Tigers rebound at tourney

The Encampment boys basketball team suffered one loss over the weekend during the Dogger Invitational, but they are still ranked No. 1 in their conference with a 5-1 overall record.

The team, coming out of last week’s Carbon County Classic, had a cancellation against Walden on Dec. 15. They played Kaycee Friday and lost 44-54. Saturday, the Tigers came back to beat St. Stephens 85-50 and then Guernsey Sunrise 57-23.

Kaycee is listed third in the 1A Northeast Conference and, but their record is tied with Hulett and Upton with a 5-1 overall record.

Head coach Clint Bromley said the team did not shoot the ball well and they lost the rebounding battle 27 to 30. “That determined the outcome of the game.”

Guy Erickson scored 17 points and had five rebounds. Gage Bartlett made 13 points and five rebounds. KeeGan Johnson scored 11 points and had four rebounds.

After getting over the first game jitters, Saturday was a different ball game. The Tigers pounced on the St. Stephens Eagles. “Everyone played well and shot the ball well,” Bromley said. “And the defense was sound.”

It showed in the stats too, with Erickson scoring 31 points, six assists and three steals. Johnson scored 17 points had seven rebounds, three assists and four steals. Wyatt Cox scored 14 points and had five rebounds, while Gage Bartlett and Jared Stewart each adding 8 points to the board. Bartlett also had seven assists, four steals, while Stewart had six rebounds.

The Guernsey/Sunrise Vikings were no match for the Tigers, especially with Erickson’s skill at the free throw line. Erickson added 7 points out of eight attempts at the line, scoring a total of 12 points. Erickson also had six rebounds, four assists and three steals.

Bartlett had 11 points, nine rebounds, six assists and two steals.

Stewart got 10 points on the board while Johnson and Cox each got 8.

“They played a well-balanced team game,” Bromley said.

The schools on are winter break for the next two weeks, but that does not mean there is a break for the Tigers. They have practice Monday through Thursday this week and next, to keep sharpening their skills on the court.

The Encampment Tigers travel to Laramie to play the Laramie Sophomores on Jan. 5.