| Freshman Viking Bryant Bridge (13) lets go of a shot during a game against Dugway earlier in the season. |
After last weeks big win over West Desert, it looked like the East Carbon boys basketball team had finally found the path to the promised land.
But after Tuesday nights loss to Tintic in Eureka, a 74-47 thrashing, they were lucky they could find their way back to Sunnyside.
“I don’t know what happened to our effort,” said head coach Jeff Cisneros.
The game was an example of what has plagued this Viking team all season, only more so. Consistency and running plays as a team has eluded this squad all season except in spurts. And according to the coach there were fewer spurts in this game than in most of the others.
“We had one bright spot and that was in the second quarter,” noted Cisneros. ” We were down by 20 points and started a comeback, got within 12 and then we let them rattle off four or five baskets and that was the end.”
Once again right from the beginning the Vikings dug themselves a hole. At the end of the first quarter it was 25-10. It didn’t help that one of the Vikes top men, Austin Preston got into foul trouble and had to sit down for the half. That second quarter bright spot made that period a little better but they still were blasted 21-13 going into the locker room 23 points down.
The final two quarters were much closer, with the third period scores reading 13-11 and the fourth 15-12, but that was little consolation.
“In the game last week against West Desert we had 26 assists and only 12 turnovers,” stated Cisneros. “On Tuesday night we had at least two turnovers to every assist we made. You can’t do that and win.”
After the win last week Cisneros was sure the team would be able to beat Tintic this week, especially since in a game earlier this season the Vikes had taken the Miners into a double overtime and only lost by five points.
But it was not to be.
High scorer for the Vikings was Tony McFarland with 15 points. Jared Kennedy put in 10.
“It got so bad that I just decided to play everyone on the bench, but it’s hard for those kids to keep up with the other teams older kids,” stated the coach.
Cisneros said the team has a lot of time to practice in the next 10 days because they only have one game on Feb. 21 before the final week of the season when they must play three games in five days.
“We will see if we can come back, what kind of grit we have,” he concluded.