Wyoming Indian lost to just two Wyoming schools this season. The defending and likely present Class 3-A State Champion Lovell Bulldogs and the defending Class 2-A Champs, the Thermopolis Bobcats.
The Chiefs split with the Bobcats going into the state championship game Saturday night, but it was Thermopolis from three minutes remaining in the opening period to the finish in a low-scoring, defensive tilt that ended 45-38 in the Bobcats’ favor.
The Chiefs and Cats know each other well. They had the best type of scouting available, with each team playing the other twice. It was no surprise that it quickly became a defensive tilt.
Wyoming Indian scored first on a Heeyei’Niitou Monroe-Black 3-pointer, and Thermopolis came back with a Zak Hastie close-range shot, then both teams began clanking the ball off the rim.
They combined for two of 13 attempts over the first five minutes of the game. Not the offensive performance you expect in a championship game.
Hastie was the lone player in range. He tallied all 12 of the Bobcats’ points in the opening period.
His 3-pointer lifted the Cats to 5-3 lead with 2:51 remaining in the opening quarter then hit a layup and another that prompted Wyoming Indian head coach Craig Ferris to call a timeout.
The break didn’t slow Hastie. He hit a trey, and the Chiefs trailed 10-2. Cordell Spoonhunter hit a pair of free throws to cut the gap, but Hastie came back to score inside.
The Chiefs closed the gap to five points with a brief surge sparked by a Julius Robinson 3-pointer. With the score 17-12, it looked like Wyoming Indian might overcome the early deficit, but the Bobcats ended the first half on an 8-0 run to lead 25-12 at the break.
The third period was classic Wyoming Indian with the Chiefs running, working the perimeter for open shots, and rapidly closing the gap to just a single possession at 31-29.
Hastie was in trouble with four fouls and sat at the end of the third period, but came back in the fourth with back-to-back short-range baskets. The first on a layup and the second an up-and-under finished with a Euro step that lifted the Bobcats to a 35-29 lead.
Cody Bomagen, the Bobcat’s big man, has suffered with “turf toe” since just after Christmas break, and he limped noticeably at times. His follow shot with 5:54 left in the game gave Thermopolis their largest lead of the second half at 37-29.
Adriano Brown and Monroe-Black each hit follow shots to close the margin to four at 37-33 with 4:11 left.
Brown hit a post-up with 3:08 that cut the score to 37-35, but that was as close as the Chiefs would get.
Thermopolis had a box-and-one on Monroe-Black, and he still led the Chiefs with 17 points.
The Chiefs scored just once more on a Spoonhunter 3-pointer, but the Bobcats countered with four close-range shots and rolled on to the title.
Monroe-Black was the only Chief in double figures with 17.
Hastie was also the only Bobcat in double figures with 22.
This was the 24th appearance by the Chiefs in the state championship game. They won six under the late legendary coach Alfred Redman and seven under Ferris.
This was the ninth time they finished runner-up.
Wyoming Indian is 87 and 39 overall in state tournament games.
WYOMING INDIAN 5 7 17 9 – 38
THERMOPOLIS 12 13 6 14 – 45
Wyoming Indian – Jordan Black 1 1-1 3, Julius Robinson (1) 0—0 3, Heeyei’Niitou Monroe-Black 3 (3) 2-2 17, Adriano Brown 1 2-2 4, Mitchell C’Hair 3 0-0 6, Cordell Spoonhunter (1) 2-2 5. Totals 8 (5) 7-7 38
Thermopolis – Nolan Collins 1-4 1, Zak Hastie 8 (2) 0-1 22, Cody Bomengen 2 1-2 5, Jordan Garrison 2 0-0 4, Ellis Webber 1 0-0 2, Bridger Peil 1 2-2 4, Brody Welch 2 3-3 7. Totals 16 (2) 7-13 45