Bulldogs blow through BHB Classic with four double-digit wins
The cream is definitely rising to the top in Wyoming Class 3A boys basketball, and at the top of the heap is the Lovell Bulldogs, who powered through all opponents at the Big Horn Basin Classic in Cowley and Powell over the weekend.
Now 12-0, the Bulldogs clobbered Greybull 77-40 and Wyoming Indian 81-64 on Friday, then won the Cowley pool title game over Worland, 49-31, and easily won the tournament title in Powell, powering past the host Panthers 74-38.
In a five-day span, the Bulldogs defeated second-ranked (WyoPreps poll) Cody and third-ranked Powell.
“Our goal is to always continue to get better,” Lovell coach Shane Durtsche said Tuesday. “We’re continuing to progress, capped by our best game at Powell.”
Durtsche said a hard-fought win over Cody on the Tuesday before the tournament helped the Bulldogs raise their game in the tournament.
“Our defense looked pretty good when we were locked in,” he said. “There were still some lapses and things to work on. It was more of a focus thing, but when we were locked in we were pretty tough. The kids relaxed a little this weekend and just went out and played.”
Offensively, the Bulldogs played better than the previous week, Durtsche said, noting, “It flowed a little bit better. We moved the ball better.”
The Bulldogs recorded a remarkable 90 assists in four games.
“That’s sharing the basketball, and when we’re doing that we’re tough.”
Greybull
The Greybull Buffs were no match for the Bulldogs in Friday’s opener in Cowley as the Bulldogs outscored Greybull 40-20 in the first half, and after leading 53-30 at the third-quarter break won the final quarter 24-10.
“We wanted to go out and just play, get a lot of kids into the game,” Durtsche said. “We wanted a 10-man rotation to get the kids meaningful minutes that were not just at the end of a game.”
Lovell outrebounded Greybull 33-21 and had 23 assists and 24 steals while forcing 27 turnovers.
Ten players scored for Lovell led by Owen Walker with 12 points. Owen Edwards added 11, Jace Nicholls and Kaeson Anderson 10 each, Matthew Newman and Davin Crosby 9 each, Robert Romero and Kyle Wilson 6 apiece, Cash Wassmer and Brody Muller 2 each.
Walker recorded 10 rebounds, five steals and four blocked shots, Nicholls seven boards and five assists and Newman six assists and six steals.
Wyoming Indian
The Bulldogs renewed an old rivalry with the Wyoming Indian Chiefs Friday evening, and while the Chiefs like to run and gun, the Bulldogs beat them at their own game.
“They’re a solid team. They played pretty well against us and shot it well,” Durtsche said. “We were a little careless with the basketball, but it was a fun game. Both teams were getting up and down the floor. We didn’t always do a good job getting back on defense, and that kept them in it.”
The Chiefs had no answer for Walker, Lovell’s junior center. The agile post man recorded 29 points and 15 rebounds.
“Owen was too much for them inside,” Durtsche said. “We wanted to get it to him down low. We made it a point to look inside.”
Lovell led 17-16 after the first quarter and gradually pulled away, leading 39-33 at halftime and 64-53 after three, then outscored WIHS 17-11 in the fourth to win by 17, 81-64.
Guards Newman and Nicholls thrived in the wide-open game, scoring 15 and 13 points, respectively, while Anderson added 12, Crosby 9 and Edwards 3. Crosby and Nicholls had eight assists each, and Nicholls added seven rebounds and five steals.
Worland
The Bulldogs defeated Worland for the Cowley site championship Saturday, 49-31, but it wasn’t easy.
“Worland wants to slow it down a little bit and grind you, make it difficult to score,” Durtsche said. “They play a tough, physical style of defense.”
Lovell outscored the Warriors 16-9 in the first quarter and 14-9 in the second to lead 30-18 at halftime, then mostly traded baskets in the second half, with Lovell having the 19-13 edge.
“We were always in control of the game,” Durtsche said. “Worland is really tough. They’re well coached and physical, but this year they’re a little bit limited in their scoring. Our 1-3-1 and 2-3 (zones) made it tough for them to get good looks.”
Newman had a strong game for the Bulldogs, leading the team with 15 points, four assists and six steals. Anderson added 11 points, Walker 10 points, 10 rebounds and three blocked shots. Crosby had 7 points, Nicholls 4 and Edwards 2.
Powell
The Bulldogs had dropped eight straight games to the Powell Panthers during Durtsche’s two-year coaching career, but they didn’t just break the losing streak, they obliterated it, 74-38, playing easily their best game of the season so far.
Lovell blew the doors off Powell, outscoring the Panthers on their home court 19-7 in the first quarter and 26-7 in the second to build a 45-14 halftime lead. They edged Powell 29-24 in the second half to win by 36 points, and this against the third-ranked team in Class 3A – in Powell.
“From a coaching standpoint that was fun to watch,” Durtsche said. “The kids came out with a lot of energy. I really wanted to see Powell in a non-conference game to see somebody different. We wanted to get that (eight-game) monkey off our back.”
As an example of the Bulldogs’ energy and effort, Durtsche pointed to a play where a Powell player had a better angle to a loose ball, but Newman beat him to the ball as if “shot out of a cannon,” then grabbed the ball and exploded to the basket for a layup.
“Matthew was flying around,” Durtsche said. “It was fun. The kids wanted this game.”
Final statistics show Lovell outrebounding Powell 40-24 and finishing with 27 assists to Powell’s 12. Walker scored 17 points to lead the Bulldogs, and Newman added 15, Anderson 12, Crosby 10, Romero 8, Edwards and Wassmer 5 each, Nicholls 2. Walker snared 13 rebounds, Nicholls and Crosby six apiece. Anderson and Newman dished for six assists each, Romero and Nicholls five apiece.
At Worland
The Bulldogs will return to conference play this evening (Thursday) when they travel to Worland for a rematch with the Warriors. Tap times are 4 (JV) and 7 p.m.
“That’s always a tough place to play, and they’ll have those kids ready,” Durtsche said. “They have rarely lost a conference game at home over the last three or four years, with maybe one loss. They’re a tough team to beat on their floor, and I challenged our kids to play a full game and come away with a strong win.”