Highlights of the Thursday, January 24th Boys Basketball game, between #2 Riverton at #5 Natrona.

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The Wolverines gave up an early 15-3 lead, before slowly crawling back into this game.

 

 

Hey girls…this is a basketball game. It’s not a texting or Twitter-fest.

Number 2 Riverton at Number 5 Natrona…first quarter…Natrona wearing the white…and they would strike while the iron was hot…Nathan Pieper is at the top of the key and opening the door for 3…and that was the first possession of the game…3-nothing is the score.

The Mustangs were taking their gallops in stride…here’s a 2-on-1 fast-break…Pieper with the assist to Connor True, and he’s true to the cause with 2…home team jumps out to a 5-zip advantage.

They were on the run early and taking advantage of any fast-break opportunity that they could get. Brett Kautzmann hits the brakes, fakes a defender and scores for NC…who have now busted out a 7-nothing lead.

It’s been almost 4 minutes, and Riverton has yet to put anything on the scoreboard…Xavier Webb will take care of that problem with the 3 and the swish…you’ll see more from him later…visitors trail, 7-to-3.

N-C did not always rely on fast breaks to score…they had a few game plans. Rhett Bratton is open behind 4 players, and by the time the defense realized it…it was too late…home team leads 10-to-3.

Now you want to talk about recovering from a botched play…check this one out…True’s pass is deflected, but Kautzmann is quick on the recovery pass and True only had one guy in his way. That did not stop him from getting the basket and now Natrona is up 12-to-3.

The Mustangs needed a good start to this game…and they got it all right…True has reservations for 3 and he’s going to get them…N-C was looking good after a 15-to-3 spurt to start the game.

As for the Wolverines…they needed an answer and soon…Webb will launch one from about college range, and he was the only thing that was going so far for his team…visitors trailed, 15-to-6, after the first 8 minutes.

2nd quarter…Riverton was slowly getting back into this game…and Webb was doing most of the work. This time, the shot will go for 2, and he’ll take it…because now his team is only down 15-to-10.

N-C needed another plan in order to maintain their lead…here’s one…Brady Dalen with the assist to True and it got the job done for another bucket…that would push the score up to 18-12.

The visitors would stay after it…or rather…Webb would…he cuts one way, and finishes with the other hand…he led all scorers with 23 points on the contest, but his team is trailing, 18-14.

The home team still had a few more plays to run…here’s Adam Britton scoring quickly on the inbounds play to open up a little breathing room, and the scoreboard now reads, 20-to-14.

Slowly but surely…the opposition was making a move…and someone else finally got in on the scoring act. Chris Quayle is winding ‘er up and letting’er fly for 3 and connects…and now Riverton is only down by 3…it’s 20-to-17 at this point.

Of course a rally is no good unless you at least tie the score…no good on the 3, but Jordan Belville with the offensive board, putback and the foul…no good on the conversion, but that score did even things up at 20-20.

The Mustangs needed to regroup now that their 12-point lead had evaporated. Bratton is getting on his high horse and he’ll giddy up and get 3 out of it…the home team needed that one, and now they’re back up 23-20.

Time is running out before the break and both teams want the momentum…Pieper misses from long range but he hustles to get his own rebound and stick it back in for 2 just ahead of the buzzer…10 points for the senior…and N-C was up 25-20, going into the locker room.

3rd quarter…the home team would build on their lead a little more. Parker Browning wears number 3 for a reason…and I think you just found out why. The lead for the Mustangs is back up to 8…it’s 28-20.

Then Riverton would get to work and turn this into their game. Kade Salisbury will stop, pop and hit from the foul line to get things going and his team is down 28-22.

The defense was making a play as well… Coley Nicholls picks off the pass…then he says that Webb is ahead of everyone, so he’ll let his team-mate do the honors on the other end…that would cut the score to 28-24.

Later…more defense…Belville will get the back-court steal and he’ll have a short trip to the hoop and 2 points…and Riverton was right back in this one, trailing 28-26.

It was the D and the transition that was paying off for the Wolverines. This time Salisbury will get the steal and he’ll fire ahead to Webb who will once again score on the fast-break. Now the game is tied again…this time at 28-all.

Natrona needed to get the offense going again…things had been quiet for awhile…Pieper will take care of things himself this time a-round and that would put the Mustangs back on top 30-to-28.

And back would come the opposition…Quayle finds a way to score in traffic and gets the drop…and the score is dead even again at 30-30.

However, the visitors had yet to take the lead in the game…and that’s about to change. This is Michael Johnston scoring up close for Riverton, who had the momentum going their way…up 33-to-30, going into the final 8 mintues.

4th quarter…things went back and forth for a little bit…NC went back to their long range attack…it’s Chandler Meeboer from behind the line, knocking one down for 3…the scoreboard had a bunch of 3’s showing…it’s now 33-33…but the opposition quickly countered…just off to the right of the screen is Webb hiding in the corner and the senior will strike back. The pendulum has swung the other way, with the score at 36-33.

The Mustangs were not about ready to fold…in fact Meeboer was playing a game of one ups-man-ship on the long range attack…there’s another 3 for the senior, and we’re tied one more time…36-36.

At this juncture of the contest…it was all about which team still had some juice left in the tank. Belville will take a little spill on this play, but he manages to get the 2 points, and the visitors are ahead, 38-36.

The Wolverines were still finding fast break opportunities…and take a guess as to who was leading the charge? Yep…Webb again…his team is now up 40-to-36.

Coming into this game, Riverton had a poor history of winning in the orange dungeon, but it was looking promising. Salisbury drives…hoop and the hack...and things were looking good with Riverton up 44-to-38.

The visitors were making the most of their second chances as well. It took a couple of tries, but Salisbury will get the board…the putback and 1. NC got off to the great offensive start, but then faded in the end, as the Wolverines would walk away with this one…55-to-42.

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