Riverton jumped ahead 5-0 to open the game and then held on in a wild back-and-forth struggle with the Sheridan Broncs in their home opener late Thursday Night for a 58-56 win. The win over the Broncs was the first since 2017 and set the stage for what looks like an outstanding season.
It was the premier matchup of the opening day of the Bill Strannigan Classic with a good crowd in attendance.
The Wolverines played shorthanded without 6-2 senior Darrick DeVries who continues to recover from an ankle injury suffered on the second play of the football season last August.
Riverton head coach Beau Sheets utilized his bench well in the contest, putting 10 players on the floor.
Paced by 24 points from senior guard Parker Paxton, the Wolverines had eight players score and tallied seven 3-pointers as a team, possibly none as impressive as the baseline trey hit by junior Malachi Smith in the third period that briefly gave Riverton a double-digit lead.
The third period was one of the best eight-minute stretches for Riverton basketball in the last few seasons. Trailing 32-24 at the half, the Wolverines rolled on a 12-0 run to take the lead, and finished the period with 21, holding Sheridan to just four points on a follow shot and a pair of free throws.
Sheridan is a tall, physical, athletic team as evidenced by their Class 4-A state football championship last month in Laramie.
Riverton was shorter at nearly every position but blocked out well and used an effective halfcourt defense to hold the Broncs inside game at bay.
Foul trouble plagued the home team with Dre’Vin Monroe, Hunter Hack and Eli Lucas all fouling out and Ty Sheets playing the final minutes with four.
Sheridan kept it close at the free throw line hitting 16 of 25 on the game while the Wolverines had one of their poorest shooting nights ever from the charity strip, converting just nine of 22 free throw attempts.
Riverton was back on the floor Friday morning at 11:30 against Rawlins.
RIVERTON 14 10 21 13 – 58
SHERIDAN 15 17 4 20 – 56
Riverton – Blake Gantenbein 1 (1) 0-0 3, Ty Sheets 2 (1) 0-0 7, Dre’Vin Monroe 2 0-1 4, Brodie Dale 2 0-0 4, Parker Paxton 4 (3) 7-15 24, Hunter Hauck 2 0-2 4, Eli Lucas 1 (1) 2-4 7, Malachi Smith (1) 0-0 3. Totals 14 (7) 9-22 – 58
Sheridan – Bateson 2-4 2, Hamrich 6 7-9 21, T. Hamrich 3-4 3, Reed 1 0-2 2, Spielman 4 (1) 2-2 14, Haswell 0-2 0, DeGrange 6 (1) 2-2 17. Totals 17 (2) 16-25 56