(Pavillion, WY) – It was a game of firsts at Pavillion Tuesday Night. For the first time, varsity teams from Fort Washakie and Wind River met on the hardwood, with the Lady Cougars taking a 49-43 win over the visiting Lady Eagles. It was also the first win for head coach Matt Blaylock at Wind River and the first win for the Lady Cougars this season.
The game opened with both teams pressing, forcing repeated turnovers and miscues, but the Lady Cougars were able to overcome the challenges to take a 14-10 lead after one period.
“Turnovers happen,” Blaylock said. “It’s something we work on all the time.”
The early effort was led by talented Wind River freshman Morning Sky Littleshield, who tallied 10 of her game-high 22 points in the opening minutes. Littleshield hit the first of her three 3-pointers on the night during the first quarter.
Fort Washakie closed the gap to trail by just a single point at the half, 24-23, behind three 3-pointers by Hayden Hereford in the first two periods of the game. Hereford hit five long-range bombs on the night and finished with 19 to lead the Lady Eagles.
Wind River made a run in the third period, taking a 36-26 lead late in the quarter after holding the Eagles to just one basket. Hereford hit a buzzer-beating trey from 23 feet out to cut the margin to seven with eight minutes left to play.
The Lady Cougars hadn’t been in a position to finish a game for a win before Tuesday. They faltered late after building a 13-point lead.
Blaylock called a timeout to calm his girls, and they held on for the win.
“They did what we wanted to do,” Blaylock said. “It felt good. The girls get all the credit.”
The Lady Cougars are on the road at Kemmerer and Big Piney this weekend.
WIND RIVER 14 10 12 13 – 49
FORT WASHAKIE 10 13 6 14 – 43
Wind River – Aaliyah Brown (1) 0-0 3, Nataya Shoyo 1-2 1, Atavia Smith 1 (2) 1-2 9, Alaina Murray 1 0-0 2, Tanayah Burnett 1 (2) 2-3 10, Morning Sky Littleshield 6 (3) 1-1 22. Devyn Fillin 1 0-2 2. Totals 9 (8) 5-12 49
Fort Washakie – Izelee Hereford 1 0-0 2, Aleah Wallowing Bull 1 1-4 3, Kyleigh Crazy Bear 2 3-4 7, Megan Underwood 1 0- 2, Sedona Hereford 2 0-0 4, Kira Wallowing Bull 1 0-0 2, Hayden Hereford 2 (5) 0-1 19, Aubreonna Arthur 1 2-4 4. Totals 11 (5) 8-15 43