The energy was palpable within Jurassic Park on Thursday, Jan. 30 as the Carbon Dinos welcomed the Emery Spartans for round two of their rivalry showdown. The back-and-forth contest would be decided by free throws, as the Spartans shot 10-27 from the line while Carbon shot 24-28 at the charity stripe, elevating them to a 60-54 win.
The Dinos would score the first basket of the game, but in response, Emery would rip off a 10-0 over the next three minutes to build an early 10-2 advantage. But Carbon would not back down, only allowing four more Spartan points in the frame while Dino senior Jacie Jensen would ignite a run to make it a 14-12 ballgame in favor of Emery at the end of one.
Carbon’s defense would come alive in the second period, holding a powerful Spartan offense to only seven second-quarter points. Katelyn Nielson for Emery would do a bulk of the scoring for the Spartans in the first half, putting up seven. Jensen would continue to her offensive master class with 11 points which helped elevate the Dinos to a 24-21 halftime lead.
A slew of Spartans would get involved with the scoring effort in the third, with Megan Stilson, Kali Jensen and Nielson helping to will Emery into the game. For Carbon, Bailey Johnson and Bailey Curtis would find their strides as the two teams battled, with the Spartans outscoring the Dinos by a single point in the frame and making it 40-38 headed into the final stanza.
Neither team would back down in the fourth, with each run being responded to in kind by the rivals. Down 54-53 with one minute left, Emery would have multiple shots at the rim before the Dinos would finally be able to rip down a rebound. Looking to extend the game Emery would foul Jacie Jensen, sending her to the line with a chance to increase Carbon’s lead.
The gym was split by sound, with the silent Dino crowd looking to combat the rowdy Emery loyal.
As Jacie Jensen took her dribbles, she put up the first shot and … swish.
She stepped up for the second. Dribble, dribble, dribble, and the shot was up … and money again, making it 56-53.
Another missed Spartan three on the other end would result in another intentional foul against Jacie Jensen. Stepping to the line the senior would again have ice in her veins as she again went two-for-two at the stripe.
Driving to the other end looking for an answer, Stilson would be hacked during a layup sending her to the line. Stilson would split the trip and cut into the deficit 58-54, but with only 13 seconds left the Spartans would again be forced to foul Jacie Jensen. Jensen would again convert on the opportunity and as the final buzzer sounded Carbon stormed the court as they upset the Spartans 60-54.
The statistic both teams will circle is the free throw percentage, with Carbon converting on 85% of their looks for 24 points while Emery was only able to hit 40% of their shots from the line for 10 points.
Leading the way for the Dinos was Jacie Jensen, who closed with 24 points. Curtis would finish with 10 and the duo of Sage Vea and Ferguson would each contribute eight.
For Emery, Nielson would be the leading scorer, putting up 14. Kali Jensen would end with 10, Stilson with nine and Saige Curtis with eight.
The victory moves Carbon to 6-15 on the season and 4-8 in region play. It also moves the Dinos up in the RPI to the 13 seed. With the loss, Emery falls to 11-10 on the year and 8-4 in league play.
Next up for the Spartans is a return to the Spartan Center where they will face the North Sanpete Hawks (6-15, 3-9 Region 12) on Tuesday, Feb. 4. For Carbon its trip to Cedar City to take on the region-leading Canyon View Falcons (16-5, 10-2 Region 12) on Tuesday, Feb. 4.
