| Andraya Newby launches a shot past an Emery Spartan defender during the season opener last Tuesday evening. The Dinos scored their first Region 8 victory after coming back from an 11 point deficit at the half to capture the 52-49 win. |
In a game which had the attention of both Carbon and Emery county sports fans, the Lady Dinos basketball team squeaked past the Emery High Spartans in the Region 8 season opener.
The game was not one which most Carbon fans are accustomed to. In fact, there was a period of time which Dino fans were wondering if the Carbon team would capture the victory.
Throughout the past several years, the girls basketball team at Carbon High has been loaded with talented players. This year is no exception.
Because the team is so strong each year, the Dino fans have become accustomed to games which Carbon dominates from tip off to the sound of the final buzzer. This didn’t happen Tuesday night however.
From the opening whistle to the half, the Emery Spartans dominated the Dinos who seemed to struggle to make things go their own way.
What could go wrong did in the first half of play for the Dinos. The halftime score of 28-17 sent both teams to the locker room filled with determination.
As the third quarter got underway, the Spartans continued to make big plays and force Carbon to turn over the ball on several different occasions, thus leading to a 16 point Spartan lead at one point during the quarter.
With about five minutes left in the quarter, the Dinos rallied a comeback as they narrowed the Spartans lead to 29-39 entering the fourth quarter.
The final quarter was a nail biter as the Dinos outscored the Spartans 23-10 in the final eight minutes of play.
By the time that the final buzzer sounded, the Dinos found themselves victorious by the final score of 52-49.
“This was a close game and I believe we will have a lot more like it throughout the season,” explained Dino coach Bruce Bean.
The final preseason game for the Dinos took place last week as the Carbon team took on the Pine View Panthers. In this game, Dino senior, Chelsey Warburton suffered an injury which at the time was unknown.
Tests were later performed and reveiled that the anterior cruciate ligament or ACL was torn in Warburton’s knee. The injury is not only serious, but it may keep Warburton on the sidelines for the entire season.
“The initial tests that were performed showed that the ACL was indeed torn. Chelsey went to the doctor again Wednesday to find out how bad the tear is. If the ligament is not totally torn, she may be able to wear a brace and be able to play lightly. If it is a complete tear, we’ll go from there,” explained Bean.
Although the loss of Warburton was felt by the Dino team as they competed against the Spartans, the Carbon squad does realize that they are a strong team who have to continue despite the possible loss of their teammate.
“It will hurt us. Warburton is a strong player and has done real well for us so far this year. This is a team sport however, and I feel that these girls really stepped up and played well,” Bean commented.
The opening season game was one which the Dinos displayed a total team effort on the court.
“We had a lot of girls really step up for us Tuesday. It took them a while to find their shoes, but once they did, they took control of the game and got the job done. It was nothing less than a total team effort,” explained the Dinos coach.
Dino sophomore, Morgan Warburton stepped up and lead the team in scoring as she posted 20 points against the Region 8 Spartan team.
Brittney Pollastro also played strong as she made several big plays for the Dinos. Pollastro scored eight points and has become a dominant force under the basket for the Carbon team.
Senior, Danielle Julian played well as she scored 12 points. Julian also played defense well and forced several Spartan turnovers.
The bench efforts were also a key factor in the Dinos victory. Although most of the bench players did not post any points on the board, they did work hard on the court and showed great hustle.
“The bench came out strong and played real well. I think that everyone that entered the game had a positive impact on the outcome of the competition,” stated Bean.
The Dinos will continue to work hard Friday evening as they face the North Sanpete Hawks on the road.
“I know this will be a tight game especially considering we’re playing on North Sanpete’s home court. We’re capable of winning as long as we continue to play strong and work as a team,” concluded Bean.