Grizzly freshmen stay close to home following break

The Rocky Mountain Grizzly freshman basketball squads took on a pair of county rivals in their first games of 2024 Monday
and Tuesday.
Monday at home, the Rocky Mountain boys topped Greybull 25-20, then fell to Burlington on the road Tuesday, 41-34.
In Monday’s game, the Grizz built a 13-9 halftime lead, then held on with a 12-11 second-half advantage.
Joaquin Scheeler led the Grizz with 10 points, and Rylan Stebner added 8 points, Jiggs Yellowtail 4 and Kellan Jackson 3.
“This was our first freshman game back since winter break, and you could tell,” coach Taylor Winland said. “We could never find a rhythm offensively, but luckily our defense held strong and held them to 20 points to our 25. It was good to see Joaquin Scheeler back in his first game and also leading us in scoring. Rylan was able to get us going offensively.”
Tuesday in Burlington, the Grizz jumped out to a 13-4 lead after the first quarter and led 20-12 at halftime, only to see the home team outscore them 29-14 in the second half.
Jackson scored 15 points to lead the Grizz, Scheeler 14. Stebner and Travis Crosby scored 2 each, Jaxson Miller 1.
“We started off hot in this game and played a great first half,” Winland said. “Burlington came out in the second half with great intensity right off the bat, and we dug ourselves a hole. We battled back to the end and had opportunities to pull it within one.
“It was a learning experience for all of us. Credit to the boys for not rolling over when things weren’t going our way. They stuck to it and kept battling.”
Now 1-2 on the season, the Grizz will travel to Lovell Monday for a 6:15 p.m. tip-off and host Powell Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.
Rocky girls
The shorthanded Rocky Mountain Lady Grizzlies dropped two games this week, falling at Greybull Monday, 33-15, then losing to Burlington at home Tuesday, 45-27.
The Lady Grizz struggled to put points on the scoreboard Monday, trailing Greybull 15-11 at halftime and then scoring just two points in each the third and fourth quarters.
Halle Grandalen
scored 10 for Lady Grizzlies, Emma Sponsel 4 and Lily Bauwens 1.
“In our two games this week we were down a player and played with only five girls,” coach Jamie Cooley said. “Our girls really stepped up and played hard.
“During our Greybull game we were able to work on and figure out our defense. We started to move together, we talked to each other on the floor and we were able to make adjustments. We were pretty tired by the end of the third but continued to play hard and work together.”
Tuesday at home, the Lady Grizzlies led Burlington 7-6 after the first quarter, but Burlington took charge to outscore the home team 16-3 in the second quarter and 12-6 in the third en route to the 45-27 win.
Charlee Welling scored 11 points to lead Rocky Mountain, and Grandalen added 9, Layla Gardner 5 and Bauwens 2.
“We played Burlington tonight (Tuesday), and we were able to work our offense,” Cooley said. “We met before our game to go over things we could improve on from the day before, and when these girls got into the game, they did everything we asked them to. They played hard and moved the ball well. They continued to play together and keep cool heads when things got tough.
“They all really stepped up tonight. Some girls were thrown into roles they haven’t played before and did a great job with it.
This is a very coachable group of girls. I’m excited to see what they will continue to do.”
The Lady Grizz will host Lovell Monday at 6 p.m. and Powell Tuesday at 5 p.m. in a doubleheader with the boys.