Panthers beat Rattlers for third time

RANGELY I For a third time this season, the Rangely Panthers boys’ basketball team has played and beaten the Little Snake Rattlers, most recently, a 59-48 home victory to start the new year. The Panthers now enter a tough four-game stretch, both at home and away, against league opponents.
The Rangely boys opened the 2013-14 season with a four-point (59-55) victory against the Rattlers in the first round of the WREA Cowboy Shootout, then another four-point victory (50-46) in Baggs, Wyo., a week later, before last Saturday’s meeting in Rangely.
“Playing and beating a good team like Baggs three times in a season is nice for a change, and I really think that in this final game, our balanced attack helped us,” head coach Eric Hejl said. “Overall, I really thought this was one of the most complete games we’ve played so far. We have been pretty balanced with our scoring this season, and Saturday was Colt’s (Allred) turn to lead the way.”
Rangely junior Allred led all scorers with 20 points, the most any Panther has scored in a game this season.
“We had a good matchup with him inside, and our guards did a good job of getting him the ball,” Hejl said. “We also got solid contributions from the trio of seniors as well, with Cameron (Enterline) staying consistent, putting up 15 points and helping control the glass and Connor (Phelan) and Andrew (Morton) just picking their spots and being efficient, athletic scorers for us and bringing what they always bring defensively.”
The Panthers led 15-11 after the first quarter, then scored another 15 in the second to led by 12 at halftime. The Rattlers were two shy of matching Rangely’s 13 points in the third quarter and although they outscored the Panthers 19-16 in the final quarter, it was too little, too late for the team from Baggs.
“We had a few small stretches where our defense didn’t have quite the intensity we like to see, but, when they had to get stops, they got stops and that’s what it takes,” coach Hejl said.
In addition to Allred’s and Enterline’s scoring, Morton added nine, Phelan eight, Mitchell Webber four and Kaulan Brady made a three-pointer.
The Panthers play four league games in the next seven days, as they host Paonia on Friday, then travel to Hotchkiss on Saturday, then on to Meeker on Tuesday before returning home to host the West Grand Mustangs next Thursday.
“We have been able to have a little success so far, and it’s been fun for sure,” Hejl said. “These next four games … are going to be the real test to see where we stand within the league.
“The most important game is always the next one, so right now we are focused on Paonia, which definitely gives us plenty to focus on by themselves. Hopefully, we can have a productive week of practice and be ready for the ride.”