Tigers tie weekend

When it comes to the competitive 1A Southwest Conference, the only constant is change. The team that's on top one week may not hold onto that position for long. Recently, the Encampment Tigers have been able to hold onto the top spot as they have entered conference play.

After having dealt losses to two conference rivals–the Saratoga Panthers and the Little Snake River Valley (LSRV) Rattlers–the week before, the Tigers went into the weekend with an undefeated season and conference record. As they hosted two more conference rivals, the Cokeville Panthers on Friday and the Farson-Eden Pronghorns on Saturday, Encampment would battle it out on their home court.

Tigers vs. Panthers

As if to foreshadow how close the first game of the weekend would be, the match between Encampment and the Panthers began with both teams making a successful 3-point shot in the opening minutes of the 1st quarter. 

Within those first eight minutes, the Tigers tore up the hardwood as they forced turnovers and used them to their advantage to put points between themselves and Cokeville. Following the initial 3-point shot, Encampment wasted no time in throwing more points on the board while keeping the Panthers to single digits. The Tigers ended the 1st quarter ahead, 14-8.

Cokeville, however, wasted little time in working to close the gap that the Tigers had established. In the time it took Encampment to put 5 points on the board, the Panthers threw up 8 points in response.

The Tigers would continue to work to maintain and, at times, increase their lead as the approached half-time. That lead, which at one time was as little as 3 points, would expand to 8 points as the first half ended.

Encampment went into half-time ahead, 28-20.

Returning to the court, the two teams would continue to scratch it out as the Tigers worked to keep their lead and Cokeville would work to close the gap. Most of the 3rd quarter saw both teams with single digit scoring with Encampment still leading at one point 33-24. In the final 30 seconds, however, the Panthers would greatly reduce the substantial gap as they trailed Encampment by a single point, 35-34.

With both teams going to the free throw line with only seconds left in the 3rd quarter, the Tigers would put another point on the board to lead 36-34 as they entered the final quarter.

As the game entered the 4th quarter, the score would be tied 40-40 and see both teams go basket-for-basket. With each basket made, the roars of fans for either the visiting or home team would reverberate through the gym. The Tigers would regain a slim lead, 43-40, over Cokeville and for several minutes neither team would score. Eventually, however, the Panthers would throw up a basket to close the gap once again.

With the clock winding down and less than a minute left, Cokeville took a narrow lead, 43-45. The Tigers would take the opportunity at the free throw line to close the gap to a single point, 44-45 with less than 30 seconds left. In those final seconds, the Panthers would make a basket that increased their lead and Encampment, despite their best efforts, would be unable to respond.

The final score was 44-47.

Tigers vs. Pronghorns

Encampment had only 24 hours to shake off their loss to Cokeville before the Pronghorns came racing into Tiger Nation on Saturday. Farson-Eden, ranked just behind the Tigers, showed in the 1st quarter that they wouldn't make a win easy for Encampment as the 1st quarter ended with a tie score of 6-6.

In the 2nd quarter, the Tigers gained some traction and put some distance between themselves and Farson-Eden. For most of the next eight minutes, Encampment would throw up basket after basket while keeping the Pronghorns scoreless.

With 1:32 left in the first half, the Tigers led Farson-Eden 18-8. In the last 90 seconds, both teams would score 4 points to go into halftime 22-12.

Returning to the hardwood, the Pronghorns worked to outpace Encampment. While the Tigers put up 8 points on the board, Farson-Eden scored 18 points of their own. As the 3rd quarter ended, the score was tied, again, 30-30.

Neither team scored in the opening minutes of the final quarter, but it would be Encampment that would break the tie with a 3-pointer. Farson-Eden responded with two baskets of their own to gain a slim lead. The Tigers would retake the lead with another 3-pointer and increase it with two shots from the free throw line.

While the Pronghorns would continue to put points on the board, they would not retake the lead as Encampment would put up points of their own. As the clock wound down, the Tigers would end the game with a 6 point lead over Farson-Eden.

The final score was 51-45.

"I was proud of the team's effort this weekend. I thought we defended well and hustled. We showed toughness beating Farson after a hard fought loss the night before against Cokeville," said Jake Johnston, head coach of the Encampment Tigers.

Following their 1-1 weekend, the Encampment Tigers are now 9-1 for the season and 3-1 for conference play. They are at No. 2 in the 1A Southwest Conference. For homecoming week, they will face the Rock River Longhorns and the LSRV Rattlers.

Encampment will host the Longhorns at 5:30 p.m. on January 29 and the Rattlers at 1:30 p.m. on January 30.