Lady Bulldogs split with Rocky and Cody

The Lovell Lady Bulldogs opened the new year with a pair of home games, their first of the season, as they pulled away from a strong Rocky Mountain squad Friday night for a 33-19 win, then faced the second-ranked Cody Fillies Tuesday, falling 49-20.

In their home opener Friday, the Lady Bulldogs jumped out early against the rival Lady Grizzlies and were able to hold off the Grizz the rest of the game. Senior Raegan May opened the scoring with a nothing-but-net three-pointer, and fellow senior Kenadee Rael hit three of four at the foul line. A follow shot by Breeah Jones put the Bulldogs up 8-0 before Rocky junior Keylee Christiansen broke the ice with a three-pointer.

Lovell went on to lead 11-5 at the quarter break and 15-5 early in the second quarter after a steal and layup by Rael, but the Lady Bulldogs went cold and the Grizz clawed their way back into the game with a 7-0 run to finish the first half that included a second trey by Christiansen and two inside buckets by Lauren Bassett. Lovell led 15-12 at intermission.

“We started off in an eight to zero hole in the first quarter and couldn’t close the gap,” Rocky coach Justin Moss noted. “Defensively, we were stingy, giving up only 33 points in the game. Offensively, we weren’t able to get things going, especially in the first quarter. We need to do a better job of getting off the bus and being prepared for a fight.”

For Lovell, coach Brian May was pleased with his team’s defense.

“I thought our defensive intensity and physicality was really good for most of the game,” May said. “We got off to a good start. Kenadee Rael played a good game and set the tone with her overall aggressiveness at the offensive and defensive ends of the floor. We got a couple of steals and got to the free throw line a few times, and we also hit a three-point shot to get scoring going, which boosted our energy
and aggressiveness off the bat.

“In the second quarter we were trying to do some things with their zone. They run a 1-2-2 or 3-2, which really packs the paint. We tried to force the ball inside at times, and not always successfully. Our posts weren’t moving to the spots where we wanted them.”

Treys by Rael and Libby Mickelson and a banked hook shot inside by Kennadee Owens helped the Lady Bulldogs pull out to a 22-13 lead in the third quarter, and after a jumper by Bassett for the Grizz, Rael cashed a second shot from downtown and Celeste Lindsay converted a power follow shot to put Lovell up 27-15 after three quarters.

“We have to be able to hit from the perimeter to open up the middle and work our post game,” May said. “It’s fun to see them execute those things after you talk about them. The two three-pointers in that quarter really helped us.”

Lovell edged Rocky Mountain 6-4 in the final quarter to win 33-21.

Rael led Lovell with 12 points, and Jones added 7, Mickelson and Owens 4 each, May 3, Lindsay 2 and Becca Nichols 1. Rael added six steals, four assists and five rebounds, and Mickelson pulled down 10 boards, Owens six.

Bassett scored 9 for the Lady Grizz, Christiansen 6, Brittly Boettcher 3 and Kaysie Cooley 1. Tarynn Schoening snared six rebounds, Boettcher five and Christiansen four. Schoening and Bassett finished with three steals each.

“I would dare to say that we have had the toughest schedule in 2A to start the year,” Moss said. “We have played four of our first 10 games against 3A teams that are all over .500. These games do a great job of helping our team find out who we are. We will come out the other side as a better basketball team.”

Both Lovell and Rocky Mountain will compete in Worland this weekend for the annual Big Horn Basin Classic, with other games played in Thermopolis. Friday, Lovell will play Greybull at noon (JVs at 10:320 a.m.) and Glenrock at 3 p.m. (JVs at 1:30). Rocky will meet Worland at 1:30 p.m. (JVs at noon) and Burlington at 4:30 (JVs at 3).

Results from Friday will determine how teams are seeded in Saturday’s schedule. Worland will host the championship game at 4 p.m.

Cody loss

The Lady Bulldogs opened conference play Tuesday evening with a 49-20 loss to the quick and powerful Cody Fillies. Cody pounced on Lovell with an intense, pressure defense, jumping passing lanes and forcing 10 first-quarter steals. The result was a 25-3 lead for the Fillies after one quarter. Lovell didn’t score until the final seconds of the quarter when Lindsay hit one of two at the foul line and banked in a shot at the buzzer.

Cody backed off the pressure a bit in the second quarter, and the intensity of the game changed dramatically as the Fillies edged the Lady Bulldogs 6-4 to lead 31-7 at halftime. Cody outscored Lovell 13-10 in the third quarter and 5-3 in the fourth.

Lindsay finished with 9 points for Lovell, Mickelson 4, Jones, Owens and Brooklin Clark 2 apiece, Hannity Felkins 1.

“We struggled in the first quarter, but in the last three quarters we competed much better,” May said. “Our girls worked hard in the last three quarters defensively, and offensively we had some good looks but didn’t finish like we wanted to.

“I loved that our girls kept battling after we got down early.  They never gave up.”