ETV News stock photo by Jeff Barrett
It’s time to return the hardwood as the Lady Dinos prepare for another basketball season. Carbon will deploy a loaded team with seven seniors and four returning starters.
Janzie Jensen and Sydney Orth bring back the most varsity experience while Madi Orth and Amaih Timothy are ready to build on their stellar freshman campaigns. The Dinos will also rely on Lyndee Mower, Haylee Prescott, Karli Hillam, Molly Banks and Stevie Oman to come in and fill bigger roles.
“We want those girls that are familiar with varsity time to step it up and be leaders on the court,” said head coach Cami Carlson. One new addition to the team will be Haley Garrish, a move-in junior, who will bring size and height to the lineup. “She’s 6’1″ and a big body that moves well under the basket. We’re excited about that.”
With all the talent and experience coming back, the question becomes, “what does it mean?” To Carlson, it signals an opportunity that does not come every year.
“We obviously have high expectations,” she said. “We’ve set the goal for a state championship. We’re setting high goals, knowing that that’s very difficult to achieve and that we will have to work really hard to get there. We have big aspirations.”
While the Dinos will certainly run familiar looks on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball, they are also planning on incorporating new game plans to attack teams.
“We feel like we have the personnel to run new offensive schematics,” said Carlson. “It requires a lot of athleticism, which I feel like we have, and basketball I.Q., which I feel like we are building. We are going to have to develop more [basketball I.Q.] to run these offenses. We’re pretty excited about how it’s coming along so far.”
In the past, Carbon has typically ran a 2-3 zone, which has been great at times, but the Dinos also recognize the importance of versatility. “We feel as a coaching staff that we are going to play teams that we are going to have to play man defense. Just because they have so many three-point threats and that’s really difficult to cover them in a zone.”
Carlson continued, “We are working hard right now on man principles and making sure we understand what the expectations are for man defense.” The Dinos will also deploy zone schemes, including the 2-3 and 1-2-2, while incorporating a press defense as well. “We have some great speed on our team right now and can use that to our advantage,” Carlson added.
Looking at the landscape of 3A, there are an abnormal amount of teams that are bringing back many talented and experienced players. Emery and Morgan met in the championship last year and return nearly, if not all, of their players. Grantsville only lost one post starter, while Judge Memorial is backed by future Utah Ute Teya Sidberry. Richfield is another foe that will make a run with the talent and experience they have coming back.
“We’re going to have to step up, we’re going to have to learn some new things, we’re going to have to bring some new things that they haven’t seen before from Carbon, and try to use our strengths to our advantage against those teams” emphasized Carlson. “They’re going to be tough; it’s going to be a battle.”
“It makes me excited. I enjoy the competitiveness of it all. Part of the fun is trying to figure out how to beat a team that is just solid.” Carlson concluded, “I’m sure it will keep me up at night, but I also look forward to it.”