RHS Panthers split home games

RANGELY I The defending small school state basketball champs, the Little Snake River Rattlers from Baggs, Wyo., and the Soroco Rams from Oak Creek traveled to Rangely last week for games. The Panthers lost to the Rattlers but beat the Rams.
The game against the Rattlers started well for the Panthers as they jumped out to a quick 18-16 lead but Snake River came back in the second and put the game away in the third for a 77-44 final score.
“It was eerily similar to the game we played against them prior to the holidays,” head coach Eric Hejl said. “We led by two after the first quarter, even after we got down early 2-9. The second quarter was back and forth until they made a little run to close out the half putting us down by eight. Unfortunately we didn’t come out focused in the third quarter and it led to a series of early turnovers, which led to a run out for a very quick and aggressive team. We got outscored 23-6 in the third and that was that.”
Cameron Enterline led the Panthers with 15 points and pulled down 12 rebounds, while Connor Phelan also finished in double figures with 13. Ethan Peacock scored seven against the Rattlers, Mason Fortunato had four, Colt Allred three and David Contreras made a basket.
“On Friday we seemed to come out a lot more determined to make a case about what kind of team we’re capable of being and that was definitely good to see,” Hejl said. “We weren’t facing a team quite the caliber of Little Snake River but from our side of things I felt like we played our best four consecutive quarters of the season and it was a total team effort.
The Panthers jumped out to a 15-10 lead after the first quarter and led 28-16 at halftime. The Panthers put the game away in the third with 25 points and 14 more in the fourth to win 67-43.
Enterline led the Panthers again with 17, Kody Denny added 13 and Phelan 12. Andrew Morton scored eight, Cory Evans six, Allred four, Fortunato three, with Peacock and Jake Massey each adding a basket.
“We’re gonna have to win games by everybody playing their roles and chipping in where they can and that is what happened against Soroco,” Hejl said.
“We had a freshman (Colt Allred) step up in his first action as a starter and he got lots of deflections and played solid defense up top,” Hejl said. “Cameron, Connor and Kody were aggressive offensively but always willing to defer to a teammate with a better shot and it led to all three of them scoring in double figures. Now we’ll do our best to carry that positive momentum into West Grand on Friday.”
The Panthers are currently 3-6 with the most important games yet to come.
“I feel like our best basketball is yet to come as well,” Hejl said.