Panthers defeat Rams

RANGELY I “I told Caleb (Templeton) before the game that he needed to be our ‘glue-guy’ and hold things together until some of the other guys got into the flow of the game,” head basketball coach Eric Hejl said of the Panther senior. “Fortunately, that’s exactly what he did.”
The Rangely Panthers defeated the Soroco Rams last Saturday in Oak Creek 72, then started a four games in five days stretch in Meeker Tuesday.
Against the Rams, Templeton scored 12 points in the first quarter and 11 in the second to pull the Panthers to 31-32 at halftime. The Denny brothers, Kacey and Kody, scored Rangely’s other first half points.
“The game was tight going into the locker room and that allowed us to make some key defensive adjustments at halftime,” Hejl said. “We had a few other guys step up big in the second half.”
The Panthers almost doubled the Ram’s scoring in the third quarter with 23 points, compared to 12 for the Rams.
“Ethan Peacock, Kacey Denny and Chaz Byerly all hit big shots on the offensive end and our team defense, led by Caleb and Kody, allowed us to get out in transition and get some easy buckets on the other end,” Hejl said. “By the end of the third quarter we were up 10 and played a smart and efficient fourth quarter to hold off any major run or swing in momentum.
Templeton led all scorers with 33 points, he also had 10 rebounds and six steals. Kacey Denny finished in double figures with 11, Byerly added nine, Peacock eight and Kody Denny had six. Cameron Enterline hit a three-pointer in the third and Connor Phelan made two free throws in the fourth to round out the Panthers’ scoring.
The Panthers will host a make-up game against Vail Christian today and will be at home Friday for a league game against the West Grand Wildcats, before traveling to Baggs, Wyo., on Saturday.
“We had a good week of practice and I’m encouraged with the way the guys have started to buy in and come together as a team,” Hejl said.