Last week the Emery High boys’ basketball team resumed play after the holiday break with a pair of Region 15 games at home. Emery faced Richfield last Wednesday night and ground out a hard-fought victory over the visiting Wildcats by the score of 47-33.
On Friday night the Spartans hosted South Sevier and the Rams showed why they are currently ranked in the 3-A standings as they easily defeated the home team by the score of 81-53. The Friday night game was a game between two very similar teams that like to run and gun, move the ball quickly and have similar size in players.
The only problem for the Spartans was that the Rams just did it much better in this game. They shot better, they rebounded better, they passed better. In the first quarter the Spartans connected on four of 13 shots while South Sevier made nine of 14 shots and led 24-10. The second quarter was a little better as Emery made six of 16 but the Rams kept up the pressure as they connected on eight of 14. With 3:25 remaining in the first half the Rams had their one and only turnover of the game.
Emery did well and had only three turnovers through the first three quarters. Emery lost the period 20-15. The Rams closed out the game by scoring on their final seven possessions of the game. If you look at style of play that both teams want to achieve it was a fun game to watch because both teams wanted to run and up and down basketball is what we had. Emery took good shots but in this game, they just did not want to stay in the basket. Cade Brazier led the way with 14 points with Easton Gordon right behind with 13 points. Brax Jensen scored 9 points, Kyson Stilson scored 8 points, Tyler Butler scored 7 points and Kyler Wilstead had the final 2 points.
Emery and Richfield on the other hand was a slow-down, take time of the clock, grind it out ball game with neither team shooting the ball particularly well with the exception of the second quarter. Emery went one for 10 in the first period, one for 11 in the third period and four for 13 to close out the game. In the second quarter Emery was six for eight including three three-pointers. Richfield went three for 10, three for six but had seven turnovers in the second quarter, two for 10 and two for 13 in the final quarter.
Gordon led the way with 12 points and he also had 3 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals. Brazier scored 11 points and pulled down 6 rebounds. Butler had 9 points and 7 rebounds and Stilson had 5 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 steals. Jensen had 6 points Wilstead had 4 points, 5 rebounds and 2 steals.
This week doesn’t get any easier as the Spartans will host North Sanpete on Wednesday night in the Spartan Center and then will travel to Manti on Friday night for another region contest. North Sanpete has a record of 10-3 so far and Manti is 9-3.
Emery boys basketball wins one loses one
Cade Brazier puts up a three for Emery. Patsy Stoddard, Editor