Rocky Mtn. Middle school boys see action against Lovell, Greybull

The Rocky Mountain Middle School boys basketball teams were in action last week with home games Thursday against Lovell and another full slate Saturday against Greybull.

Thursday at home

A Game: Lovell 25, Rocky 18

The Rocky Mountain A Team struggled to find its shooting rhythm Thursday in a 25-18 loss to Lovell. The Grizzlies trailed 10–7 at halftime.

Madden Cooley led the A Team with 6 points, while Hudson Moore and Dally Malson each scored 4 points. Ty Samson and Tyler Crosby added 2 points apiece, and Kaden Baker chipped in 1 point. Malson also led the team with 11 rebounds.

“I was really pleased with our offensive and defensive execution,” head coach McKay Baxendale said. “Unfortunately, we were 0% from 3-point range, which is typically a strength of ours. Sometimes it’s just not your night.”

B Game: Lovell 44, Rocky 11

The Rocky Mountain B Team dropped a 44–11 decision to Lovell on Thursday after a difficult opening half. Lovell jumped out to a 22–2 first-quarter lead before the Grizz showed improvement in the second half.

Tripp Hopkin, Baker, Nolan Hedges, Trevin Green and Aiden Wallman each scored 2 points. Green also pulled down seven rebounds to lead Rocky Mountain on the glass.

“This was a tough loss for the boys,” coach Colton Hodge said. “Lovell highlighted some of our deficiencies, showed us what to work on and also what is possible with dedication.”

C Game: Rocky 29, Lovell 17

The Rocky Mountain C Team closed the week with a 29-17 win over Lovell, responding after a scoreless second quarter by outscoring Lovell 20-7 over the final two periods.

Gus Loyning led the Grizz with 13 points, followed by Bryden Beall with 6. Eli Wallman added 4 points, while Kaiden Adey, Jace Kuhl and Aden Spencer each scored 2 points.

“Our C team did a great job,” coach Aric Hanusa said. “We want two goals: one, get better, and two, play like a team.”

Saturday at home vs. Greybull

A Game: Rocky 43, Greybull 18

The Rocky Mountain A Team turned in its most complete performance of the week Saturday, defeating Greybull 43-18 with balanced scoring and strong defensive pressure. Rocky Mountain led 22-5 at halftime, controlling the game throughout.

Samson led all scorers with 13 points, knocking down 3 three-pointers, while Moore added 11 points, three assists and three steals. Malson contributed 7 points and eight rebounds, Cooley scored 6 points, Crosby added 4 points and Baker chipped in 2 points.

“The boys shot much better than our previous game against Lovell, and I would say this was our best game from top to bottom as a team,” Baxendale said. “Everybody made notable contributions, and everybody was able to get a shot up.”

B Game: Greybull 36, 

Rocky 12

The Rocky Mountain B Team faced a strong Greybull squad Saturday, falling 36-12. Maddox Ward led the B Team with 4 points, while Baker, Karter Miller, Green and Will Simmons each scored 2 points. Simmons also added four steals as the Grizz continued to compete defensively.

“Greybull has a very strong B Team, so it was a tough loss,” Hodge said. “However, the second half of the game presented a huge amount of offensive progress for our boys.”

C Game: Rocky 32, 

Greybull 25

The Rocky Mountain C Team continued its strong play Saturday, earning a 32–25 win over Greybull. Rocky Mountain led 16-14 at halftime and outscored the Buffs by 5 in the second half. 

Loyning led the C Team with 12 points, while Kuhl and Beall each scored 8 points. Adey and Eli Wallman added 2 points apiece.

“The C team does it again,” Hanusa said. “It’s fun to watch different players step up. Saturday it was Bryden and Jace who shot clutch in the second half.”

The Grizzlies hosted Powell Monday afternoon and will travel to Meeteetse Friday for games starting at 1:30 p.m. and Riverside Saturday for a 9 a.m. tip-off. They are also scheduled to travel to Powell Tuesday for games starting at 4:15 p.m.