The atmosphere was electric at Carbon High on Tuesday, Feb. 11, as the Carbon Lady Dinos welcomed the Ben Lomond Scots to the Dino Den for the first time since 2002 for the opening round of the 2025 state tournament. Looking to advance in the state tournament, the Dinos started fast and didn’t slow down as they walloped the Scots 76-13.
Carbon opened the contest on an 8-0 run, not allowing a Ben Lomond basket in the first two and a half-minutes of gameplay. Even after the first Scots score, the Dinos applied relentless pressure to the squad, building up a 26-4 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The second quarter was a similar affair to the first, with four Dinos scoring seven or more points. At the end of the first half, Bailey Curtis had nine, Bailey Johnson and Becca Swasey had eight, and Maddison Ferguson had seven. This balanced scoring effort helped Carbon to a 42-6 halftime advantage.
Although the Dinos played the starting five for only half the frame, they were still consistently finding the bottom of the basket. The defense looked just as polished with the substitutions, with Carbon holding the Scots to single digits yet again, only allowing four points. This continued relentlessness boosted the Dinos to a 62-10 edge at the end of three.
The fourth quarter was filled with fireworks for Carbon, featuring circus shots, four-point plays and continued dominance over Ben Lomond. Adding to the Dino’s advantage was sophomore Kayla Jones, who, while in the process of shooting a three, was hit hard, falling to the ground while the shot fell through the basket, sending her to the line for a four-point play. Jones converting from the charity stripe was the final nail in the coffin as Carbon waltzed to a 76-13 victory.
“We always really work on defense; there’s no letting off it in practice,” explained Swasey in the Eastern Utah Community Credit Union Postgame show. The senior then spoke on her game plan for Friday’s showdown against the South Summit Wildcats,” I’m going to really focus on rebounds and playing good defense. They have some good players, but if we stop them, we’ll be good.”
Fourteen different players scored for the Dinos, with the seniors on the squad showing out in their final home game. Curtis closed with a team-high 13 points, Swasey ended with eight, Ferguson had seven and Jacie Jensen and Sage Vea contributed four.
The win advances Carbon to the second round of the state playoffs. On Friday, Feb. 14, the Dinos will travel to Kamas to face South Summit, with a spot in the state quarterfinals on the line.
Coverage for that contest will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Friday with the Landon’s Diesel Service Pregame show. Tipoff will follow at 7 p.m. The game will be streamed live on KRPX 95.3 the Peak and on YouTube at Castle Country Sports-Carbon.