Written by: Hayden Johnson
Emery High’s boys basketball team travelled to Richfield on Friday to participate in the 2A-3A Boys Preview. The Spartans squared off against the Parowan Rams and the Enterprise Wolves at the Sevier Valley Center.
The Spartans began their weekend by playing Parowan Friday morning. Emery started off the game up 5-0 early but struggled to score in the first quarter with the game knotted up at nine after one. Fouls also plagued the Spartans early.
To start the second, the Rams took the lead 18-11 by getting to the free throw line and knocking down threes.
The first half ended 31-25 with Parowan ahead.
Emery came out after halftime attacking the basket and tied the game after consecutive three-pointers by Bailey Faimalo but were unable to hit critical shots and execute down the stretch and ending up falling to the Rams, 54-50.
Faimalo was the top scorer with 17 points and added seven assists, five rebounds and two steals. Dillon Wilstead contributed nine points to go along with five assists and Drexler Tanner had an efficient seven points on 3-4 shooting and grabbed 10 boards.
Up next were the Enterprise Wolves who the Spartans had played and defeated earlier in the season in a close one, 71-67.
The game wasn’t nearly as exciting this time as the Spartans lost 76-57. The Spartans once again jumped out to an early lead in a competitive first quarter that featured several lead changes and two ties but Enterprise pulled out to 26-20 lead and never looked back.
The Wolves were able to consistently get the ball down low and get themselves to the free throw line to lead by as much as 22 at one point.
The Wolves were too much for Emery to handle. Justin Prisbrey was huge for Enterprise and continued to give the Spartans fits down low with 33 points. Wilstead was the high point man for Emery with 18 points and Faimalo struggled shooting but put up nine points and five assists. Mcklane Allred netted 14 points with three three-pointers and Tanner continued to crash to boards with 10 rebounds.
“As hard as losses are we’re glad to be getting the chance to learn and improve and see the specific things we need to work on so that when crunch time comes we’re more prepared,” said Tanner after the game.
The Spartans face Union next in Roosevelt on Tuesday.
