The Emery Spartans fell from the unbeaten ranks Saturday night at the hands of cross-county rival Carbon. Just a three-point game at the half, Carbon led by eight after three and by as many as 17 in the fourth before the final buzzer sounded, giving the Dinos the 68-54 win.
Carbon evened up its season record at 7-7 before Region 12 play begins next week. Emery dropped to 11-1, leaving Panguitch (10-0) and Dixie (13-0) as the only other unbeaten teams in the state of Utah.
Gage Daugherty had eight points in the first quarter for the Dinos, nailing two threes, to help his team to the 14-12 lead in the back-and forth opening period. Daugherty finished the game with a season high 18 points, including four threes.
The sharpshooter tallied two more threes in the second period as both teams played within four points of each other. After Emery’s Kyson Stilson stole the ball from Daugherty and drove the length of the floor for the lay in under 30 seconds to play, Carbon’s Tyler Moynier drilled a corner three at the halftime buzzer to give the home team the 29-26 lead.
Carbon then used a 10-0 run spanning just under two minutes in the beginning of the third to jump out to a commanding 41-29 lead. A three-point play by Easton Gordon and a three by Stilson right after cut the deficit to six, 41-35, before Carbon’s Kyle Quinton scored four straight the get the lead back to 10. The Dinos then dribbled out the final two minutes of the period to take an eight-point lead into the final quarter.
Quinton took over the fourth as Carbon led by as many as 17 to run away with the win. Quinton led all scorers in the game with a career high 29 points. Jamin Jensen and Chase Morgan each pitched in seven points for the Dinos.
For Emery, Stilson, Zac Jorgensen and Koby Butler all finished with 12 points apiece. Jorgensen nailed four treys in the game.
Carbon (7-7, 0-0 Region 12) will travel to Mt. Pleasant on Wednesday to begin Region 12 action against North Sanpete (2-11, 0-0 Region 12). The game will be broadcast live on ETV Channel 10 at 7 p.m.
Emery (11-1, 1-0 Region 15) will travel to take on the Gunnison Bulldogs (7-4, 0-1 Region 15) on Wednesday as well.
Watch highlights of the game below:
[jwplayer mediaid=”194260″]
