Cody Basketball Splits Weekends Conference Contests
Written by Cole Havens on January 25, 2021
The Cody Basketball teams were back in action over the weekend as they closed out the first half of quad play with each team splitting both their conference contests.
The Cody Fillies would fall Friday night in a top 5 match up against Natroana County by a final score of 56-54. The Fillies fresh off being ranked number 4 in the latest wyopreps rankings squared off agasint 2nd ranked Natrona County. It was a back-and-forth contest all night with neither team giving an inch. Natrona would end the first quarter on a 6-0 run dropping in a pair of 3-pointers to lead after one quarter 15-14.
Natrona would extend that lead heading into the half up three, 27-24.
The second half featured two teams pouring everything they had into what lived up to the hype as these two 4A foes battled down to the final buzzer. The Fillies found themselves down six with just under a minute to go and were able to force some key turnovers but couldn’t capitalize from behind the arc. Torrie Schutzman hit a runner in the lane to bring Cody within two points but there just wasn’t enough time on the clock to do anything else as the Fillies were left with just .4 seconds to play. Natrona would hang on for the win.
Schutzman led the way for the Fillies on the night scoring 15 points, Ally Boysen added 11.
The Fillies would bounce back the next day defeating Rock Springs 52-40. On a day where the point guard match-up was the talk of the town in was Cody’s low post player Reece Niemann stealing the show as she dropped in eight first half points and finished with 10 total to help lead the Fillies to there second quad win of the season.
The Fillies had a dominating defensive effort holding Rock Springs to just two second quarter points and took a 22-10 lead into the half.
Rock Springs would try to battle back but anytime they looked to make a run Cody’s swarming defense and timely offense thwarted any chance of a Lady Tiger comeback.
The Fillies held Rock Springs dynamic point guard, Brenli Jenkins, to 16 total points, many of which were scored once the game was officially out of reach.
Molly Hays and Reece Niemann combined for 22 points in the win.
As for the Broncs, they earned their first conference win of the season Friday night with an upset victory over Natrona by a final score of 76-73.
The Broncs patented hard work and effort finally payed off as they were able to play a full 32 minutes to earn a tough hard fought upset victory over Casper Natrona County.
After falling behind 23-11 in the first quarter Cody scored a whopping 26 second quarter points that pulled them to within four at the intermission. The Broncs momentum was in full swing in the third quarter outscoring Natrona 18-9 in the frame. Cody scored 39 second half points.
The Broncs had built a 10 point lead late in the fourth but Natrona would manage a comeback and pulled to within two points with just about 10 seconds to go..
Tucker Lynn found himself at the free throw line and after missing the first would knock in a big seonc free throw to give Cody a three point lead.
Natrona was able to advance the ball, called a time out and had a look at the bucket to send it to overtime but Ryan Swan couldn’t quite bank home the basket and Cody held on for the upset victory.
Four Broncs scored in double figures led by Luke Talich’s 26 points. Cody Phillips had 19, Tristan Dollard added 15 and Caleb Pryor dropped in 14. Nic Talich the “dish-master” according to Luke, had 10 assists. Pryor along with the Talich brothers combined for 20 assists.
On Saturday the Broncs would run out of steam on the road at Rock Springs falling 36-31. The Broncs were looking for back-to-back conference wins Saturday but trailed the Tigers 16-7 entering the half. They clawed back into the game with an 18 point third quarter but failed to knock down a 3-pointer in the game and couldn’t overcome eight missed free throws in the final frame dropping a close hard fought road contest.
Luke Talich led the way scoring 17 points.
Following the weekends action the Fillies are 8-2 on the season 2-1 in quad play, the Broncs are 2-8, 1-2 in quad play.
Up next: Both teams are back in action Saturday as they take to the road for another Park County Clash with Powell.
