Academy won that game 89-32 as the game was never in doubt.
Roper was the leading scorer with six points and Wilstead, Koby Butler and Bowdie Jacobsen each scored five points. Emery shot 22 percent in the game and only 11 percent behind the three point line.
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