by marlys good
The question of whether the Greybull Lady Buffs’ season would end  in Riverton at the Class 2A West Regional or they would get new life at the State 2A Basketball Championships in Casper this weekend came down to Friday morning and the loser-out game versus their old nemesis Riverside. The Lady Rebels had already beaten the Buffs twice during the regular season, and Greybull was hoping it could turn the tables the third time out.
And for three quarters it looked like the Buffs were going to do just that. Jackie Miller scored the first nine of Greybull’s points, mostly from in close. Although Greybull was up by just two points (9-7) at the end of the first quarter, they continued to play well, stymied Riverside’s attack and built on the lead —  until they went stagnant in the fourth quarter.
Riverside switched it up and went to a zone defense, and Buff Coach Marty Wrage said, “We ran what we wanted to against it, but we didn’t finish — turned the ball over, made bad passes, had a lot of turnovers. It really showed our lack of experience.”
As the Lady Rebels closed the margin, “We got a little bit excited.” Riverside took advantage of that and went on a 17-5 run to shoot the Buffs down.
The Buffs started the tournament with a 39-22 victory over Wind River. A tentative start had Greybull down 11-8 after one quarter, but “then we started asserting ourselves offensively,” Wrage said.  “Wind River stayed in a man, which was best for us. We could push the ball and either got it inside or the guards drew fouls. It was nice to see us bounce out of the slow start and become the aggressors on offense.”
Buff reserves played a key role in the victory including Lindsay Kern, Alex Powers, Jessica Hunt, Kyra Cundall, Michaela Jolley, Morgan Flitner and Michaela Denniston. “Everyone stepped it up a notch and did a good job, whether as starters, or off the bench,” Wrage said.
The Buff offense dominated while the Buff defense held Wind River to single-digit scoring in the next three quarters.
Greybull had little time to savor the win. Lovell was waiting in the wings, but they didn’t wait long. The conference champs, and No. 1 seed from the North, ran up a 27-10 first-quarter lead and continued to build on the lead to the tune of 69-33.
The loss led to the loser-out confrontation with Riverside Friday.
Summing up the tournament, Wrage said, “Those three games will play a big part in our off-season. A large percentage of the girls are going out for track, and we’ll shoot after track practice. They all set goals on what they have to do to improve.”
Wrage said from the first day of practice to the final game at the tournament, “The biggest thing we saw was individual player development — vast improvement. It will pay off in the future.”
Wrage is quick to point out that “pay off” will in large part due to the seniors on this year’s team, Kate Wilkinson, Tyler Anne Brown and Kinzie Baker, and the leadership they gave the team. “They (helped the team) work together, be more accepting of each other. They (showed) you can be positive with your teammates and still push them.”
Wilkinson “was always positive. It didn’t matter, winning or losing, at practice, watching films, no matter what she did, it was with the same positive, stable attitude. She was good to the other seniors, to underclassman. Just a steady force for us. I really enjoyed her.”
Brown, the team’s starting guard until injury sidelined her, “was one who did a lot of improving as a basketball player. She took more of a leadership role this year; she was accepting of criticism, tried to do what was asked of her. Her role always changed, but she stayed positive, worked hard, and was willing to do whatever the team needed.”
Baker, bench player, was injured and her role changed to that of just being positive and supporting of her teammates, which Wrage said she did well.
 
Greybull      8 15 5  11 — 39
Wind R.    11   2 4    5 — 22
GREYBULL — Jackie Miller 14, Aubree Craft 6, Kirbi Anderson 9, Alex Powers 6, Jessica Hunt 4. Totals 13-43 13-22 39.
REBOUNDS — Greybull 38 (Miller 12).  ASSISTS — Greybull 9 (Miller, Kyra Cundall 2).  STEALS — Greybull 12 (Kate Wilkinson 5).  TURNOVERS — Greybull 34.

Greybull    10 11    5  7 — 33
Lovell    27 19  15  8 — 69.
GREYBULL — Miller 12, Morgan Flitner 1, Craft 5, Lindsay Kern 4, Anderson 8, Michaela Jolley 1, Hunt 2. Totals 10-27 13-23 33.
REBOUNDS — Greybull 19 (Kern, Powers 4).  ASSISTS — Greybull 4. STEALS — Greybull 5 (Miller, Hunt 2).  TURNOVERS — Greybull 27.

Greybull    9  10  11    5 — 35
Riverside    7    6  11  17 — 41
GREYBULL — Miller 11, Craft 4, Cundall 2, Wilkinson 3, Anderson 6, Jolley 9.
REBOUNDS — Greybull 25 (Anderson 11).  ASSISTS — Greybull 10 (Wilkinson 4).  STEALS — Greybull 6.  STEALS — Greybull 6.  TURNOVERS — Greybull 28.