GILLETTE, Wyo. – Streaks are made to be broken, but the Wyoming All-Stars emphatically ended a long streak of futility Friday in their current all-star basketball series with Montana.
The Treasure State team’s 22-game winning streak in the annual Midland Round Table grudge game collapsed as Wyoming jumped out to a big second-quarter lead en route to an 83-62 victory at the Pronghorn Center in Gillette College.
Luke Johnson/Gillette (Wyo.) News Log
Missoula Sentinel’s Emily McElmurry drives the ball during the Montana-Wyoming All-Star Basketball Series at the Pronghorn Center in Gillette, Wyoming, on Friday, June 14, 2024.
The victory was Wyoming’s first in the series in 13 years, and handed Hall of Famer Steve Keller his first loss in 23 tries as Montana’s star coach. Montana still leads the all-time border battle 67-28.
Meanwhile, the Montana girls kept their streak alive Friday with a 90-68 victory over their Cowboy State counterparts. Led by a contingent of Class C stars, Montana won for the 14th straight time and increased its series lead to 40-13.
The series will resume Saturday at Lockwood High School in Billings. The girls’ game will begin at 5 p.m. and the boys’ game will begin at 7 p.m.
Children of Wyoming 83, Montana 62
Wyoming played as a team on a mission to break what had been a difficult and infuriating losing streak.
“It’s a streak. All these guys came in from the beginning of the week and they had good chemistry, they played together and they were relaxed,” said Wyoming coach Shawn Neary, Gillette College head coach.
“They had fun tonight. It was fun to watch.”
Montana led 28-21 early in the second quarter, but Wyoming gradually chipped away, getting within 28-26 on a 3-pointer by Green River’s Tharan Archibald.
That started an 11-0 run that put Wyoming ahead 37-28. Back-to-back baskets by Gillette Thunder Basin’s Bodie Williams, including a 3-pointer, highlighted the streak. Wyoming took a 44-33 lead into halftime.
The lead grew to 19 points in the third quarter as Montana struggled to score. A steal and basket by Jackson’s Andrew Hanna and a deep 3-pointer by Cheyenne Central’s Sammy Shumway left Wyoming up 52-33 and in full control with 5:05 left in the quarter.
Montana didn’t score its first points in the third until a three-point play by Billings West’s Cooper Tyson on the next possession after a long 3-pointer by Shumway.
From there, the deficit became too much for the Treasure State team to make up and Wyoming, guided by Neary, prevailed for the first time since a 90-84 overtime victory on June 10, 2011.
Luke Johnson/Gillette (Wyo.) News Log
Bozeman High’s Kellen Harrison makes a layup during the Montana-Wyoming All-Star Basketball Series at the Pronghorn Center in Gillette, Wyoming, Friday, June 14, 2024.
“That was a good basketball team,” Keller said of the Wyoming All-Stars. “They played together better as a team than we did, and their effort was incredible. They were on the court and diving for loose balls. Tomorrow they will be hard to beat.
“I think we have some guys who don’t like to lose and who will step up tomorrow.”
Wyoming put six players in double figures: Cheyenne Central’s Shumway and Joe Sawyer each scored 12, Williams scored 11 points and Archibald, Douglas’ Levi Curtis and Sheridan High’s Garrett Spielman scored 10.
The 62 points were the fewest a Montana team scored in series history.
“They weren’t happy that their star coach was making them do projectile drills, shutdowns and ball screen defense, but they needed a little bit of that,” Neary said. “However, today was a great team effort. We shared the ball pretty well, defended and rebounded well.
“It’s a game, so I’m happy for these guys that they won and now we’re in Billings tomorrow and I’m sure they’ll be fired up and ready to play, so we’ll have to see how we respond.
The Treasure State team was led by Browning’s Maurice Red Horn, who scored 12 points. Bozeman High’s Kellen Harrison scored 11 and Manhattan Christian’s Mason Venema added 10.
Girls from Montana 90, Wyoming 68
Another year, another victory for the Treasure State girls.
The Montanans broke through late in the first half and cruised to a 22-point, 90-68, victory over Wyoming on Friday. Montana’s group of Class C talent, including Roberts’ Taylee Chirrick, Saco-Whitewater-Hinsdale’s Teagan Erickson and Paige Wasson, played a huge role in the victory.
Chirrick had 16 points and nine rebounds, while Erickson led with 17 points. Both are destined for the state of Montana. Wasson Chip added 13 points. Also in double figures were Billings West’s Kourtney Grossman, Frenchtown’s Sadie Smith and Chinook’s Halie Neibauer, each with 10 points.
Late in the first quarter, Chirrick converted a three-point play to give Montana a 22-17 lead. In the second, a shot by Erickson and a three-pointer by Wasson helped make the score 34-27.
Chirrick’s coast-to-coast layup later in the quarter put the Treasure Staters ahead by double figures, 45-34. Montana scored 25 points in the second quarter and never looked back.
“We’re talking about making multiple stops; how many in a row can we make?” said Montana coach Wes Keller of Rocky Mountain College, who increased his series record to 16-1.
Luke Johnson/Gillette (Wyo.) News Log
Billings West’s Kourtney Grossman shoots during the Montana-Wyoming All-Star Series at the Pronghorn Center in Gillette, Wyoming, on Friday, June 14, 2024.
“I think we made it six in a row and that gave us the lead, and in that second quarter we made it five in a row and that helped us get to double digits heading into halftime.”
Missoula Hellgate’s Chloe Larsen scored eight points, including a pair of 3-pointers in the second quarter. Isabelle Heggem of Class C Roy-Winifred added five points.
The Wyoming All-Stars, coached by Gillette College’s Liz Lewis, were led by Sheridan High’s Alli Ligocki with 16 points. Ligocki will play at Montana State Billings next season.
Gillette Campbell County’s Cami Curtis added 13 points, hitting three 3-pointers. Cowboy State’s stars made eight 3-pointers in total.
Wyoming’s last win in the women’s series was on June 10, 2016, a 71-64 victory.
Keynote USA
For the Latest Local News, Follow Keynote USA Local on Twitter.