Grizzlies overpowered in 2024 opener

It was a rough start to the new year for the Rocky Mountain Grizzlies, as they found themselves overwhelmed by a powerful and talented Powell Panther squad at home Friday night.
Rocky fell to the Class 3A power 71-19.
Powell scored the first two baskets of the game off Grizzly turnovers, and after coach Pat Winland called a timeout, the Panthers knocked down a three-pointer and went on to lead 19-0, then 23-2 after the first quarter.
“The game showed the state of where the two programs are at,” Winland said. “One is in a rebuilding mode, and the other is in a possible state championship mode. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a better Powell Panther team since I’ve been here.
“I felt bad for our kids. We knew we were in for it based on their athleticism, strength and basketball skill, but on the other hand we were disappointed as a coaching staff in our competitive spirit.”
Winland said the quick and strong Panthers used a man-to-man press and some zone trapping to disrupt the Rocky offense, leading to 10 first-quarter turnovers for the Grizz. The intensity of the action seemed to take the team away from press-breakers the Grizzlies had worked on in practice.”
Powell started the second quarter with another long run, this time scoring 20 straight points to lead 43-2 before Hudson May drained a rainbow three-pointer for the Grizz. Cole Minchow added a three-point play, bucket and free throw, but Powell led 49-8 at halftime.
The running clock mercy rule allowed the second half to fly by as Powell edged Rocky 11-5 in the third quarter and 11-6 in the fourth.
Winland said it’s best to simply move on following the lopsided defeat.
“We’ll start anew and prepare for St. Stephens as best we can with the group we have and go from there,” he said.
Minchow led the Grizzlies with 8 points, and Tucker Jackson added 4, May 3, and Bryce Haslem and Max Cooley 2 each.
Big Horn Basin Classic
The Grizz will travel to Worland this weekend for the annual Big Horn Basin Classic,
taking on St. Stephens Friday at 1:30 p.m. and Worland at 7:30 p.m. There will be no junior varsity games for the Grizz
due to a lack of numbers this week.
“They like to shoot the three,” Winland said of St. Stephens. “They will pressure us. They can go on big runs, but on the other hand they can give up big runs.”
Worland won the state 3A title last season, and while the Warriors graduated some talent including five starters, they have players who worked against a championship team every day in practice and contributed to the title themselves.
Friday’s action will determine the pairings for Saturday games, with the two third-place teams from pool play meeting at 11 a.m., first-place teams at 12:30 p.m. and second-place teams at 2 p.m., with the tournament championship game at 4 p.m. in Thermopolis.
Junior varsity
The Rocky JVs fell to Powell 60-14, outscored 20-9 in the first half and 40-5 in the second half.
Joaquin Scheeler scored 5 points for the Grizz, Jackson 3 and Minchow, May and Jaxson Miller 2 apiece.