CASTLE DALE—For the first time in years, the Lady Templars are looking vulnerable on defense.
The Manti girls’ basketball team fell to 1-2 on the season last week as they were handed yet another devastating loss by a solid 3A team, falling on the road to Emery, 65-39, last Tuesday.
Manti’s defense suffered another uncharacteristically poor defensive showing, allowing a third-straight game of 60 plus points to their opponent after never doing so in the regular season last year.
Manti’s defense currently allows 73 points per game, which currently puts them squarely at the bottom of 3A in that category.
Coach Brennon Schweikart was unavailable to comment when contacted last weekend.
Even more frustrating for the Lady Templars was their offensive struggles, thanks to a defensive clinic put on by the Spartans. Emery began the game with a suffocating full court press that Manti could not break out of, and it led to Emery being up 9-0 virtually before Manti had even crossed half court. As the Templars gradually began to settle in, the two team exchanged baskets to the end of the first quarter with Emery leading, 20-13.
Emery began to pull away in the second quarter, building an 33-18 lead, but Manti responded over the last 4:20 minutes with a 9-1 run to pull it back within 7 points at halftime.
After the half, Emery again pulled away making it a 14-point lead at the end of third as Manti’s offense began to lose steam. Then, the Lady Templars’ shooting went ice cold, as they scored only four points in the fourth quarter, going scoreless in the last 4:40 of the game, as Emery turned it into a rout.
Senior Charlee Mandel was an immovable object in the paint for much of the game, and her offensive rebounding prowess turned into points as she led the Templars with 13 points. Junior Heidi Jorgensen scored 12 points, on four 3-pointers, to back her up.
Manti’s season continues as they return home this Thursday to host Layton Christian Academy.
