(Lander, WY) – It was a mixed weekend for the Lander Tigers at their opening season home tournament. The Tigers couldn’t stop a furious comeback from the defending Class 2-A champion Thermopolis Bobcats in the season opener Friday, falling 61-56.
Saturday, they hammered Newcastle 86-56, then finished Saturday afternoon with a close 50-48 loss to the Rawlins Outlaws.
Thermopolis is an experienced, talented Class 2-A team and they know how to handle adversity. The Tigers dished out adversity throughout the opening half, building a seemingly insurmountable 21-point lead.
Thermopolis trailed 37-20 at the half.
The Bobcats began chipping away at the lead. Lander led 49-41 with 6:52 remaining, but the final six minutes were a flurry of Bobcat offense.
The visitors outscored the Tigers 20-7 down the final stretch.
Thermopolis tied the game at 51 with 3:42 left.
Lander briefly regained the lead at 54-53, but the final two minutes saw an 8-2 Bobcat run for the win.
The Tigers outscored Thermopolis from the floor 53-42, but the difference came at the free-throw line. Finn McFadden had the only free throws for the Tigers, hitting three of four from the foul line.
The Bobcats marched steadily to the line, connecting on 19 of 28.
Lander was led by McFadden, Darion Hereford, and Brenner Coleman, all with nine points.
The Tigers are within the friendly confines of the Bob Carey Memorial Fieldhouse again this weekend, hosting the Lander Classic.
Tiger Basketball – h/t Randy Tucker
LANDER 14 23 10 9 – 56
THERMOPOLIS 11 9 18 23 – 61
Lander – Caleb Andrews 2 (1) 0-0 7, Finn McFadden 3 3-4 9, Colter Heikkila (2) 0-0 6, Garrett Romer 2 0-0 4, Darion Hereford 3 (1) 0-0 9, Noah St. Clair 2 0-0 4, Pax Hollingshead (2) 0-0 6, Brenner Coleman 3 (1) 0-0 9. Totals 16 (7) 3-4 56
Thermopolis – Collins 1 1-4 3, Hastie 3 (2) 1-1 13, Bomergan 6 4-6 16, Garrison 1 1-2 3, Webber 4 8-10, Welch 2 1-2 5. Totals 18 (2) 19-28 61