Playing in what could have been his final game in an Emery Spartan uniform, Emery’s Dillon Wilstead powered his team to an emphatic 56-42 win over the Delta Rabbits Friday afternoon in the first round of the 2A playoffs in Orem. Equally important was sophomore Koby Butler, who came off the bench to score 16 points and play an important role in his team’s third quarter.
Emery’s defense kept the Delta offense off the board until a bucket by the Rabbits with 2:15 remaining the opening quarter. The Spartans were ahead at that point 8-0. The Spartans would lead by as many as 12 points, 29-17, during the first half, with Wilstead scoring 13 of his game-high 22 in the opening half of play. The Spartans took a 31-21 lead into the break.
Koby came off the bench early in the third quarter after Kevin Butler picked up his fourth foul of the game. Koby would go on to score 10 of Emery’s 13 total points in the quarter. Emery led by as many as 18 in the period.
After a quiet third, in which he did not register a single point, Wilstead responded to score nine of Emery’s 12 points in the fourth, securing the 56-42 win.
Koby missed just one field goal attempt, going 7-8 from the floor en route to his second highest offensive output of his young high school career. Wilstead went 8-12 and dished out six assists. Emery shot 54% from the floor in the game.
With the win, Emery will a play at 11:10 a.m. on Thursday in the quarterfinals of the 2A playoffs at the Sevier Valley Center in Richfield. They will play Summit Academy.
