The Kemmerer High School boys’ basketball team saw their season come to an end Friday at the 2A State Basketball Tournament in Casper, posting an 0-2 record against a pair of tough teams.
The Rangers opened the tournament Thursday against Wright, losing to the Panthers 72-53. In Friday’s elimination round against Greybull, the Rangers took the Buffaloes to double-overtime before running out of steam, falling 68-60.
“It definitely didn’t end the way we wanted it to,” said KHS head coach Matt Stewart. “Our first game against Wright, we played well for three quarters — the third quarter was rough, we didn’t execute very well, didn’t take care of the ball. Against Greybull, it was a battle back and forth — we just turned the ball over too much in the second half.”
One thing never in question was the heart the Rangers played with — an aspect of the team that didn’t go unnoticed by those in attendance.
“The kids battled, that’s one thing they’ve done really well this year — they battle hard in every game,” Stewart said. “It’s rewarding, as a coach, to have fans who don’t really get a chance to see us play during the season, come up to me at the State Tournament and tell me how fun to watch our team is — they play hard until the very end. That’s something that Ie as a coach take a lot of pride in. That made me really proud of those kids.”
Moving forward, Stewart said the team would miss its three seniors — Chase Bowen, Kaden Witbeck and Skyler Rogers.
“Those three are the hardest-working group of boys I’ve ever been around,” Stewart said. “They come to practice every day, and get after it. They’re great leaders, and the kids tended to gravitate to them — we’re gonna miss them a bunch. I can’t say enough about these three.”
Wright 72, Rangers 53
The Rangers (8-16, 1-5) opened the tournament Thursday against Wright (22-5, 4-2), the No. 1-seed out of the East.
The Rangers kept it close
