Buffs struggle against top-flight competition

The Greybull Buffs took a beating at the Big Horn Basin Hoops Classic, going 0-4 in matchups against Powell, Worland, Wyoming Indian and Lovell.

It was a tall task to begin with for the Buffs, as the Bulldogs and the Panthers entered the weekend ranked first and second, respectively, in 3A, while the Chiefs held the top spot in the 2A ranks.

The Buffs were most competitive in the two early games, losing to Powell by just nine, 54-45, Friday and to Wyoming Indian, 57-41, on Saturday,

They were blitzed in the two afternoon games, falling 63-30 to Worland and 84-30 to Lovell, leaving them at 6-8 overall heading into the start of conference play.

“I was really impressed with how we played Powell — it was tight most of the game, but we just ran out of energy and missed some layups we should have made,” said Coach Logan Burningham. 

“Worland came out and punched us in the mouth.  We didn’t give them much of a fight back, which was disappointing.”

Onto day two, the Buffs started well against the Chiefs, just as they’d done the previous week at Buff Gym.  They led 16-10 after one, but were outscored 14-6 in the second and 24-2 in the third.

“(The Chiefs) got a couple guys back (that we didn’t see the first time), so that’s a pretty high-caliber team,” Burningham said. “We came out flat after halftime and just weren’t able to score.

“With Lovell, I think we got intimidated. It was our second game of the day. Our kids didn’t seem to have the energy to battle those guys; they were ready to be done.”

The Buffs struggled on offense, making less than 50% of their free throws (19-of-40) across the four games, committing 25 of more turnovers in three and shooting less than 25% from the field in two.

“We’re just looking at it as a four-game stretch that doesn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things,” Burningham said. “Unless we start hitting the weightroom and doing the other stuff outside of basketball, we’ll have a hard time competing against 3A schools that do all those things

“We got plum beat up by the physicality (of those 3A teams). Even the reffing seemed to play into that 3A style, which is more physical, letting thing go that are often called in our 2A games.”

This week

The Buffs will look to shake off last weekend’s losses later this week when they begin Class 2A Northwest Conference play with matchups against Rocky Mountain and Thermopolis.

Friday night’s game will be in Cowley, tipping at 7 p.m.  Both teams are 6-8.  Rocky will have an edge in size, with three players 6-4 or taller. But the Grizzlies are young, without a single senior.

“They don’t have as much experience as we do, so we’ll try to use that to our advantage — and we’ll try to get those three in foul trouble and make them go to their bench.

“On paper, it looks like a pretty evenly matched game, one that will likely come down to who can knock their shots down and make extra-effort plays.”

Saturday’s game against the Bobcats will be at Buff Gym, starting at 3 p.m.

The Bobcats didn’t lose a game at last weekend’s Classic, going 4-0.  For the year, their record is 9-3.

“When they’re clicking, they’re really good,” Burningham said. 

Powell   9 17 12 16 — 54

Greybull 11 10 10 14 — 45

GREYBULL — Larry Longshore 5 0-0 10, Caden Hunt 0 1-2 1, Cord Edeler 3 0-1 6, Rex Cooper 3 2-4 8, Yandel Hernandez 5 1-4 13, Carter Jacobs 3 1-2 7.  Totals 19-of-60 (FGs) 5-of-13 (FTs) 45.

3-POINT GOALS — Hernandez 2.  REBOUNDS — Greybull 42 (Cooper 12).  STEALS — Greybull 17 (Jacobs 4).  ASSISTS — Greybull 5 (Hernandez 3).  TURNOVERS — Greybull 25.

Worland 19 14 14 16 — 63

Greybull   4   5 10 11 — 30

GREYBULL — Longshore 1 0-0 2, Hunt 0 2-2 2, Anthony Chacon 0 0-2 0, Kamryn Gorski 2 0-0 5, Edeler 1 0-0 2, Cooper 2 2-3 6, Hernandez 2 0-2 4, Jacobs 4 0-2 9.  Totals 12-of-48 (FGs) 4-of-11 (FTs) 30.

3-POINT GOALS — Jacobs, Gorski.   REBOUNDS — Greybull 27 (Cooper 5).  STEALS — Greybull 8 (Edeler 3).  ASSISTS — Greybull 4.  TURNOVERS — Greybull 25.

WIHS 10 14 24 10 — 58

Greybull 16   6   2 17 — 41

GREYBULL —  Hunt 3 2-4 9, Chacon 1 0-0 2, Edeler 1 0-0 3, Cooper 3 2-8 8, Hernandez 2 1-4 5, Jacobs 5 3-5 14.  Totals 15-of-50 (FGs) 8-of-21 (FTs) 41.

3-POINT GOALS — Hunt, Edeler, Jacobs.  REBOUNDS — Greybull 45 (Cooper 9).  STEALS — Greybull 9 (Hunt 5).  ASSISTS — Greybull 8 (Hunt 4).  TURNOVERS — Greybull 28.

Lovell 27 22 23 12 — 84

Greybull   8   3 17   2 — 30

GREYBULL — Longshore 1 0-0 3, Hunt 4 0-0 10, Chacon 1 0-0 2, Edeler 1 0-0 3, Cooper 0 1-2 1, Hernandez 0 1-2 1, Jacobs 5 0-1 10.  Totals 12-of-50 (FGs) 2-of-5 (FTs) 30.

3-POINT GOALS — Hunt 2, Longshore, Edeler.  REBOUNDS — Greybull 18 (Cooper 5).  STEALS — Greybull 4.  ASSISTS — Greybull 7 (Edeler 4).  TURNOVERS — Greybull  10.