Boys Basketball: Lander at Riverton Highlights [VIDEO]

Highlights of the Thursday, January 12th boys basketball game between #2 Lander at #5 Riverton.

Watch the highlights of the game!

Hey I need one of those…you can always tell that it’s rivalry time when the extra accessories are brought out to a game.

Number 2 Lander at Number 5 Riverton in a 3A vs. 4A match-up…first quarter…Lander wearing the green…Zach Sanders is going to get the scoring started in this rivalry game with a turn-around in traffic…Tigers are on the board, up 2-to-nothing.

The visitors were on the move quickly…they got a 2-on-1 fast break this time…Sanders will end up getting the finish…11 points for the senior in this game and his team is up 4-zip.

They were quick in other ways as well…like quick off of the inbounds…Tanner Simpson strikes on this highlight, and Lander is out to a good start, by scoring the first 6 points of the game.

It took Riverton a few minutes to get on track…Donaldo Holguin…eyes it…spies it…and buys it for 3…that got rid of the zero on the scoreboard and the Wolverines trail 6-to-3.

Now when your playing the Tigers…there is the issue of their big man…Lucas Watkins…a 6 foot 7 inch junior…he does well with offensive rebounds and putbacks…he got the whistle well but missed the extra try…the scoreboard reads 8-to-3.

The Wolverines just had to find way to get around that large obsticle…Kole Stewart will drive the lane and put In the first 2 of his 11 points…the Wolverines would trail 12-7 after the first 8 minutes.

2^nd quarter…Lander was keeping it inside for awhile…Watkins will do what he does best and that’s offensive boards and putbacks…and the Tigers now have the score doubled up at 14-7.

The home team was finding their own ways to score…and they also had a plan B…Coley Nicholls thought about a spin move, realized it was not going to work, so he just had to shoot the ball and he’ll get it to go…that has his team down 14-to-11.

I mentioned earlier that the visitors were going inside…well, sometimes they’d take it outside as well…Simpson…someone better get a hand in his face next time…that’s 3 of his 12 points, and his team would eventually go up 19-to-11.

Then the Wolverines would get to work…Nicholls…wide open….cash! Wonder who he’s pointing to in the crowd…he’s girlfriend maybe? Home team still trails 19-14.

This next highlights was quick and we almost lost it… Xavier Webb launches a 3…and the bank is open! He led all scorers with 16 points in this game…and his team is only down by 2…it’s 19-to-17.

Later…Riverton now up 20-to-19…but the opposition still has a trick or 2…simpson with a great bounce pass to Derek Peil…he’ll get the defender to jump…hoop and the whistle…that’s how you set up a 3-point play…Lander goes back on top 22-20.

Back comes Riverton…Gard Evans…gets a good pic and he’s suddenly wide open so he’ll take advantage of it…that’s what you’re supposed to do and the home team is back in the lead…23-22.

Let’s get someone else in here…no one would box out Jerel Kohler after the miss…that’ll teach the defense to ignore him…as the Wolverines would take a 30-to-24 lead going into the locker room.

During halftime…John Gabrielsen…the creator of wyopreps…honored with the Wyoming High School AD’s Association Distinguished Service award…nice job Gabe.

3^rd quarter…back to work…Riverton on a fast break…Webb will get the lay in on the left side and that would cap off a 23-to-5 run…and give the home team a 10 point cushion…it’s 34-to-24.

Then things went back and forth for a little bit…the Tigers would try to get closer thanks to this jumper by Sanders and his team trails 34-28.

Then the Wolverines would answer…Evans with an offensive rebound…takes it outside and figures…what the heck…try again…good idea! It’s back to a 10 point contest…39-29.

On the other end…the Tigers would get that 3 back…Watkins did not have a hard mystery to solve here…2 plus the whistle equals 1 more…whatever works…visitors are still down 39-32.

The home team would go back on the move…Evans takes the bounce pass…puts up a pretty hook shot and gets the approval of the crowd…and Riverton was in good shape leading 43-to-32, going into the final 8 minutes.

But then the 4^th quarter started and here’s where things got really interesting…Watkins…you can’t let him get up close like that…you know what he’s going to do…he missed the free throw this time though…Tigers are still down 43-34.

More guys were getting in on the act…this is Austin Roberts with a turn around J…you could sense something was up, and something was going on…it’s 45-36.

The visitors were getting closer…Sanders…nowhere to go, so he just shoots it…hey it worked…the scoreboard reads 45-39 at this point.

The only thing Riverton has done so far this quarter, is make a few free throws…and the Tigers were doing much more than that…Roberts’s shot from the line is worth 2 points…his team is now down 45-42.

Later…the defense would step up…Simpson deflects the inbounds pass to himself…and here he comes…wham with the right hand…Lander has all the momentum…down 46-to-45 although Simpson fouled out a few seconds later.

The visitors would manage without him…Roberts…ready…aim…fire…bulls-eye…2 point and the lead…the Tigers go on a 13-to-1 run and are now up 47-46.

The Wolverines make a few more free throws to reclaim the lead…but look at how open the lane is…Watkins sees it and he’s go elementary my dear watson with 2 handed stuff…that’s what they needed and they were feeling it…Lander is back on top 50-to-49.

One problem…there was still time left on the clock…the camera is at the other end of the court…Webb…3…airball…but Evans sticks it back in for 2…with 1 point 2 seconds to go. Riverton’s only field goal of the quarter…fans started celebrating a bit early…but in the end it did not matter. Lander was unable to get off a hail mary shot…and the Wolverines dodge a bullet at the last second…winning 51-to-50.