Encampment wins block party

Even though the Encampment boys finished strong, coach Clint Bromley said he thought both teams were a little out of sync coming out of Christmas break.

The basketball game between the Tigers and Rams was close through the first half, but the Tigers came on strong in the last four minutes of the second quarter with 9 unanswered points. They closed the half with a 25-15 lead.

Bromley said that he thought both teams did not play their best in the first half, but Encampment did a better job in the second half.

The Tigers held a double-digit lead throughout the third and fourth periods averaging a 17 point advantage and finishing 24 points ahead of the Rams.

According to Bromley, during the second half the Tigers played, "a little better team defense. If the Leseburg kid didn't hit four three-pointers in the second half we would have kept them to 8 points."

Senior Luke Pantle lead the Tigers with 26 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals. Pantle was eight for eight from the free throw line and the team was 14 for 16 from the line. Junior Guy Erickson scored 15 points with 11 rebounds, two assists and four steals. Erickson was four for four from the line. Senior Brett Ralston and junior Jared Stewart both scored 6 points.

With Little Snake River Valley as the first conference game for Encampment on Saturday, Bromley said that is the game they will be gearing up for. He doesn't expect to make any major defensive changes. Instead Bromley said the team needs to focus on offensive execution in the upcoming week.

Bromley also said his team is healthy, with no injuries to speak of, coming into the next week of play.

This weekend the Tiger's basketball team plays North Park in Walden, Colo. at 4:30 p.m., Friday and Little Snake River in Baggs at noon, Saturday.