Rocky Mtn. girls fall narrowly at Tongue River, defeat Wyoming Indian

A week can change everything.

Seven days earlier, Rocky Mountain head girls basketball coach Justin Moss was still searching for answers. Not because effort or belief had disappeared, but because results had not yet caught up to the work. Injuries, inconsistency and a very difficult early schedule had left the Grizzlies with a record that did not reflect who they believed they were. This past weekend began to change that.

Rocky Mountain came away from a competitive road game against Tongue River and followed it with a dominant home win over Wyoming Indian. Even with the narrow loss included, the mood around the program shifted noticeably. Confidence replaced frustration. The Grizzlies did not just play better basketball. They looked connected.

The weekend opened Friday night with a road game at Tongue River, one of the most talented teams in the state. Rocky Mountain fell 44-42 in a game that stayed within one or two possessions throughout and came down to late execution.

Rocky showed signs of improvement early. Defensive assignments were adjusted during the week, with Moss mixing matchups to disrupt rhythm. That approach paid off in stretches, particularly against Tongue River star Carly Rash, who was held to 11 points after entering the night as one of the state’s top scorers. Freshman Sawyer Bassett drew the primary assignment and delivered one of her strongest defensive performances of the season.

“Sawyer did a really good job on her,” Moss said. “She stepped up defensively and offensively. She’s improving every week.”

Offensively, senior Lauren Bassett led Rocky with 18 points, attacking the basket and finishing through contact. Halle Grandalen controlled the glass with 13 rebounds, her season high, while Rocky also received contributions across the lineup from Kaysie Cooley, Keylee Christiansen and Sawyer Bassett.

The difference came down to small moments. Tongue River hit timely perimeter shots early, including four three-pointers in the first half from one guard, which kept Rocky from building momentum. Late in the game, a few defensive transition mistakes proved costly.

“We had opportunities at the end,” Moss said. “We had looks that just didn’t go. And then a couple of transition mistakes hurt us.”

Despite the loss, the tone leaving the gym was not despair.

“It was disappointing,” Moss said. “But we felt like we had taken a step forward.”

That step turned into a leap the next afternoon.

Wyoming Indian

Back home against Wyoming Indian, Rocky Mountain delivered its most complete performance of the season, pulling away from a tight first half to earn a 51-36 win. The teams were tied 10–10 after the first quarter, with Rocky trailing 23-20 at halftime before the Grizzlies dominated the second half 31-13.

The turning point was defensive intensity.

“We wanted to get into their ball handlers,” Moss said. “I call it getting in their bubble. We did that a lot more in the second half and really affected them.”

Deflections jumped noticeably as Rocky jumped passing lanes and turned pressure into transition opportunities. Wyoming Indian was held to just 5 points in the third quarter and 8 in the fourth, as a close game gradually became a comfortable win.

“We started to create things with our defense,” Moss said. “That was good to see.”

Offensive balance followed. Grandalen led the way with 11 points and continued her strong rebounding weekend. Lauren Bassett added 9 points and showed no lingering effects from an earlier eye injury, contributing across the stat sheet.

“She looked like herself again,” Moss said. “Lauren is one of the best players in the state, in my opinion.”

Another encouraging sign came from Cooley, who broke out of a recent shooting slump by hitting 4 of 7 three-point attempts and finishing with 13 points. Sawyer Bassett added 9 points and continued to provide steady perimeter defense, while Rocky’s depth continued to grow.

Across the two games, Rocky Mountain showed balance and improvement up and down the lineup. Lauren Bassett totaled 27 points and 18 rebounds over the weekend, while Grandalen added 12 points and a team-high 26 rebounds. Cooley scored 20 points and knocked down six three-pointers, and Sawyer Bassett contributed 14 points while drawing primary defensive assignments on opposing top scorers. As a team, Rocky’s defense set the tone, holding opponents to 44 and 36 points.

More than any single statistic, Moss pointed to health and chemistry as the biggest difference from a week earlier.

“We’re getting more healthy,” he said. “And we’re getting more connected with our crew.”

Younger players are settling into defined roles, seniors are leading without forcing and the ball is moving more freely, Moss said. Fans noticed the improved ball movement and unselfish play, a sign of a team no longer trying to fix everything individually.

“There was pressure on ourselves,” Moss said. “Each girl felt like she needed to do it alone instead of doing it together. This weekend, we did it together.”

That shift has restored belief. Judging by the record alone, Moss said, it might not be obvious, but the focus this week was on pride in who they are, pride in the program and pride in the work the players have put in.

Rocky now heads into conference play against Greybull and Shoshoni, teams that beat the Grizzlies earlier in the season when injuries limited rotation depth.

“We want to get back even,” Moss said.

The weekend also served as a reminder that Rocky Mountain is not alone. The Grizzlies traveled well to Tongue River and enjoyed strong home support against Wyoming Indian.

“Our fans are awesome,” Moss said. “Rocky Nation is alive.”

As February unfolds, Rocky Mountain is no longer searching for answers. Instead, the Grizzlies are starting to ask better questions.

“We talk about peaking at the right time,” Moss said. “This is the time to start playing better basketball.”

If the past weekend is any indication, Rocky Mountain is not just improving. They are beginning to look like themselves again.

The Lady Grizz head to Greybull on Friday night, with JV tipping off at 4 p.m. and varsity girls to follow at 5:30. Rocky Mountain returns home Saturday to host Shoshoni, with games starting at 1:30 p.m. for JV and 3 for varsity.