(Riverton, WY) – An 11-0 fourth quarter run by Rock Springs was the difference late Thursday night at Wolverine gym as Riverton fell 52-42 to the visitors from Sweetwater County.
Ironically, the game started with a similar Rock Springs run. The Tigers took an 11-2 lead just three minutes and 14 seconds into the game, prompting a timeout by Riverton head coach Beau Sheets.
The strategy session paid off with the Wolverines steadily clawing back into contention. Gage Treber was a demon on the boards, and Garrett Jackson had the range from outside as Riverton whittled away to tie the game at 21 on a pair of Trenton Weber free throws.
Rock Springs scored quickly to take a two-point lead with just seconds remaining in the half, but Beau took the ball at the free throw line, turned, spun back the other way, and flipped up a shot that glanced off the glass and in as the buzzer sounded for a halftime score of 23-23.
Riverton’s first lead of the game came at 6:52 in the third when Treber hit a three for a 26-25 advantage. Jackson hit another three at 4:12, and Riverton led 29-25.
The Tigers battled back for a two-point lead, but another Jackson trey and an Eric Smith drive gave Riverton a 36-33 lead with 7:21 remaining in the game.
That’s when the wheels came off the Big Red cart.
Rock Springs scored on follow shots, short jumpers, and in transition to blast by Riverton in a three-minute flurry that had them in command 44-36.
Sheets took a timeout at 4:19, but the damage was done.
Jackson paced the Wolverines with 14 points, Treber scored nine.
Riverton hosts Green River on Saturday at 3:30 pm.
RIVERTON 7 16 11 8 – 42
ROCK SPRINGS 15 8 10 19 – 52
Riverton – Eric Smith 2 2-2 6, Clay Sheets 1 1-2 3, Garrett Jackson 1 (3) 3-4 14, Gage Treber 1 (1) 4-5 9, Trenton Weber 1 2-2 4, Beau Anderson 2 0-0 4, Blake Gantenbein 1 0-0 2. Totals 9 (4) 12-16 42
Rock Springs – Powell 1 (1) 0-0 5, Cortez 5 (1) 2-4 15, Thomas 3 4-8 10, James 5 (1) 0-0 13, Tate 1 0-0 2, Purvis 3 1-2 7. Totals 18 (3) 7-16 52