CASPER — Both basketball teams from Green River High School will take the court Thursday at the 4A State Basketball Tournament, looking to build on strong performances at last week’s regional tournament.
The Lady Wolves enter as the No. 1 seed from the West after winning the regional title for the second straight year, while the Wolves boys qualified as the No. 4 seed and will open play against the top team from the East.
Games Thursday will be played at Casper College, with later rounds scheduled for the Ford Wyoming Center.
You can listen to all the GRHS games on KUGR 104.9 FM, or you can listen to our audio-only live streams on The Radio Network Facebook page.
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Lady Wolves open with Sheridan
Green River will face Sheridan High School at 10:30 a.m. Thursday in the opening round.
Head coach Clinton Landon expects a well-prepared opponent led by veteran coach Chris Wagner.
“They’re led by an experienced coach in Chris Wagner, who has one of the most respected pedigrees in the state,” Landon said. “To say he’s a good coach would be an understatement—he’s an excellent coach and a great person.”
Landon said Wagner’s teams are known for discipline and defensive structure.
“His teams are always well prepared, and he does a great job getting the most out of his point guards,” Landon said. “You also know you’re going to see that 1-3-1 zone defense he likes to throw at teams, so we’ve got to be ready for that.”
Green River faced Sheridan earlier this season in Cheyenne for the James Johnson Winter Classic, and Landon said the matchup showed the same traits he expects to see again.
“When we faced them earlier in the season in Cheyenne, we saw a lot of those same things—discipline, good guard play, and a team that competes hard,” Landon said. “With the way they’re playing right now, I have no doubt Coach Wagner will have a strong game plan ready for us.”
Green River’s regional run featured strong contributions throughout the roster, including a breakout performance from Brookelyn Phillips.
“Brooklyn has really been a bright spot for our team and for the run we’re on right now,” Landon said. “Our coaching staff felt this summer that, with the amount of time and effort she was putting in during the offseason, she had the potential to make a real impact for us this year.”
Landon described Phillips as the type of athlete who always strives to be her best, whether that’s in basketball, soccer, or volleyball. “That competitiveness and drive carry over directly to the basketball court.” He went on to mention her work paying off at regionals. “I truly believe the impact she had at regionals showed exactly what our coaching staff knew she was capable of,” he said. “She’s a constant team player and whatever we ask her to do, she takes on that role with a lot of pride and fierce competitiveness.”
The regional tournament also reinforced Landon’s confidence in the team as a whole.
“The biggest lesson I learned from regionals is that this team is something special,” he said. “What really stood out to me was the leadership from our senior class and how steady this group is in big moments.”
Landon said the group has shown remarkable poise throughout the season.
“They truly never get rattled,” he said. “Erick Pauley said it best earlier in the year—he hasn’t seen this team get rattled all season. I really saw that this weekend. From the first game to the third, they took the punches that come with tournament basketball and just kept responding. They stayed in the fight every time. This is honestly one of the most resilient teams I’ve ever coached..”
That mindset was captured after the regional championship.
“After the regional championship game, some of the players quoted Kobe Bryant and said, ‘Job’s not finished,’” Landon said. “I think that tells you everything you need to know about this team and their focus as they head into State with the goal of bringing home the first state title in school history.”
Wolves Boys Face Top-seeded Sheridan
Later Thursday, the Green River boys will take on Sheridan at 1:30 p.m. in their first-round matchup. Last week at regionals, the Wolves played tough, and their quadrant of Kelly Walsh, Natrona County, Rock Springs, and themselves are sending three teams to state this week, showing they have been battle tested all year.
Head coach Laurie Ivie said the Wolves gained valuable experience during a competitive regional tournament.
“The Regional Tournament was extremely competitive,” Ivie said. “We learned that every possession matters at this level. There’s no room for mental mistakes or lapses in effort.”
Green River battled through a tough bracket to secure a state berth, something Ivie believes will benefit the team heading into the final week of the season.
“Our guys battled all weekend, and that experience is going to make us better as we head into state,” he said.
Sheridan presents another difficult challenge, but Ivie said the Wolves have faced strong competition throughout the year.
“Sheridan is an excellent team,” Ivie said. “They’re well-coached, physical, and they compete on both ends of the floor.”
Still, Ivie believes Green River can compete if it stays true to its style of play.
“But we’ve played tough teams all year long,” he said. “We’re not going to back down. If we focus on what we do best, we’ll give ourselves a chance. This team believes in each other, and that’s what’s going to carry us.”
The Wolves also enter the tournament in solid physical condition after a demanding regional weekend.
“We’re in good shape health-wise,” Ivie said. “The guys have battled through some ankle sprains, but everyone is ready to go. We’re feeling prepared for what’s ahead.”
