CASPER – It would come down to free throws late but the Lady Tigers will move on to play for a 4A West title.

Despite going two long stretches in the game without scoring, the Rock Springs Lady Tigers beat Evanston 45-40 to move into the 4A West title game. The ladies did not score for the first six minutes of the game and the first four minutes of the fourth.

The Lady Red Devils took advantage of the fourth-quarter scoreless spell to even the game at 32. A Lyndzie Kroupa putback put the Lady Tigers back up two. Stevie Hill followed suit, knocking down at 18-foot jumper as Rock Springs jumped up four.

Evanston battled back and with 3:10 left evened the game at 36. Hill broke the tie with a three-pointer, but with 1:30 left Evanston pulled back to within one.  

With 1:07 left, Sarye Thomas stepped to the foul line and put the ladies up three. She would steal in ensuing inbound pass which led to two Hill free throws. Evanston then scored and fouled. Makenzie Kroupa put the Lady Tigers up four and another Lady Devil’s miss and foul put RSHS back on the line. Hill would sink one of two to ice the game and give the ladies the win, 45-40.

Hill led the way with 17 points on the night while Justinak finished with 10 points. Makenzie Kroupa  finished with six and sister Lyndzie added five points and five rebounds.

Evanston got out to a quick start as the Lady Tigers struggled from the field. Rock Springs went almost six minutes before Makenzie Kroupa put RSHS on the board. Selena Cudney scored two at the end of the first quarter as the Lady Tigers trailed by three after one, 7-4.

Stevie Hill started the scoring in the second and a Lyndzie Kroupa free throw evened the game. M. Kroupa knocked down a three to give the Lady Tiger’s their first lead of the game.

Evanston responded and regained the lead until Maggie Justinak connected from deep to give RSHS the 14-12 lead. The Lady Devils tied the game but Cudney converted again to put the ladies back in front. A Hill three towards the end of the first half would be the difference as Rock Springs went into the locker room at the break up three, 19-16.

Maggie Justinak came out firing to start the third quarter. A two and a three had the Lady Tigers up five early, 26-21. Hill scored the next four as RSHS increased the lead to seven, 30-23. It would be all Evanston from there as they finished the third on a 7-2 run to pull within two entering the final quarter.