Ranger Junior Tanner Plowman heads to the basket against Cokeville in the Pinedale tournament on Friday, Jan. 5. (GAZETTE PHOTO / Theresa Davis)

The Kemmerer Ranger boys’ basketball team had the same amount of luck as their female counterparts at the Pinedale tournament on Jan. 5 and 6. The Rangers are 0–9 for the season, but  head coach Steve Moyles said he believes his team is improving with each game.

Moyles reflected on what he said at the beginning of the season about what the Rangers needed to work on in order to succeed:  rebounding, speed and quick transitions.

“We are definitely improving on our rebounding,” Moyles said. “We have room to grow in our transition defense, as well as in keeping the ball moving on offense.”

On Friday, Jan. 5, the Rangers opened their tournament play against the Cokeville Panthers.

Kemmerer kept the game close for the first three quarters, but started to slip in the fourth quarter, losing to Cokeville 58–38.

“It was a great effort by the Rangers,” Moyles said. “The first half was incredibly close, with the Rangers leading for some of it.”

Derick Wilcox had eight points in the Cokeville game.

“That was by far his best performance of the year,” Moyles said. “Unfortunately, Wilcox fouled out in the fourth quarter.”

Senior Corbin Ourada also had eight points against Cokeville. Sophomore Colter Brunski added seven points for the Rangers. Sophomore Caden Bowen had three points;  senior Ty Hysell, senior Brandon Crank and junior Cameron Adams each had two points.

Senior Louis Failoni handles the ball against Cokeville at the Pinedale tournament on Friday, Jan. 5. The Rangers host Mountain View at home on Saturday, Jan. 13. (GAZETTE PHOTO / Theresa Davis)

On Saturday, Jan. 6, the Rangers played Little Snake River, and lost to the Rattlers 74–49.

“Corbin Ourada came out with a hot hand in that game,” Moyles said. “He hit two three-point shots and another two-pointer right off the bat.”

Moyles said the Rangers started to get in trouble when Little Snake River scored13 points off quick turnovers and transitions.

“We rallied in the third and fourth quarters, but it wasn’t quite enough to come back,” Moyles said.

Brunski and junior Tanner Plowman led the Rangers with 11 points in the game against Little Snake River. Ourada had 10 points, Wilcox dropped in nine points, and Bowen and senior Louis Failoni each chipped in four points.

Kemmerer Ranger Corbin Ourada fights for the ball against Cokeville at the Pinedale tournament on Friday, Jan. 5. The Rangers host Mountain View at home on Saturday, Jan. 13. (GAZETTE PHOTO / Theresa Davis)

The Rangers’ last game of the Pinedale tournament was against Farson-Eden, and the team fought hard, but fell to the Pronghorns 62–39.

“Farson was a really strong opposing team,” Moyles said. The Rangers again fought hard in the second half, but it wasn’t enough to overcome their first half mistakes.

Tanner Plowman led the Rangers’ scoring with 14 points. Brunski had 10 points. Ourada and senior Ty Hysell each had four points. T.C. Coles chipped in three points, and Wilcox and Failoni added two points each.Moyles said the J.V. squad also fought hard at the tournament.

“The J.V. game against Little Snake River was their best effort yet,” Moyles said.

The J.V. boys fought hard until the very end, falling to Little Snake River 53-48. Sophomore Caden Bowen had 17 points against LSR. Freshman Clayton Moyles and junior T.C. Coles each had 10 points for the Rangers. Freshman Austin Quin Martinez dropped in seven points for the Rangers.

On Friday, Jan. 12, the boys’ basketball team travels to Pinedale to take on the Wranglers.

Ranger fans will finally have a chance to cheer on the Kemmerer basketball teams at home this weekend.

On Saturday, Jan. 13, the Rangers host their first home game of the season. The Rangers’ J.V. team faces off against Mountain View at 4:00 p.m., and the varsity team plays Mountain View at 7:00 p.m.

Junior T.C. Coles handles the ball for the Rangers at the Pinedale tournament. (GAZETTE PHOTO / Theresa Davis)