Grizzlies win one of three as tournament host

As the host of the Big Horn Basin Classic boys basketball tournament, the Rocky Mountain Grizzlies held up their end with some strong play over the weekend, though they won just one of three games.

The Grizzlies opened play Friday with a 63-27 win over Riverside, then fell to Class 3A Worland 50-41. Saturday, they went toe to toe with third-ranked (2A) Wyoming Indian before falling 55-52.

“Despite our win-loss record, we improved this weekend,” coach Pat Winland said. “We were competitive in all three games and had a chance to pull ahead in the fourth quarter of our two losses. We just couldn’t make the plays in the end.

“Our shooting improved this weekend, and I thought our halfcourt zone defense flustered our competition. Mason (Moss) came back and gave us a boost.”

The Grizzlies were more than competitive in game one as they blew out the Riverside Rebels. Rocky Mountain drilled four three-pointers in the first quarter alone as they built a 19-10 lead at the first quarter break.

The Grizz poured it on in the second quarter, outscoring Riverside 23-5 to lead 42-15 at halftime. Bryce Haslem had a remarkable first half, scoring 15 points and draining three treys. Cole Minchow added 12. It was more of the same in the third as Rocky outscored Riverside 16-2 to lead 58-17, reaching the 40-point running clock during the period. Riverside won the abbreviated fourth quarter 10-5.

“This game gave us a chance to work on our full-court pressure,” Winland said. “Cole and Bryce shot the three-point ball well. It was just fun to put some points on the board.”

The Grizz were blazing from downtown, hitting 10 of 18 shots from three-point range while also scoring 16 points in transition.

Minchow finished with 18 points, Haslem 15, Tucker Jackson and Cooper Winland 6 each, Mason Moss 5, Lafe Files 4, Hudson May 3, Alex Hedges and Evin Clendenen 2 apiece and Travis Crosby 1. Jackson led with seven rebounds and four steals, and Haslem and Minchow dished for four each.

Worland loss

Playing the Worland Warriors in the Friday nightcap, the Grizz battled but couldn’t quite keep up with the physical Warriors. Worland outscored Rocky 11-9 in the first quarter and 15-8 in the second to lead 26-17 at halftime. Each team scored 24 points in the second half, and Rocky made a run at the Warriors in the fourth.

“This was another test for us, another big,
physical 3A team. We battled and had it to within two points in the fourth quarter. We were down 38-24 near the end of the third quarter and were within two at 39-37 in the middle of the fourth. We never gave up.

“We switched to a full-court zone press, dropping into a 2-3. That flustered them a little bit, and we capitalized on the other end with some great looks.”

The Grizz had seven players in the scorebook with points but only one in double digits. Minchow scored 10, Haslem and May 7 each, Jackson 6, Moss 5, Hedges 4 and Winland 2.

“Our balanced scoring helped, but we’d like to see more kids in double figures,” Winland noted.

Chiefs

The Grizzlies and Wyoming Indian Chiefs renewed their longtime rivalry Saturday, and it was another barn-burner. WIHS led Rocky 11-10 after the first quarter despite two treys by Minchow, and a 16-10 edge in the second left Wyoming Indian up 27-20 at halftime.

The Chiefs built a 38-24 lead in the third quarter, but the Grizz rallied, cutting the margin to six points by the end of the third quarter, 42-26, then to one point in the fourth at 47-46 before Wyoming Indian edged back out to a three-point lead.

“Cole and Bryce hit key three-pointers to get us back in the game,” Winland said. “We had the ball with six seconds left and drew up a play but couldn’t get a great shot off to tie.

“We’re right there.”

Minchow finished with 18 points, Jackson 16, Haslem 6, Files 5, Moss 3, May and Hedges 2 apiece. Jackson also pulled down eight rebounds, May four.

Conference games

The Grizzlies (5-8) will open conference play this weekend, traveling to Greybull Friday and hosting Shoshoni Saturday. The Greybull games are 4 (JV) and 7 p.m., Shoshoni noon and 3 p.m.

“This is why we play the schedule we do, to help prepare us for these conference games,” Winland said. “Five of our eight losses are to 3A teams, two to top (2A) teams in the state of Wyoming. It’s time for us to win some games.”

Junior varsity

The junior varsity Grizzlies won two of three games at the tournament in Cowley, beating Riverside and Worland Friday and falling to Wyoming Indian Saturday.

The young Grizzlies crushed Riverside 51-7 Friday, outscoring the Rebels 28-0 in the first quarter and cruising from there. Moss scored 11 points, Joaquin Scheeler 10, Winland 9, Jaxson Miller 7, Jaxon Hayes 5, Clendenen 4, Kellan Jackson and Crosby 2 each, Paul Seratt 1. 

In game two Friday, Rocky trailed Worland 37-35 after three quarters but outscored the Warriors 14-5 in the fourth quarter to win 49-42. Moss fired in 22 points for the
Grizz, and Winland
added 14, Scheeler 5, Miller and Jackson 3 each, Clendenen 2. 

Wyoming Indian led Rocky 35-22 at halftime, but the Grizzlies outscored WIHS 12-5 in the third quarter to make a game of it, trailing 40-34. Each team scored 14 points in the fourth period.

Moss scored 14, Winland 10, Scheeler 8, Jackson and Clendenen 5 and Miller 4 and Hayes 2.