Bronc Basketball Opens Season at Home with Park County Rival

WE’RE ALMOST A MONTH INTO THE HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL SEASON AND THE CODY BRONCS HAVE THREE GAMES UNDER THEIR BELTS. LAST WEEKEND THE BRONCS OPENED UP REGULAR SEASON PLAY AT THE GILLETTE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT AND NOW THEY GET SET TO HOST PARK COUNTY RIVAL, THE POWELL PANTHERS, FOR THE FINAL GAME OF 2019. I CAUGHT UP WITH HEAD COACH OF THE BRONCS JAKE KRAFT AND HE ADDRESSED WHAT AREAS ON THE FLOOR THE BRONCS NEED TO IMPROVE ON.

“I THINK WE NEED TO GUARD THE BALL BETTER. OBVIOUSLY, WE CAN’T GIVE UP 70+ POINTS A GAME AND THINK THAT WE’RE GOING TO BE COMPETITIVE, AND I KNOW THAT’LL COME. I THOUGHT ON THE OFFENSIVE END, WE JUST NEED TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE PATIENT. OUR POSSESSIONS ON THE OFFENSIVE END WERE REALLY BRIEF. THEY NEED TO BE A LITTLE BIT LONGER AND MAKE THE DEFENSE BREAK DOWN BEFORE WE MAKE DECISIONS.”

AS FOR THE BRONCS OPPONENT, POWELL CURRENTLY SITS AT 2-1 ON THE SEASON AND COACH KRAFT TALKS ABOUT WHAT THE PANTHERS DO WELL ON THE COURT.

THEY TRANSITION PRETTY WELL, ON OFFENSE. THEY GET HANDS IN PASSING LANES. THEY’VE GOT A PRETTY SOLID JUNIOR CLASS THAT’S PLAYED A LOT OF BASKETBALL AND HAS GOOD CHEMISTRY WITH EACH OTHER. SO WE’RE GOING TO HAVE TO SLOW THAT DOWN AND CERTAINLY NOT PUT THE BALL IN THEIR HANDS.”

THIS WILL BE THE FIRST TIME THESE TWO SCHOOL MATCH-UP ON THE BASKETBALL COURT THIS SEASON. THEIR IS NO LOVE LOST BETWEEN THE TWO PROGRAMS AND WHILE EACH TEAM RESPECTS EACH OTHER, EXPECT A HARD FOUGHT CONTEST. COACH KRAFT ON WHY THIS RIVALRY IS SO SPECIAL.

“IT’S A GREAT ATMOSPHERE. IT’S ONE THAT IS SUPPORTED BY BOTH FAN BASES REGARDLESS IF WE’RE IN CODY OR POWELL, WE JUST HAPPEN TO BE IN CODY FIRST. IT’S BRAGGING RIGHTS FOR PARK COUNTY, EVEN IN BASKETBALL AND KIDS GET REALLY EXCITED FOR THIS AND HOPEFULLY THE EMOTIONS DOES NOT GET THE BEST OF THEM. THEY’RE ALL FRIENDLY. THEY HAVE GREAT PIECES, WE HAVE GREAT PIECES. IT’S JUST ALWAYS EXCITING TO PUT THESE TWO TEAMS TOGETHER REGARDLESS OF WHAT EACH TEAM HAS TO OFFER. BOTH TEAMS SEEM TO RISE ABOVE AND REALLY COMPETE AT A HIGH LEVEL.”

WITH TWO OPPONENTS SO FAMILIAR WITH ONE ANOTHER THE MARGIN FOR ERROR CAN BE VERY SLIM. THERE’S NOTHING ONE COACH CAN DO THAT WILL FOOL THE OTHER AND THAT’S WHY COACH KRAFT BELIEVES IT’S HIS VETERAN PLAYERS THAT MUST STEP UP.

“I THINK WINS AND LOSSES REALLY DEPEND ON OUR LEADERSHIP AND BETWEEN COY, HUNTER AND TRISTAN BLATT, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THOSE GUYS MAKE GOOD DECISIONS WITH THE BASKETBALL. THEY’RE THE ONES MAKING MOST OF THE DECISIONS IN OUR HALF COURT AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE LIMIT OUR TURNOVERS. I THINK ALL THREE OF THOSE GUYS AND OUR DISCUSSIONS THIS WEEK, HAVE RECOGNIZED THAT WE NEED TO BE LESS LOOSE WITH THE BALL, BE TIGHTER AND MAKE SURE THAT WE DON’T RUSH OUR DECISIONS.”

THE CODY BRONCS HOST THE POWELL PANTHERS IN THE FIRST BIG HORN BRAWL OF THE BASKETBALL SEASON AND ALL THAT ACTION CAN BE HEARD ON KODI. IT’S A DOUBLE HEADER COMING AT YOU WITH THE GIRLS GETTING UNDERWAY FIRST AT 5:30 FOLLOWED BY THE BOYS AT 7PM.