Basketball Recap: Ruby Hill's Big Game Can't Quite Lead Star Valley over Pinedale

If Star Valley was feeling good fresh off their 44-21 takedown of Rawlins last Friday, their most recent game may have dampened their spirits a bit. The Star Valley Braves might have been a little too into the holiday spirit, gifting the Pinedale Wranglers an easy 63-42 win. The Braves were not able to make up for their defeat to the Wranglers from their previous meeting back in December of 2023.

Star Valley's loss came despite a true team effort from the offense, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Ruby Hill, who posted nine points. Ambrey Nelson was another key player, going 5 of 10 on her way to 14 points.

Leading Pinedale to victory were Elyn Bowers and Erica Wilson. Bowers almost dropped a double-double on 19 points and nine assists, while Wilson went 12 of 21 on her way to 27 points and three steals. The contest was Bowers' 21st in a row with at least ten points. The team also got some help courtesy of Gabrielle Rogers, who went 5 of 10 on her way to 13 points.

Star Valley's defeat dropped their record down to 1-5. As for Pinedale, their record is now 5-1.

Star Valley will have a little extra prep time after the loss as they won't be playing again for a while. They'll take on Mountain Crest at 7:00 p.m. on January 3, 2025. After both having extra time off, Pinedale and Kemmerer will dust off their jerseys to face off against one another at 5:30 p.m. on January 3, 2025. The timing is sure in Pinedale's favor as the team sits on six straight wins at home (dating back to last season) while Kemmerer has been banged up by three consecutive losses on the road.