| Bear River defenders collide in an attempt to block a Dino shooter. The Lady Bears were unable to stop Carbon’s scoring and the Lady Dinos won 51-32. |
The Dino basketball season ended on a sour note Saturday night in a loss to Morgan that left both sides of the bleachers disgusted.
According to head coach Ted Bianco, both Carbon and Morgan fans agreed that the game referees did a poor job of officiating the important state playoff bout.
“We were mentally and physically taken out of the game by some unfair calls,” Bianco stated.
Bianco said that when the heavy physicality of the close game became even more excessive, Carbon was penalized while Morgan was allowed to continue playing rough.
Morgan parents and school officials approached the coaching staff following the game and expressed their agreement that the officials dictated the final quarters of the playoff, Bianco said.
At the half, Morgan had a one-shot lead over Carbon, 26-24. However, Morgan doubled Carbon’s points in the third quarter, and the Trojans went on to a 76-61 win.
Brandon Manzanares was the high scorer of the game with 20 points, including two, three-pointers.
Bianco said the result of the game reinforces his belief that the first round of the tournament should take place at a neutral site, rather than be hosted by the team with the higher record.
“You’re giving the team such an advantage by having them host the game,” he noted. “I think our kids need to experience the atmosphere of a state tournament.”
Bianco said the state could accommodate a 16 team state tournament if the competition were a true, single-elimination format.