The Encampment Tigers lost their chance to compete in the state championship Saturday. They lost 29-42 against Little Snake River Valley Rattlers at the 1A West Regional Boy Basketball Tournament in Lander.
Thursday night, the Tigers faced Dubois Rams and lost the game 43-55.
“This was a key game for us,” head coach Dan Kraft said. “I didn’t have the kids ready for low post.”
Dubois has a player who is as tall as A.J. Kuster and Kyle Wessel, but bigger, Kraft said. The first half ended 14-20.
In the second half, the Tigers used a zone defense with Kuster in front and Wessel behind Dubois’ scorer.
“They made a good run,” Kraft said.
The Rams had some kids who stepped out and scored 3-pointers, Kraft said, which countered the efforts of Wessel and Kuster.
The Tigers pulled the score within 2 points in the fourth quarter, Kraft said.
Gaven Pantle led the charge in the comeback scoring 12 points in the final quarter.
Wessel had five blocks and 12 points, Kuster had 13 rebounds and 9 points. Pantle scored 16 points.
Friday morning the Encampment Tigers took on Meeteetse and won 55-46.
“This was a loser out game,” Kraft said, “so it was high pressure.”
The game started out strong according to Kraft, but in the second quarter, the Tigers’ starters ran into foul trouble.
“The younger kids stepped in and took care of the ball,” Kraft said.
Kraft complimented the younger players for their defensive plays.
The Tigers played their best game, Kraft said. “They played well and offensively, it was the best they’ve played all season.”
The team broke loose, Kraft said. In the third quarter they played well and held on for the win.
Pantle had seven assists and 12 points. Kuster grabbed eight rebounds and scored 20 points. Wessel had six rebounds, two blocks and 15 points. Harold Jackson had 8 points.
Saturday, the Tigers faced Carbon County foe Little Snake River to try and earn a spot in the state line up.
It was a defensive game well into the first quarter. The Tigers had several attempts at the bucket, but could not get the ball to go in for a score.
Three-and-one-half minutes into the game, the Rattlers scored a 3-pointer. The Tigers attempt to score 2 points failed and the Rattlers scored another 3-pointer.
The first quarter ended 0-6.
In the beginning of the second quarter, Kuster led the team with four points.
Despite the Rattlers aggressiveness, Pantle was able to weave in and out of the Rattler full-court defense to get the ball to the Tigers’ side of the court.
The Tigers’ defensive game kept the score low.
“It was a good team effort,” Kraft said. “We did what we wanted to do.”
The Tigers’ goal was to hold back the Rattlers’ top three scorers, but their fourth and fifth players stepped in and scored 14 points, Kraft said.
Wessel got his chance at the board and scored 2 points, followed by a 3-pointer by Pantle.
Harold Jackson’s ability to steal the ball kept the Rattlers from scoring any more 3-pointers in the first half.
“Harold played a phenomenal game,” Kraft said. “He did a great job as a lock-down defender.”
Jackson had one turnover the entire tournament, Kraft said. “I was really pleased with the defensive effort.”
Jackson also scored in four of his attempted seven 3-pointers during the tournament.
The Rattlers scored two more buckets pushing their score to 16 with less than a minute left in the first half.
Wessel scored 2 points, then rebounded the ball after the Rattlers missed their bucket which allowed Pantle to score 2 points with less than two seconds left in the first half. The Tigers trailed only by 3 points at the half; 13 to 16.
The third quarter was brutal for the Tigers as they remained scoreless until Pantle scored a 3-pointer with a little more than a minute left.
The Tigers were down 13 at the the end of the third, 16-29.
Kuster scored the 4 points in the first half of the fourth quarter. The Tigers were down 12 points with five minutes remaining in the game.
An intentional foul was called on the Rattlers and Brett Miller scored 2 more points at the line.
Wessel followed up with 2 points giving the Tiger fans hope that the Tigers could pull off the win.
The Tigers held the Rattlers at 6 points with less than three minutes left in the game. Ben Green went in for a layup to score 2 more points and was fouled during the layup and scored 1 more at the line closing the score 27 to 35.
The Tigers were able to score only 2 more points before the buzzer and lost 29-42. “We couldn’t get over the hump,” Kraft said.
Harold Jackson had eight steals against the Rattlers. Pantle had five assists, Kuster had eight rebounds and 10 points while Wessel had five rebounds and three blocks.
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