Grizz sweep two conference rivals

After surviving their murderer’s row of Class 3A opponents, the Rocky Mountain Grizzlies jumped into conference play last week and came away with two wins, beating Greybull at home Friday and Shoshoni on the road Saturday.

“We were looking forward to this weekend. We knew we’d have a better chance at winning the games,” head coach Pat Winland said. “The kids executed the game plan for both games. Jeff (Samson) and Taylor (Winland, assistant coaches) did a terrific job of getting the kids ready. The kids were dialed in on the game plan.

“They (Greybull and Shoshoni) have watched us play lots of zone in the past couple weeks because of our matchup problems, but we played man specifically in both games because we thought we could match up better than we had in the past with the 3A teams.”

Rocky stopped Greybull 50-38 at home Friday. The Grizz never trailed in the game, jumping out 5-0 and 11-4 before heading to the bench up 15-6 after the first quarter. Mason Moss started the game with a coast-to-coast drive, and Jaxon Hayes followed with a three-pointer. After a Greybull bucket, Moss found Evin Clendenen inside for two, and after another Buffalo score, Cooper Winland hit Clendenen on a high-low play and Moss scored on a drive-and-bank shot. Winland worked inside for the final two Grizzly baskets of the quarter.

“We were willing to let their post guys shoot outside jumpers. We focused on shutting down their penetration and their spot-up shooters like Caden Hunt and Carter Jacobs. We didn’t want to let them spot up (for three-pointers), didn’t want them to have free looks.”

Winland said Moss did a good job on Jacobs, and Hayes was strong on Hunt.

The two teams traded baskets over the next two quarters as Rocky led 22-16 at halftime and 32-24 after three. The Grizz pulled away with an 18-14 fourth-quarter advantage.

Winland noted that Greybull took more shots than the Grizz – 56-42 overall – but  shot only 26.8 percent from the field, while Rocky shot 43 percent including 54 percent from two-point range thanks to a strong inside game. The game was clean and well played, with a total of 10 turnovers between the two teams.

“We were just patient (on offense), and we got the ball inside,” Winland said. “Evin and Cooper had a couple of nice connections, and then Mason and Jaxon were keeping them honest from the three-point line. Travis Crosby had a big basket in the third quarter, an and-one (basket and free throw).”

Moss led the team with 18 points, and Winland added 12 points, Kellan Jackson 7, Hayes 6, Clendenen 4 and Crosby 3. Winland pulled down nine rebounds, Clendenen eight, Moss seven and Jackson five. Moss had six assists, Winland five.

Road win

The Grizz stopped Shoshoni on the road Saturday, 53-46. Moss scored 8 points in the first quarter to lead the Grizz to a 15-11 advantage at the end of the quarter, and the Grizz edged the Wranglers 15-14 in the second to lead 30-25 at halftime. Rocky led 34-33 after three and built a 45-36 lead in the fourth with an 11-3 run before going on to win by seven.

Winland said the Grizzlies concentrated on shutting down Wrangler scorers Kisling and Gilbertson, noting that son Cooper did a good job on Kisling (9 points) and Moss on Gilbertson (6).

The Grizz shot 48.7 percent from the field, 68.4 percent from two-point range, compared to 28.8 percent for Shoshoni. Rocky also outrebounded Shoshoni 35-25 and dished for 18 assists. The only negative statistic was having 15 turnovers.

Moss finished with 22 points, Clendenen 13, Winland 8, Hayes 6 and Jackson 4. Winland added 10 rebounds, four assists and three blocks. Jackson finished with seven rebounds and four assists, Clendenen six boards and Moss five caroms and four assists.

“The job’s not finished,” Winland said of the conference wins. “They (Shoshoni) could come back around and come here and beat us, and then we could go to Greybull (and lose), but this definitely puts us in a great position of staying out of that four seed (at Regionals).”

Tough pair at home

The Grizzlies will host conference leader Thermopolis Friday night at 4 (JV) and 7 p.m., then entertain Northeast foe Big Horn Saturday at noon and 3 p.m.

Thermopolis (11-3) is a force in Class 2A, Winland said, with wins over Cody, Powell and Lovell and conference wins over Shoshoni and Greybull.

“I would put Thermopolis as one of the top 2A teams, and if they were in 3A, they’d be right in the thick of things also. They’re as good a team as I’ve seen this year. And they’re senior led, too, thank goodness.”

Top players, Winland said, are Cody Bomengen, a 6-6 senior, and Zak Hastie, a 6-2 senior point guard. Winland said Bomengen averages around 16.5 points per game, Hastie 14.6 ppg.

Big Horn (10-4) is a power in the east side of Class 2A, Winland said.

“They’ve had some quality wins, and they have a big post that will be a challenge for Evin and Cooper -- Chase Garber. And right now they have three kids averaging in double figures (Garber, Boone Reno and Caleb Adsit).

“Right now it’s Thermop and the Chiefs (as the top two teams in 2A), and then there’s the second tier. I don’t know if we’re in that second tier. We’ll find out (this weekend).”