Kacelyn Toomer poured in a game-high 17 points to help the Emery Lady Spartans to a hefty 56-36 win over the Grantsville Cowboys Friday night in the 3A Semifinals, earning a spot against Richfield in the championship game on Saturday.
Saturday’s championship game against Richfield will mark the third time this season the Spartans and Wildcats have face one another, with both winning home matchups during Region 15 action.
After Grantsville took a 9-8 in the first quarter, the Lady Spartans ripped off 11 straight to take the double-digit lead, 19-9, into the second quarter.
The Cowboys scored the first four points of the second quarter as both teams then played even the rest of the half, with Emery leading 29-21.
Both teams buckled down defensively in the third quarter as neither team eclipsed the 10 point mark. Grantsville scored the first points of the period to cut the lead to six, but Megan Jensen answered with two free throws to get the lead back to eight. Kacelyn Toomer added a bucket right after to increase the lead to 10, 33-23, a lead that Emery would keep over that mark the rest of the game.
Besides Kacelyn Toomer’s 17, Megan Jensen added 12 points and nine rebounds. Lainee Jensen was next with nine points, including two, first half threes. Bailey Huggard just missed a double double with eight points and seven boards.
Emery outrebounded Grantsville 34-26, and finished the game 18-49 from the floor (36.7%), including a dismal 3-14 mark from the three point line.
Emery will take on a Richfield team in Saturday night’s 3A Championship game with one loss on the season, coming at the hands of the Wildcats back on Jan. 2, 49-39. The Lady Spartans then got payback on Jan. 23, beating Richfield 54-45 in Castle Dale. The two teams have a combined three losses on the season.
