The Emery High boys’ basketball team had a legitimate shot at winning this year’s 2-A state basketball championship but unfortunately a charter school got in the way and the Spartans ended their season by finishing in third place in 2-A. Emery started this week’s tournament in Richfield by defeating the Delta Rabbits 48-32 on Thursday. On Friday Emery faced a team they defeated last season in the semi-finals of the state tournament but this season they were not quite as lucky, Emery lost to Summit Academy 56-43 in a game that was much closer than the final score would indicate. Emery closed out the season on Saturday by defeating Beaver 56-50.
In the Thursday game, Emery outscored Delta 10-3 in the opening quarter and then gradually built their lead to the 16-point win. Bowdie Jacobsen led the way with 15 points. Koby and Kolton Butler each scored 9 points and Easton Gordon scored 8 points. The rest of the scoring was done by Mitch Richarz with 4 points, Zac Jorgensen with 2 points and Bryce Dugmore with 1 point.
The next day against Summit Academy, the Spartans and the Bears battled evenly through the first three and one half quarters but the Spartans could not keep up with their opponent over that final four minutes. With four minutes to go the score was 40-39 for Summit Academy when the Spartans just stopped scoring. Emery was outscored 16-4 over that final four minutes as the Spartans missed their final 13 shots of the game while the Bears were making 12 of 16 free throws.
Koby Butler and Bowdie Jacobsen were the leading scorers in the game with 19 points each. The only other two Spartans to score were Kolton Butler and Easton Gordon with 3 and 2 points respectively. Koby scored all his points in the first and third quarters while Jacobsen scored all his points in the second and fourth quarters.
On Saturday in the game for third and fourth, Emery faced the Beaver Beavers and the Spartans defeated the Beavers 56-50 as the Spartans outscored Beaver 11-8 in the first quarter, 11-9 in the second quarter and 19-17 in the third quarter. Beaver won the final period 16-15. Koby again led the way, this time with 23 points on 9 for 13 shooting from the field. Butler had 16 points in the second half. Dugmore and Jorgensen each scored 9 points in the game with Jacobsen scoring 7 points, Kolton scoring 6 points and Gordon scoring 2 points.
With the bulk of the team back next year, Emery should again be a threat to win it all. Emery will miss starter Dugmore and reserve Mitch Richarz and the only other senior was Beau Roundy who missed the last part of the season because of concussion issues.
Emery is coached by Todd Jeffs, Jared Butler and Kris Abegglen.
Emery players include:
Tyler Butler, Bryce Dugmore, Cade Brazier, Bowdie Jacobson, Cody Wilstead, Easton Gordon, Keaton McDermott, Kyler Wakefield, Chase Jewkes, Mitch Richarz, Zachary Jorgensen, Kyson Stilson, Kolton Butler, Koby Butler and Isaac Hardee.
Emery basketball finishes third in state tourney
"Kolton Butler fights to hang onto the ball against Summit Academy."