#16 Emery hosted #17 Delta to tip off the 3A State Basketball Tournament. The Spartans played with a lot of confidence and it showed on the court. They moved the ball around well and were decisive with their passes, which created open looks.
Emery hit three, three-point shots in the first quarter, three by Treven Brazier, to take an 18-9 lead out of the gates. Delta tried to take away the outside shot, allowing Emery to feed Brett Rasmussen down low. The sophomore was a regular at the line, attempting 18 free throws on the night. He finished with 10 points at the half as Emery extended its lead to 37-24.
The Rabbits went to a man-to-man defense in the second half, temporarily slowing down the Emery attack. The Spartans worked out the kinks and were up by 11 going into the final quarter. Emery maintained control in the final period and went on to knock off the Rabbits 64-50.
Rasmussen had a team-high 19 points followed by Brazier with 18. Riggs Griffin added another 10 points to help the Spartans advance. Emery was tough on the boards and out rebounded Delta, minimizing the Rabbits’ chances.
With the win, Emery will continue in the tournament to play #1 Grantsville on Friday.
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- Photos by Dusty Butler
