Miners caught in collapse to Tigers

The Encampment Tigers clearly negated the foundation of the Hanna-Elk Mountain-Medicine Bow (HEM) Miners in Friday's 70-37 victory.

Head coach Clint Bromley said that HEM (5-10, bottom of the 1A Southeast conference) started the game in a triangle and 2 defense and it took the Tigers (1-2, 1A Southwest conference, 13-3 overall) a little while to solve that problem. The teams stayed within 2 points of each other through the first quarter, trading the lead a couple of times until a buzzer-beating 3-pointer by Brett Ralston ended the first 10-8.

The Tigers outscored the Miners 20-8 in the second quarter, ending the half 33-16. A successful press defense did not result in as many turnovers as Bromley had hoped for, but he said it did change the tempo of the game to suit Encampment's offensive style. "We don't play as good a game when its slow, we have to move the tempo up," Bromley said.

The domination of the Miners continued in the third quarter as the Tigers increased their lead to 22 going into the fourth quarter 48-26. Even as Bromley started subbing in his younger players the Tigers held HEM to 11 points in the fourth quarter ending the game with a 33 point lead.

Bromley said that strong play in the second and fourth quarters made the difference in the game, adding, that this is where he wants to be at this point in the season.

Bromley said the Tigers won't be taking it easy in this week's non-conference game against Rock River. He said that his team needs to work on their focus and, "the things we need later in the season."

As far as where the Tigers sit in the 1A Southwest rankings Bromley said they are not worried about being third right now. He is hopeful that the second round of conference play will end with an increase in the conference standing and right now the Tigers are going to regionals anyway.

"This is a team that if they got hot, they could make it a real contest," Bromley said.

The Tigers boys varsity game at Rock River will be Friday, Feb. 7 at 1:30 p.m.