San Juan basketball teams get one win, three losses in week of tough Region 12 contests

It was a tough week for the San Juan High School basketball teams with just one win in four games as they entered Region 12 play in earnest.

The girls opened the week in the SJHS gymnasium on Tuesday, January 19 against a tough Carbon squad that was 11-2 on the year and ranked #2 in the state in 3A girls basketball.

From the start, the Lady Broncos had their hands full. The Lady Dinos stormed out to a 22-6 lead in the first quarter and increased it to 32-12 at the half.

San Juan rallied in the second half but were only able to match Carbon 33-33 and suffered a 55-35 defeat.

Quiana Dishface led the Lady Broncos with 15 points in the loss. She hit a three-point basket and collected three rebounds and four assists.

Sadie Brown scored nine points for San Juan, including a three. She led the team with 11 boards and assisted on one basket.

Emilie Palmer scored five points in the game, Heyleigh Warren got four, and Serina Yanito added two points. Palmer and Yanito pulled down six rebounds apiece and Warren had four.

The boys team boarded a bus for a trip to Price on Wednesday, January 20 looking to get some retribution for the girls against the 9-3, #6-ranked Dinos. It was a hard-fought Region 12 battle from start to finish.

Carbon held a tiny 13-12 edge over the Broncos after one quarter, but built a 35-25 halftime lead with a 22-13 second quarter.

Despite playing shorthanded, San Juan maintained their consistent never-say-die attitude, and rallied to best Carbon 24-20 in the third quarter.

Down 55-49 headed into the final frame, San Juan was right in the game. But though they scored 22 points in the fourth quarter, they couldn’t keep the Dino offense at bay. Carbon scored 23 in the fourth to hold off the Broncos 78-71.

According to San Juan Head Coach Travis Black, a win was within the team’s grasp, but missed opportunities in the fourth quarter sealed their fate in a disappointing loss.

Ladd Ivins led the Bronco offense with 21 points. Jayden Black had 14, Nate and Jensen Grover scored 12 apiece, Cooper Black got eight, and Jace Palmer rounded out the scoring with two points.

Ivins was the best long-range shooter in the game, hitting five of seven three-point shots. Jayden Black was three of five from beyond the arc, and Jensen Grover added one three on the night.

Palmer collected a team-high 13 rebounds and also led the team with six assists. Ivins pulled down six boards and assisted on a couple baskets.

Nate Grover got six rebounds, Jensen Grover had four boards and three helpers, Jayden Black got four rebounds and two assists, and Cooper Black had two and two.

After a day off, the girls were right back to action on Thursday, January 21 with another tough region matchup, this time on the road in Castle Dale against the #3 Emery Lady Spartans.

From the start, Emery had the Lady Broncos’ number, outscoring them 26-9 in the first quarter, 14-11 in the second, 14-10 in the third, and 17-11 in the fourth on the way to a 71-41 final.

Sadie Brown had an excellent night for San Juan, leading the scoring with 18 points. Emilie Palmer had 11, and Heyleigh Warren got six on the night.

The Emery defense held Quiana Dishface to just four points, and Makaeli Begaye scored two in the loss. Palmer and Warren hit a bucket apiece from beyond the arc.

So, once again, the boys team was looking for some revenge when the Spartans paid a visit to Blanding on Friday, January 22.

San Juan had lost three of their last four and the team was also looking to break a two-game losing streak in front of a larger home crowd since COVID-19 restrictions had recently been relaxed.

The first quarter was a battle that ended in a 13-13 tie, but the Broncos were able to build a small 31-26 halftime lead when they bested the Spartans 18-13 in the second.

It looked like San Juan was going to run away with the game in the third quarter. Shooters got hot, and the Broncos built a 15-point lead through the midpoint of the period.

But from that point, Emery’s leading scorer Treven Brazier began to shoot the lights out to lead the Spartans on an incredible comeback. The senior hit six three-point baskets in the last 10 minutes of the game as Emery stormed all the way back to retake the lead.

The teams battled back and forth for a couple minutes until they were tied at 64 apiece with just 28 seconds remaining.

Following a San Juan timeout, the Broncos inbounded and eventually found Cooper Black open on the left wing as time was running out.

He put up a beauty of a shot that hit nothing but net as the buzzer sounded, giving San Juan an exciting 67-64 Region 12 win on their home court.

After the game, Coach Black said it wasn’t exactly how the team drew it up, but a win is a win, and it should be something to build on as the Broncos continue into this week.

It was another impressive night for Ladd Ivins, who scored 22 points to lead San Juan scoring. Nate Grover hit for 15 points, Jensen Grover got 14, Cooper Black scored 10, and Jace Palmer and Jayden Black added four and two respectively.

Ivins and Jensen Grover scored two three-pointers apiece in the win and Cooper Black added one.

Palmer led the team in rebounds and assists for the second straight game with nine and six respectively.

Following the past week, San Juan is 10-6 on the year and 2-2 in Region 12. They remain ranked eighth in the most recent RPI standings.

The boys are set for a home-and-home series with the rival Grand County Red Devils Wednesday and Friday, January 27 and 29, beginning in Blanding on Wednesday. Tip’s at 7 p.m. for both games and they’ll both be broadcast live on Redrock 92 and PictureItPalmer.com.

The Lady Broncos are now 5-10 on the year and 1-4 in the region, ranked #11 in their RPI. They’re off this week; a game originally scheduled against Grand on Wednesday has been moved to February 9 due to Grand’s mandated COVID-19 quarantine.