Despite Falling Short at Regional Tourney, Future is Bright for Filly Basketball
Written by Cole Havens on March 7, 2020
It was a valiant performance by the Cody Fillies basketball tournament at the 4A West Regional tournament this weekend. Many of Fillies players were experiencing their first Regional Tournament. Looking at the Fillies performance at the Regional Tourney starting with Saturday morning’s contest vs. Star Valley.
It was not meant to be for the Cody Fillies Saturday morning at the 4A West Regional tournament as they fell to Star Valley in Overtime in loser out action. The Lady Braves were 5 of 8 from the free-throw line in OT to down Cody 30-26.
It was a low scoring defensive effort throughout the whole game. The Fillies managed just 10 points in the first three quarters and entered the final frame down by 8,18-10. Then the Fillies offense came alive. The Fillies dropped in 13 points in the fourth quarter while holding Star Valley to just five. Torrie Schutzman dropped in eight of her 10 points in the final frame and hit the then go ahead three with under a minute remaining. Star Valley force the OT period thanks to late free-throws. In the OT period Star Valley was to much knocking in five made free-throws and forced the Fillies into too many turnovers. With the loss Cody’s season ends.
The Fillies put together arguably their best game of the season Friday morning in a loser out contest vs. Evanston. It was a back-and-forth affair vs. Evanston with the Fillies dropping in 13 second quarter points punctuated by a Kennedi Niemann buzzer beating bank 3 to beat the halftime buzzer to take the lead at the half 19-17.
After an even third quarter the Fillies trailed by two heading into the final frame, 29-27. The fourth quarter was all about the Fillies work at the charity stripe. In the 4th quarter vs. Evanston the Fillies were 12-16 from the free throw line as they hung on for the 43-36 win and garnered head coach Chris Wagner’s first tournament win as coach of the Fillies.
In the first game of the tournament the Fillies were matched up with the best team out of the southwest 4a, green river and the fillies took it to the number 1 team. even though Cody would end up falling to Green River 58-42 the fillies gave the Lady Wolves a run for their money. early in the third the fillies took the lead 29-27 but then green river buckled down and came away with the win.
Overall at the Regional Tournament the fillies were impressive going 1-2 over the three days. They picked up the win vs. Evanston while falling to Green River, then again to Star Valley in overtime.
This Filly squad graduates Teagan Thompson but everyone else on the roster returns. They will be led by Brittan Bower and Torrie Schutzman along with the freshman class of Kennedi and Reece Niemann, Ally Boysen and Jessa Lynn.