The Kelly Walsh Trojans are taking a road trip to take on the Rock Springs TIGERS at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Given that the two teams suffered a loss in their last games, they both have a little extra motivation heading into this contest.
Kelly Walsh is probably headed into the match with a chip on their shoulder considering Star Valley just ended the team's four-game winning streak on Saturday. They were just a bucket shy of victory and fell 50-49 to the Braves.
| 01/18/25 @ Star Valley | 2 |
| 01/17/25 @ Jackson Hole | 4 |
| 01/11/25 vs Central | 3 |
Despite their loss, Kelly Walsh saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Carter Alvar, who posted eight points and six boards, was perhaps the best of all. Alvar has been hot recently, having also posted two or more steals the last three times he's played. Another player making a difference was Jack Nicholls, who put up ten points.
Meanwhile, Rock Springs was not able to break out of their rough patch on Thursday as the team picked up their third straight defeat. They were two points away from ending the streak, but they lost a 61-59 heartbreaker at the hands of Evanston. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest loss the TIGERS have suffered since February 23, 2024.
Like Kelly Walsh, Rock Springs lost despite seeing results from several players. Sam Lionberger led the charge by going 6 for 7 en route to 19 points and five assists. The team also got some help courtesy of Boston James, who went 7 of 10 on his way to 17 points.
Even though they lost, Rock Springs was working as a unit and finished the game with 20 assists. That's the most assists they've managed all season.
Rock Springs' defeat dropped their record down to 3-5. As for Kelly Walsh, their loss dropped their record down to 4-6.
Rebounding is likely to be a big factor in this contest: Kelly Walsh has been crashing the rebounds this season, having averaged 26.4 boards per game. However, it's not like Rock Springs struggles in that department as they've been averaging 29.8 rebounds. With both teams battling to corral missed shots, we'll see if one team can grab an edge.
Kelly Walsh came up short against Rock Springs in their previous matchup back in February of 2024, falling 60-53. Can Kelly Walsh avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
