The Emery High Spartan basketball team’s furious comeback fell inches short Tuesday as the Beaver Beavers tipped in a missed shot to win the game 45-43 in Castle Dale.
Emery’s comeback was necessitated by a slow start that left the team down 16-6 after the first quarter.
Head coach Todd Jeffs made a half-time adjustment that sparked the comeback. The Spartans used full-court pressure to create turnovers.
“We extended the floor defensively, and [Beaver] got panicked and scared,” Jeffs said.
The Spartans outscored Beaver by nine points in the second half, but Smokey Osborn’s buzzer-beating tip stopped the Spartan comeback short.
Dallon Cologie led Emery with 11 points, and Brendon Jorgensen followed with nine points.
Coach Jeffs said he was pleased with second half improvements his young team made.
Emery next hosts Manti on Dec. 30 at 7 p.m.
The game was broadcast live on ETV Channel 10.