GREEN RIVER – The Rock Springs pressure defense and Trevor Hautala’s offensive explosion led the Tigers past the Green River Wolves Thursday night, 90-53. With the win, the Tigers remain perfect in 4A West conference play.
The Tigers pressure defense from the start bothered the Wolves and Hautala did the rest. He scored a season-high 36 points to pace the offensive attack. Brady Arnoldi and Jesus Beltran also finished with double-figures for Rock Springs. Arnoldi finished with 13 while Beltran added 12. Kelby Kramer finished with eight points and 12 rebounds while Kael Mikkelsen added eight while pulling down six rebounds.
Green River was led by Devin Love who finished the night with 19 points. Chase Stoeger was the only other Green River player in double figures scoring 10. Jake Angelovich added eight points, all coming in the second half.
After Love scored the first two of the game, it was all Rock Springs. They scored 11 straight with six coming from Hautala. His speed and ability to stop and pop the jumper gave the Wolves defense fits all night. Chance Hofer ended the run but Mikkelsen scored four straight to close the first and put Rock Springs up big early, 17-4.
Cameron Morris and Stoeger scored the first four of the second quarter but four by Beltran matched the early Green River offense. An offensive putback by Kramer and a three by Arnoldi extended the lead to 17, 29-12. Stoeger added a three and Love added points midway through the quarter but the Tigers kept running. Beltran, Hautala, Kramer and Arnoldi all scored points to close out the half as Rock Springs entered the break with a 22-point lead, 44-22. Hautala was one shy of his season average in the first half with 19 points.
Behind Mikkelsen, Hautala, Kramer and Arnoldi, the Tigers scored the first eight of the third quarter as the Tigers jumped up 30. Hofer and Love each added three pointers in the quarter but it was all Rock Springs as they entered the final quarter with the big lead, 67-39. Angelovich and Love continued to score for Green River to start the final quarter but the fourth quarter belonged to the role players with the game out of reach.
While the Tigers remained perfect in conference play, the Wolves dropped to 1-3 in the conference. Both teams will return to action next weekend with the Casper schools on the schedule.
Rock Springs High School
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