CHS Girls await tough test from Pine View in 3A Tourney First Round

By Sun Advocate

With the end of the regular season and the playoffs in front of them, the Carbon High Girls Basketball team has a clear vision of what they need to do from this point.
They’ll face a tough test in Pine View as the CHS Girls will host them in a 3A First Round playoff game on Saturday, Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. at the CHS Gymnasium.
Carbon High Head Coach Ted Bianco said Pine View has athleticism and plays a physical style with lots of pressing and traps on defense. Add that to the fact they haven’t been to the playoffs in several years, and it will be key for the Lady Dinos to be prepared.
“I think our girls will be up to the task,” said Bianco. “We need to show up and play a big game to come away with a win.”
Carbon clinched the Region 12 title and number one seed in the tournament with their 44-33 win over Juab back on Feb. 5. But in their final regular season game against last place Payson on Feb. 12, Carbon played well early but faltered late as Payson handed CHS a 61-55 loss.
“We started out strong but then we missed a few shots, had a few calls go against us and we got killed on the boards against a bigger team,” Bianco said. “They were really hungry for a win and I think we just got snake-bit with how we played that night.”
In practice this week, Bianco said the team focused on rebounding, defense and taking care of basketball to avoid turnovers, all things he believes will be key if they want to win.
“The Payson game was a wake-up call for the girls,” he said. “In the State Tournament, you can’t have an off night.”
With the game taking place at home, Bianco said he is hoping to see the same large crowd, including the students, who have showed up regularly for every home game this season and in years past.
“I feel we’ve got some of the best fans in the state,” he said. “We’re all hoping that the gym will be rocking with a loud and rowdy crowd.”