Play-in games loom for Carbon teams: Carbon girls give just enough to beat Delta
By TERRY WILLIS
Sports reporter
Snow may have been falling outside the Carbon gym last Thursday, but the balls were not dropping for either team in a low scoring affair against Delta for the Lady Dinos. Carbon ended up holding on for a 34-26 win over the struggling Rabbits.
"It was one of those wins that feels like a loss" said Coach Cami Carlson at the end of the game.
Both teams were cold as the game began. It was the Lady Dinos that were able to find the hole a bit more often than the Rabbits and were up by nine at the break. Delta had only managed eight points on 12 percent shooting. The Dinos were hitting 31 percent of their shots.
In the second half both teams had a better quarter but Carbon increased their lead. Early in the fourth the Dinos were up by 13 and then their cold shooting turned to a deep freeze and they did not hit a bucket or free throw for most of the rest of the way.
Delta chipped away and the seeming sure win for Carbon suddenly looked in jeopardy. Stepping up their defense and finally hitting a shot and a couple of free throws, the Dinos held on to win.
The team was subdued as they headed to the locker room to face a grim coaching staff who were not pleased with what had transpired.
No Carbon player hit double figures during the game. Patricia and Samantha Smith led the scoring with eight each.
In the low scoring match-up it was rebounds that made the difference. Carbon pulled in 11 more than the Rabbits to really limit any second chance scoring by Delta.
Emily Cox crashed the boards with 11 rebounds. She also grabbed five steals and hit six points. For her overall effort she was the player of the game and also received the "Garbage girl" honors. Julia Potts pulled in nine rebounds as well.
Carlson was pretty succinct about the results.
"I don't have much to say," she stated. "I am disappointed especially in the fourth quarter effort. We are having trouble shooting the ball right now. The team is in a shooting slump and that is going to be our focus. We are going to work on shooting under pressure and for players to have confidence in their shots."
The Lady Dinos will now face Union on Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Carbon High gym for a single elimination play-in game.
The state tournament will take place at the E-Center in West Valley beginning Feb. 26.
If Carbon wins Saturday, their most likely first round opponent will be Grantsville. The Lady Dinos beat Grantsville in preseason play, but the Cowgirls have only lost once since then and that was to Morgan last Thursday. If it happens that game will take place at 4:10 p.m. on Feb. 26.
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