Templar eighth-grade basketball team wins all its games at Richfield tourney

      RICHFIELD—The Manti Templars eighth-grade boys’ basketball team won 5-0 at the 2022 Sevier Valley Basketball Tournament held at Richfield’s Sevier Valley Center, March 11-12.

      “It was a fierce battle from start to finish, a real team effort with everyone contributing,” said Dean Barton, an assistant coach and father of Will, a member of the team. “The difference turned out to be the Templars’ ability to run the floor and convert defensive rebounds and forced turnovers into easy layups.”

      The team is coached by Brooke Bogges, father of Landon. Assistant coaches include Barton; John Thomas, father of Adam; and Matt Mason, father of Carter.

      The community group, that includes eighth graders from Manti and Ephraim, is independent of Ephraim Middle School but uses their facilities for home games. “The students will attend Manti High School in the fall,” Barton said.

      The annual tournament for the eighth-grade age group, includes scholastic and community teams and is considered quite prestigious. Five games were played over the two-day period.

      On March 11, the team played Canyon View, 79-14; and North Sevier, 65-18. The next day, the kids played Delta A, 55-31; Delta B, 53-41; and Cedar City 57-55.

      In the final game, Manti edged Cedar City in a physical and hard-fought contest with evenly balanced contributions, Barton said.

      Will Barton scored 13 points and 2 rebounds; Carter Mason, scored 11 points and 4 rebounds; Stone Mortensen, made 9 points and 3 rebounds; Landon Bogges scored 7 points and 4 rebounds; Colby Rasmussen, made 7 points and 1 rebound; Kellen Lunch, scored 6 points and 4 rebounds; and Adam Thomas made 2 points and 3 rebounds. 

      Last fall and winter, the eighth grade Templars competed in the Utah County Bantam League. They also played in the Central Utah Basketball League in the spring.