Manti Templars on fire, beat Gunnison rivals 70-39

By Benjamin Thornberg

12-20-2018

GUNNISON—The Gunnison Bulldogs took a hard hit on their home court when Manti came to town last week. They also managed to pick up a win against Altamont, 69-47, before losing again to the Kanab Cowboys, 57-44.

When the Templars came to Gunnison on Tuesday, Dec. 11, Manti came away with an easy 70-39 win over the Bulldogs.

Both teams got off to a good start this season. Gunnison had recently been undefeated, winning their games by a large margin. This is partially due to their excellent three point shooting, led by Parx Bartholomew.

But Manti’s aggressive offensive strategy and efforts to combat three-pointers overwhelmed Gunnison, and the Templars accumulated points quickly.

“We rebounded the ball well, played well in transition and defended the three point line,” said Manti Coach Devin Shakespear. “We were able to gain control of the game early.”

The game with Altamont on Wednesday, Dec. 12 was a win for the Bulldogs, 69-47. The victory served as a solid comeback for the team after facing Manti. Starting off with a rough first quarter, the Bulldogs eventually picked up traction in the second half. From that point on, Gunnison racked up the score, outpacing Altamont and taking the win.

Bartholomew continued to show his leadership, scoring 22 points, and with Janzen Keisel scoring 13 points, the Bulldogs left the Longhorns behind by 22 points at the final.

The Kanab Cowboys, however, presented a challenge for the Bulldogs on Friday.

Jackson Hill, who helped the team with three pointers in the first eight minutes, provided them with a healthy start, but Kanab managed to raise their game in the second quarter. Despite good performances by Hill and Bartholomew, the Cowboys kept the pressure on and won the game, 57-44.

Gunnison faces North Summit on Wednesday, Dec. 19, and they will play Beaver on Dec. 21 at 7 p.m.