Rocky battles through four games in 28 hours at Big Horn Basin tourney

Four games in roughly 28 hours tested the Rocky Mountain girls basketball program over the weekend, from conditioning and depth to focus. The Grizzlies faced one of the toughest tournament paths for a 2A team in the state, opening against unbeaten Cody before rebounding with strong performances against Wind River and Worland and closing with a one-point loss to Wyoming Indian that showed just how thin the margin can be late in a long weekend.

Despite the mixed results, head coach Justin Moss said he came away encouraged by how his team competed, responded and stayed together through adversity.

Cody 74, Rocky Mtn. 14:

Rocky opened Friday afternoon against Cody, the top-ranked team in 3A, and found itself facing relentless pressure and depth from the opening tip. Cody jumped out early and controlled the tempo, building a 23-4 first-quarter lead and extending it through the first half. While the scoreboard told a difficult story, Moss said the goals going into the game were different than usual, focused more on composure and effort than outcome.

“We told our girls our goals would be a little different in that game,” Moss said. “One was to keep our heads and to fight and keep battling. We only turned it over 23 times against them, which is pretty good against a team like that. That’s one of the better numbers you’ll see, even across the state.”

Rocky’s scoring came from several places, with Lauren Bassett scoring 4 points, Kaysie Cooley and Keylee Christiansen adding 3 each and Kennedy Brimhall and Halle Grandalen scoring 2 apiece in the loss. Moss said the most encouraging part was his team’s mindset throughout the game.

“Cody is a class act,” he said. “They’re top of the line, but I was encouraged that our girls stayed positive the whole time.”

Rocky Mt. 70, Wind River 24:

Early Friday afternoon, Rocky responded exactly the way Moss hoped the team would, rolling past Wind River with a dominant performance on both ends of the floor. The Grizzlies jumped out to a 20-3 lead in the first quarter and never looked back, building a 39-7 halftime advantage and finishing with a 70-24 win.

“To me, that was a get-right game,” Moss said. “We got to play two-way basketball again and share the ball.”

Rocky’s offense flowed throughout the game, with consistent ball movement and balanced scoring. Cooley led the way with 16 points, while Lauren Bassett added 14, Grandalen scored 11 and Sawyer Bassett chipped in 7. Christiansen scored 10, Layla Gardner added 6 and Leah Haslem and Brooklyn Larsen combined for 5 more. Lauren Bassett also recorded five assists, continuing a weekend-long trend of distributing the ball while still scoring.

Rebounding stood out, as well, particularly from the guard position, as Christiansen and Grandalen each pulled down 10 rebounds in the win. Rocky finished with 38 team rebounds and pushed the tempo consistently.

“We shot it well, we moved the ball and we pushed it,” Moss said. “That was encouraging to see.”

Rocky Mt. 61, Worland 48:

Saturday morning brought what Moss described as Rocky’s most complete performance of the season, as the Grizzlies handled a physical Worland team with control and balance in a 61-48 win. Rocky built a 36-25 halftime lead by attacking multiple defensive looks and continued to execute through the second half.

“I think overall this was our best game of the year so far,” Moss said. “Offensively, we were moving the ball and creating shots for each other.”

Once again, scoring was evenly distributed, with Cooley scoring 15 points, Lauren Bassett adding 15, Grandalen finishing with 11 and Sawyer Bassett contributing 11. Gardner scored 6, while Christiansen and Haslem combined for 3 points. Lauren Bassett also recorded five assists, helping Rocky finish with 14 assists as a team and just 14 turnovers.

“They’re physical, and we matched that physicality,” Moss said. “It was fun to see us start playing together better as a whole.”

Wyoming Indian 41, Rocky Mt. 40:

Rocky closed the tournament with the most difficult result to swallow, falling 41-40 to 2A Wyoming Indian in a game that swung repeatedly in the final minutes. After trailing by 8 points late, the Grizzlies rallied behind defensive adjustments and increased tempo, closing the gap and putting themselves in position to win.

“There was a point when we were down 8, and then we got some steals, changed defenses and got some tempo going,” Moss said. “I love the energy and fight of our girls.”

Rocky leaned heavily on zone defense to counter Wyoming Indian’s size and length, limiting second-chance opportunities and forcing tough possessions. The Grizzlies finished with 28 rebounds and 15 steals, but 20 turnovers and a slow offensive start proved costly over the course of the game.

When asked about a few tough plays in the final minutes that went the Lady Chiefs’ way, Moss said, “No time do I ever believe one or two mistakes decide a game. There are so many plays within the course of a game that affect the outcome.”

Cooley led Rocky with 15 points, while Grandalen scored 8 and Lauren Bassett added 7. Sawyer Bassett finished with 5 points, and Gardner and Christiansen combined for 5 more. Despite the loss, Moss said the experience was invaluable as the team moves toward conference play.

“These are great teaching opportunities early in the season,” he said. “I love their fight and their willingness to keep battling.”

Overall, Coach Moss was very pleased with his entire team over the course of the demanding two-day stretch. The Grizzlies came out of the weekend exhausted but healthy, with only the expected bumps and soreness. Moss said he is looking forward to a full week of practice and the opportunity to settle into the rhythm of conference play.

Rocky Mountain will open that stretch Friday night at home against the Greybull Lady Buffs. Junior varsity games begin at 4 p.m., followed by the varsity girls at 5:30 p.m. and the varsity boys at 7 p.m. at the RMHS Gymnasium in Cowley.

The Lady Grizz travel to Shoshoni on Saturday for tap times at 1 and 2:30 p.m.