Wyoming Indian Withstands Rocky Mountain’s Rallies To Win 2A Title Rematch [VIDEO]

Video highlights of the Saturday January 17th 2A Boys Basketball game, between #1 Wyoming Indian at #4 Rocky Mountain.

Scroll down to see highlights!

The Chiefs jumped out to a 13-0 lead, and held it throughout, but the Grizzlies got close a few times.

I have said it before...basketball is a way of life on the reservation. It's very common to see youngsters in the stands, with a basketball in hand.

#1 Wyoming Indian at #4 Rocky Mountain...in a rematch of last year's 2A State Championship...first quarter...Wyoming Indian wearing the black...Jared Mosqueda was just getting himself and his team started...that bucket would put them on the board first, thus they lead 2-to-nothing.

Ok, we were a little surprised that they did not start off with a 3, but we knew it was coming soon...Noah Valdez will strike a match, light the fire and burn the net on this one. That is a little bit more like it. He had a 10 point game, and the Chiefs would go ahead 5-zip.

The defense was ready as well...Mosqueda pretty much anticipated that pass. The junior is off to the races...good ball control and he will get the finish on the right side hoop. Things are off to a good start for his squad, now ahead 7-to-zero.

The boys in black wanted a good start to this game, and they got it...and so did Mosqueda. He comes 3...ring 'em up...We're about half-way through the quarter, and everything has been one-sided so far. The scoreboard now reads 10-to-nothing.

...and the defending champs kept going. Buell Robinson from college range...cash! It was game time, and only one team has shown up so far...it's 13-to-zip and the home crowd was starting to wonder what was going on.

Rocky Mountain was in desperate need of some offense. They would take whatever they could get. No good on the 3, but Kirby Winland was in the right spot to grab the miss and stick it back in for 2...finally some points. It took 5 minutes plus, and they trail 13-to-2.

Of course they needed a lot more though...the Grizzlies just had to find way to break down the opposing defense. Bill Despain with a spin move and floater and that got 2...the junior put together a 14 point game...that would put his team down 16-to-4.

Actually last year's state runner-ups were slowly starting to get something going...Cole Simmons will do the honors on this drive, for 2 of his 13 points...the deficit is still in double-digits with the score at 16-to-6.

...and maybe they were starting to find a crack in the armor...Despain will find one and go right through the lane...get the bucket and the foul...the 3-point play would make this a 16-to-9 contest, after the first 8 minutes.

Second quarter...WIHS needed to get back to work...Mosqueda was looking for somebody, and then he said, aw to heck with it. I'll take care of this myself. He led all scorers with 22, and that made the score 18-to-10.

...but the Grizzlies would hang around...Despain with the quick catch and shoot for 3, and he's got it. His team trails 22-to-16, but it's the closest they have been, since the game started.

Wyoming Indian would then reach into their bag of tricks...Robinson sneaks in and scores off of the inbounds...15 points for the sophomore, and now it's 24-to-16 with his team in the lead.

They were on the move again, or rather Robinson was. He has an older sister that's pretty good and he learned a few things. The lead is back up to 12, at 28-to-16.

...as a precaution, the Chiefs decided to get someone else in on the scoring. Here's freshman Joseph Sazue with a 3-ball, and I think he's going to get more playing time. 15 points were his numbers...now it's 33-to-17.

Another run was in the works, and this highlight was flat out awesome. Sazue goes behind the back once...twice...spin move...bucket...that was part of a 13-to-1 run. A 6-point lead is up to 18...the score is 35-to-17.

...and there was still more to come...Sazue was on fire...this is the 3-alarm kind! WIHS was using the nets as fire material, and the score was doubled up...it was 40-to-20 going into the locker room.

Third quarter...the home team needed to wake up...Simmons was on this play...as he will drive the baseline and score a much needed 2 points, but they need a lot more down 40-to-22.

...but the boys in black were wide awake on both sides of the ball. Ryan Tiger with the rejection, and then he will feed ahead to Mosqueda who will take care of the rest. Now they have a 22-point cushion, with the scoreboard reading 44-to-22.

Then Rocky Mountain slowly started to wake up...first on defense...Winland with the swat...that saved 2 points, but he and his team-mates, need to find ways to get points on the other end of the court.

It took a little bit, but they eventually did...Caleb Horrocks with his own base-line drive and he gets one more for his efforts. It's a start, but the Grizzlies are still on the wrong end of a 44-to-25 score.

WIHS was not about ready to let the opposition get back into this game just yet. Valdez takes the pass and scores inside, to make it a 20 point lead again...it's 46-to-26.

The home team could do a similar play like the last one. Winland will pull it off, gets the whistle and the bucket. No good on the extra try, so that makes this a 46-to-28 game.

Base-line drives were starting to work for Rocky Mountain, so they would try it again...Despain is going to pull it off this time...he will get the bounce and the 2. They have a little something going, down 46-to-32.

They needed something big though...and needed someone new to do it. How about Tanner Coleman? We have not seen him yet, but you have seen him now. The senior would announce his presence on that 3...and the Grizz were getting closer, down 46-to-35.

Coleman was the one stepping up his game...and he would do it all on this highlight...first the steal and then he is off to the races for 2 more...the deficit is down into single digits...we have a 46-to-37 score.

..and they kept going...Coleman again, this time with some razzle dazzle, to cap off a 13-zip run...but his team would foul the opposition on a 3 at the buzzer and that hurt. It was 49-to-39, going into the final 8 minutes.

4th quarter...the boys in black knew that this game was not in the bag just yet...Mosqueda was in the right place to grab the deflection and he will put in 2 more...that helped, and moved the score up to 51-to-39.

Wyoming Indian found a sweet spot on the floor...here's Tiger from roughly the same spot as the previous highlight...hey whatever works. Now it's a 14-point game...53-to-39.

The home team could not afford to be trailing by anymore. Coleman finds a lane and drives right through it for the lay-in...time is becoming the enemy...down 54-to-41.

The opposition knew this and knew it was time to finish the job...Robinson splits 2 defenders...gets the whistle and the 2...the Chiefs almost have this one...ahead 56-to-41 with about 4 minutes to go.

Rocky Mountain still gave a try...Simmons will take aim, lets 'er fly and connects for 3...59-to-45 is what the scoreboard reads, and his team really needs to get the ball back.

The baseline drive trick from earlier was still working...Simmons is going to give it another go and that play was still producing results. The Grizz were still fighting, despite being down 59-to-47.

They made a late run...but the key word is late. Coleman will strike for 3 more and they were feeling some momentum...they just didn't have a enough time to build more. Wyoming Indian would take this one on the road...67-to-61.