3A Boys State Basketball Day 1 Recaps

It's day one of the boys' basketball state tournament for Class 3A with a schedule of six games in Casper.

WyoPreps is providing brief summaries of all the action throughout the first day at Casper College and the Ford Wyoming Center.

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Game 5: Mountain View 52 Buffalo 47 (semifinal #1)

In a physical battle, the Mountain View Buffalos outlasted the Buffalo Bison, 52-47, to reach the 3A boys' basketball state championship game for the first time in 14 years.

Hunter Meeks made four free throws in the final 36.8 seconds that pushed Mountain View to the title game.

Meeks made a pair for a 50-47 lead. Buffalo had two chances with the basketball. They missed a baseline shot with 20 seconds left. Then, after a travel violation by Mountain View, the Bison got a second chance. A contested 3-pointer with less than 10 seconds left came up short. Meeks got the rebound sealed the victory with two more at the charity stripe.

Neither team led by more than 10 points and that was Buffalo in the first quarter when they jumped out to a 12-2 lead. It was 14-9 at the end of the first. The Buffalos went on a 14-2 run that bridge the end of the first and start of the second quarter. That gave Mountain View their first lead at 16-14. Buffalo battled back for a 22-21 lead at the break.

Both teams scored 18 points in the third, as the game remained tight. After the Buffalos got up 31-25 early in the third period, Buffalo answered back for a 40-39 lead as the game went to the final frame.

Midway through the fourth, it was 42-42. Caden Sweep made a pair of free throws that put Mountain View in front 48-47.

As close as the game was, there were only seven lead changes and three total ties.

Mountain View got 15 points from Luke Branson, 13 points and 12 rebounds from Sweep, and Meeks added 11 points and nine boards. The Buffalos shot 34 percent for the game. That included 48 percent in the second half. Mountain View enjoyed a 46-32 edge on the glass. They had 17 second-chance points.

Buffalo was paced by Coy Johnson's 16 points. The Bison shot just 29 percent in the game. Buffalo scored 16 points off 15 Mountain View turnovers.

Mountain View will try to win their first boys' basketball state championship since a 2A crown in 1977. They will play at 5 p.m. on Thursday at the Ford Wyoming Center versus Worland.

Buffalo plays for third place against Lander. That game is at 1:30 p.m. at the Ford Wyoming Center in Casper.

Game 6: Worland 64 Lander 54 (semifinal #2)

Mack Page scored 26 points to lead Worland back to the 3A boys' title game with a 64-54 win over Lander in the semifinals Thursday night in Casper.

Page scored 11 of Worland's first 13 points. The Warriors led 18-11 at the end of the first. Lander hung tough and trailed only 32-26 at halftime.

The Tigers made several charges in the second half, but every time, Worland answered the bell. Lander got as close as three with 90 seconds left, but a three-point play by Rudy Sanford pushed it back to 58-52. The Warriors closed it out down the stretch.

Worland shot 53 percent in the game. They had a 32-25 advantage in rebounding. The Warriors scored 13 points off Tiger turnovers and nine second-chance points.

Lander shot 43 percent from the floor. They were led in scoring by Dillan Hereford with 20 points. Bryan St. Clair added 19.

Worland makes the title game for the first time since 2017. They will play Mountain View at 5 p.m. on Thursday from the Ford Wyoming Center in Casper.

Lander takes on Buffalo for third place at 1:30 p.m. in Casper on Thursday.

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Game 1: Buffalo 50 Lyman 47

The Bison rallied from a five-point deficit at the start of the fourth quarter for a 50-47 victory over the Eagles in 3A first-round action from Casper College.

Freshmen Eli Patterson made the go-ahead 3-pointer with 12 seconds left that gave Buffalo the victory. Lyman's Jett Dickerson missed a left-wing three. After a foul on the rebound, the Bison's Coy Johnson made one free-throw with 7.8 left that made it 50-47.

The Eagles had one chance to tie it but a desperation three didn't go at the buzzer.

After a slow start, Lyman had a 21-17 lead at halftime. They extended to a 27-19 advantage in the third quarter. Buffalo trimmed it to a two-point deficit, 32-30 at the end of the third quarter.

The game had 10 lead changes and was tied on five occasions.

Johnson scored a game-high 17 points to pace the Bison. They shot 44 percent from the floor. They out-rebounded the Eagles 32-24 and overcame 21 turnovers.

Lyman was paced by Joseph Turner with 10 points. They shot 35 percent as a team. The Eagles scored 21 points off Buffalo's turnovers.

https://wyopreps.townsquaredigital.com/wyopreps/State%20Tournament%20Box%20Scores/2021%203A-4A/LYMvsBUF-Boys.pdf

The Bison will play in the semifinals at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday at the Ford Wyoming Center.

Lyman drops into consolation play on Thursday against Rawlins at 10:30 a.m. That game is at the Ford Wyoming Center.

Game 2: Mountain View 64 Rawlins 62

The Mountain View Buffalos got 30 points from Luke Branson and outlasted the Rawlins Outlaws, 64-62, Wednesday at the Ford Wyoming Center.

Connor Micheli made two free-throws with 30 seconds left that gave Mountain View a 64-59 lead. Rawlins' Ashton Barto banked in a three-pointer with 14 seconds remaining, and the Outlaws called their final timeout.

After a charge was called on Caden Sweep trying to get around a double-team in back-court, Rawlins had one last chance with 11.7 seconds left. Colton Ice's runner in the paint fell off the side of the rim, and the Buffalos held on for the victory.

After a back-and-forth first quarter, Mountain View built a 27-17 lead in the first half. It was 27-23 Buffalos at the break. The game was tight the rest of the way. Every time one team made a run, the opposing team answered right back. It was 44-43 Mountain View at the end of the third. The Buffalos made just enough plays to slip past the Outlaws down the stretch.

The game had 11 lead changes and was tied six times.

Mountain View shot 55 percent for the game. They went 14-21, 67 percent, in the second half. The Buffalos enjoyed a 36-23 edge on the glass, but they also had 22 turnovers.

Rawlins shot 41 percent from the floor. They were led by Ashton Barto's 17 points. Colton Ice followed with 16. The Outlaws outscored Mountain View 15-5 at the foul line and scored 19 points off the Buffalos turnovers.

Mountain View reaches the semifinals and will play Buffalo at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday at the Ford Wyoming Center.

Rawlins drops into the consolation side of the bracket and will play at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday in Casper at the Ford Wyoming Center.

Game 3: Lander 68 Douglas 42

Brennon Stauffenberg scored 19 and Dillan Hereford added 18 points to lead the Lander Tigers to a 68-42 victory over Douglas in 3A first-round boys state basketball action on Wednesday in Casper.

Lander never trailed in the game. They built a 12-3 lead in the first quarter and extended it to 32-17 by halftime. The Tigers cruised in the second half, as the lead reached 31 points in the fourth quarter.

Lander shot 56 percent for the game, which included 61 percent in the second half.

Douglas shot 36 percent in the game. They got 12 points from Cam Spence.

The Tigers get Worland for the fourth meeting this season in the semifinals at 9 p.m. on Wednesday at the Ford Wyoming Center in Casper.

Douglas will play a consolation game on Thursday at 10:30 a.m. versus Wheatland at Casper College.

Game 4: Worland 63 Wheatland 49

Mack Page had 23 points and 10 rebounds to lead Worland past Wheatland 63-49 in the first round of the 3A boys' state basketball tournament.

Worland started out in control with a 19-12 lead at the end of the first. Wheatland hung tough thanks to 60 percent shooting and closed within 28-26 in the second quarter. The Warriors ended the half on a 7-1 run for a 35-27 advantage at the break. Worland pulled away in the third, as the lead reached 18 points. They held the Bulldogs to just seven and led 51-34 entering the final period.

Rudy Sanford added 17 points for the Warriors, who shot 46 percent in the game. They scored 22 points off 20 Wheatland turnovers. Worland also had 24 second-chance points thanks to 17 offensive rebounds.

Wheatland shot 47 percent in the game. They were led by Kade Preuit with 21 points.

Worland advances to the 3A boys' semifinals at 9 p.m. on Wednesday in Casper at the Ford Wyoming Center.

Wheatland will play in a consolation game against Douglas at 10:30 on Thursday morning in Casper at Casper College.