The Tiger boys basketball team got started in Wright last weekend and played two close games, sandwiched around a tough loss to the host team. Big Horn is not near the team they have been in recent years, while Wright might be better than advertised and Greybull could be rebuilding.

BH took an early lead despite Tiger senior Dylan Miller’s strong start. The lead was 13-12 but Miller had half of Lusk’s dozen. The Rams warmed up with an 18-9 second period run to go ahead 31-21. NCHS battled back after halftime with Ryan Gilkey and Miller leading the way. The pair combined for 15 of 28 second half points as Lusk tied the game with just a handful of seconds remaining. Freshman Ryan Bruegger made the game winning shot for his first varsity basket and Lusk scored the 49-47 upset.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

NCHS 12 9 14 14  49

BIG HORN 13 18 7 9  47

TEAM STATS

NCHS: 19/46 FG, 2/3 3PT, 5/9 FT, 36 REB, 15 TO, 16 PF

BH: 17/39 FG, 2/17 3PT, 7/19 FT, 38 REB, 12 TO, 14 PF

NCHS PLAYER STATS: Scoring- Gilkey 14, Miller 14, Jake Heil 8, Tegan Tschacher 4, Bruegger 3, Cole Hart 2, Alec Penfield 2, James Stone 2. Rebounds- Heil 6, Gilkey 5.

In the nightcap against the home team, Lusk was a step slow as the Panthers took a 20-12 first quarter lead. Miller kept the Tigers close with a career high 20 points on the night, but couldn’t contain Wright’s balance on the floor. The halftime lead was eleven points but ballooned to 20 as the third wound down. NCHS tried to comeback but it was too much in the 71-54 defeat.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

NCHS 12 13 13 6  54

WRIGHT 20 16 22 13  71

TEAM STATS

NCHS: 19/47 FG, 1/ 4 3PT, 13/23 FT, 54 REB, 52 TO, 21 PF

WRIGHT: 29/69 FG, 2/11 3PT, 7/23 FT, 34 REB, 25 TO

NCHS PLAYER STATS: Scoring- Miller 20, Bruegger 10, Tschacher 6, Heil 5, Gilkey 4, Jarit Krejci 4, Penfield 3. Rebounds- Bruegger 13, Miller 10, Heil 5, Tschacher 5. Steals- Stone 5.

The Tigers got off to an awful start against Greybull as the Buffalos took a 19-9 lead and kept Lusk at bay all game. The lead grew to 36-21 at the half before Gilkey and Tschacher got hot. Gilkey sank a pair of treys and Tschacher had eight points but the Buffs kept sinking long rangers. 57-40 was the third period count before a furious Lusk rally came up short. The Tiger defense held Greybull to just three free throws (with eight misses) but didn’t have enough offense left in the 60-54 loss. 

SCORE BY QUARTERS

NCHS 9 12 19 14  54

GREYBULL 19 17 21 3  60

TEAM STATS

NCHS: 14/43 FG, 3/6 3PT, 17/33 FT, 41 REB, 15 TO, 22 PF

GREYBULL: 10/27 FG, 8/18 3PT, 16/34 FT, 34 REB, 15 TO

NCHS PLAYER STATS: Scoring- Tschacher 14, Gilkey 12, Miller 10, Heil 5, Stone 5, Penfield 4, Bruegger 2, Hart 2. Rebounds- Miller 10.

NCHS hosts the 11th annual Tiger Jamboree this weekend with games against the Thunder Basin sophs (9 a.m.) and Cheyenne South’s JV (7:30 p.m.) on Friday. Saturday the Tigers face Greybull for a rematch from last week’s six point Buffs win (12:30 p.m.).

The JV won all three games to open the season. They beat Wright 42-19, BH 63-26 and Greybull 56-53. At this week’s Jamboree NCHS plays the South sophs (noon at LEMS) on Friday before playing Arvada-Clearmont Saturday morning at 8 a.m. at Tiger Gym.