RANGELY I “The effort was there the whole tournament, and I was pleased with how we came along night to night,” Rangely boys’ new head basketball coach Kyle Boydstun said of his team’s first performances in the annual White River Electric Association’s Cowboy Shootout, where the Panthers won the final game of three.
The Panthers opened the season against the Rams from South Routt County (Soroco) and, although they led by two at halftime, Rangely lost 42-51. The Panthers then lost by five to 5A Fruita Monument’s JV team, 69-64, in a high scoring game in the semifinals.
“We kept it close both nights; now we just need to figure out how to close out those kinds of ball games,” coach Boydstun said.
The Panthers did close out the Moffat County Junior Varsity team in the final game of the tournament, pounding the Bulldogs 58-27. Rangely jumped out to a 15-4 lead after the first quarter, added 20 more in the second quarter to lead 35-12 at halftime.
“I’m real pleased with where our young guys are at,” coach Boydstun said.
Boydstun was also impressed with a few of his players including Brennan Noyes and Patrick Scoggins, both were named to the all-tournament team.
Noyes scored a team-high 26 points against Fruita, 19 against Soroco and 13 against the Bulldogs, and he also won the Slam Dunk contest held Saturday morning before the games.
“Brennan is starting to figure out he can be a dominant force when he wants to be,” coach Boydstun said.
Panther sophomore Kobe Broome, who made three three-pointers in the final game, also won the three-point shooting contest for the Panthers.
“The talent is there; we just need to put it all together now,” coach Boydstun said. “They are all good, coachable kids and that is all I can ask for.”
The Panthers will play in West Grand Tournament this weekend in Kremmling.
