LHS basketball sweeps Riverton

Richard Anderson photo
Laramie's Allen West looks to grab the ball before Riverton's Chad Hopkins can get to it Saturday night. At bottom, Lady Plainsmen freshman Kyleigh Hiser goes after a loose ball.

By Richard Anderson
Wyoming Sports.org

The Laramie High School boys’ and girls’ basketball teams both needed a win in the worst way and got a shot in the arm on Saturday night with a sweep of Riverton in East Conference play at Plainsman Gym.

The Lady Plainsmen broke an eight-game losing skid with a big 54-26 victory, while the Plainsmen ended a six-game slide and pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 77-64 victory.


Plainsmen start, finish strong
At times this season the Plainsmen, 1-4 in league play and 5-11 overall, have started well, but not finished strong and visa versa. On Saturday, it was a good all-around effort. The Plainsmen outscored the Wolverines in all four quarters and played especially strong in the second half.

“I guess we felt like we had a chance the entire game,” Laramie coach Jason Mountain said. “My guess started each quarter well again and that was a focus for us all week in practice. We were hanging with them. There were a couple of lulls here and there., but all-in-all, the guys started and finished the game very, very well. They worked together, everyone contributed and we had a good time.”

Karsten Hiser had 13 points in the first half, as the Plainsmen trailed only once in the first quarter and led 19-15 after eight minutes of play. Riverton, behind Chad Hopkins, led four times before the Plainsmen got a big 3-pointer from Hiser to break a 33-33 tie and then close with four straight for a 40-35 halftime lead.

Sophomore Nick Mayes then came off the bench and scored nine points in the third quarter as the Plainsmen outscored the Wolverines 14-12.

Laramie broke the game open with a 10-0 run to begin the fourth quarter on a pair of 3-pointers by Cameron Fry and two baskets by Allen West. Laramie led by as much as 18 and Riverton got no closer than 13.

“Nick Mayes, holy cow, nine points in the third quarter -- his only nine of the game,” Mountain said. “He showed why he is a varsity player. He gave us three good quarters, but he had a great one in the third quarter. Cameron Fry hit some big 3s as well in the fourth.”

Four Plainsmen scored in double figures, led by Fry with 14, Jon Sorenson and Hiser with 13 each and Dan Nachtigal with 11.

“I told me guys that that was an excellent, well-rounded job, just a team effort,“ Mountain said. “My post guys were working hard -- their post got his scoring in -- but they battled all game long. Our guys got down the floor well in transition. Karsten didn’t score in the second half, but he had an amazing charge in the first half.”

Hopkins led the Wolverines, 2-3, 6-11, with 27 points, whiled Corbin Nichols added 22.

The Plainsmen will now begin the second half of conference by hosting Gillette and Sheridan next weekend with a little confidence.

“It’s kind of a now or never mentality and we needed this one,” Mountain said. “We started the same way last year. We were down 0-4 and we ended up winning four of out last six and this is the way to do it. We have Gillette and Sheridan next weekend, so this will give us that confidence that we need.”

Lady Plainsmen roll
Riverton made a late run to cut the Laramie lead to 11-6 at the end of the first quarter. That was as close as it got. The Lady Plainsmen, 1-4, 6-10, outscored Riverton 33-12 in the next two quarters and never looked back.

“The girls are quite happy,” Lady Plainsmen coach Rod Tyson said. “We still had a lot of unforced turnovers, stuff that has been nagging us in close games, so we have to keep working. But it always nice to get a win.”

Although the depleted Wolverines, who were playing the game without three starters, stayed with Laramie a little in the first half, Tyson said the game was in control.

“At no time did we feel that we were going to lose control of the game,” Tyson said. “That is always nice.”

As is usually the case, Tyson got his entire bench in the lop-sided game, as 14 Lady Plainsmen saw action and 10 scored.

Sophomore Amber Vandiver led the way with 12 points, followed by Alyssa Schmidt with 10 and Kyleigh Hiser with seven.

“That’s how we normally play,“ Tyson said. “When we play well, everyone contributes in some form or another. We’re getting back to that. But it is all about being smart and staying as a team.”

Brook Poffenroth led Riverton, 0-5, 5-12, with 10 points.

Laramie will begin the second half of league play at Gillette and Sheridan next weekend, but they will go on the road knowing that they can get some good results out of solid play.

“The win helps us more with confidence knowing that the things we’re doing will work,” Tyson said. “We just have to keep going.”