MANTI–There have certainly been better weeks for Coach Brennon Schweikart’s team, and the coach said his players felt it.
Manti girls’ basketball fell in consecutive region games, 56-43 to Union and 46-40 to Delta, last week. Their overall record dropped to 8-8, and they are now 2-3 in Region 14, good enough for fifth place.
Dealing with Union, now sitting at the top of the region at 4-1, Schweikart attributed the Lady Templars’ struggles to poor rebounding.
Despite being behind most of the game, Manti was still making a close game of it, even leading near the end of the third quarter after a layup from senior Sharlie Alder. However, Union buried a 3-pointer on the next possession to retake the lead.
In the fourth quarter, Union began to create some more distance, but Manti wasn’t done yet, as junior Heidi Jorgensen sank a pullup 3-pointer to make it 43-38 in the Cougars’ favor. Late in the fourth, senior Rilee Jarvis got the Lady Templars even closer by making a free throw to bring them within 4 points.
Unfortunately, that looked to be all Manti had left, as Union closed out the final 2:30 on an 11-2 run to close out the home team.
Jorgensen and Alder each scored 14 points to lead Manti in scoring.
After the last time out against Delta proved to be an offensive fire show for the Rabbits, Manti knew they would have to play better defense this time around, and they did. However, the baskets just couldn’t fall for the Templars on a very cold night inside the gym and out. Manti only scored five points in the second quarter.
The Lady Templars actually outshot the Rabbits from the field, making 15 field goals total to Delta’s 13, but the Rabbits earned trip after trip after trip to the stripe as they attempted 28 total free throws, making 15 of them.
“Against Delta, we didn’t repeat any of the same mistakes,” Schweikart said. “It’s hard to win the basketball game when the other team shoots 28 free throws and we have 15 as a team. We played our defense, but our shots didn’t fall. That’s just life in basketball.”
Jorgensen and Alder again tied each other in point total with 12 apiece.
Manti next faces North Sanpete at home this Tuesday, then they’ll host Juab on Thursday.
