Saratoga boys still No. 1 in 1A Southwest following conference win
Grady Bartlett (2) defends against the Encampment Tigers during Saturday's game.
As the regional and state tournaments inch ever closer, the Saratoga Panthers are currently sitting at No. 1 in the tough 1A Southwest Conference as they narrowly lead the Cokeville Panthers for the top spot.
The Panthers were hosted by the Encampment Tigers on February 5 for a rematch between the two Valley and conference rivals. When Saratoga had hosted the Tigers a month prior, the Panthers had dealt a 21 point loss to Encampment. With home court advantage, the Tigers put up a fight for Saratoga the second time around.
"We knew our rematch with Encampment was going to be a hard fought game and it certainly was, from tip to buzzer," said Head Coach Jason Williams. "Coach (Duane) Gilbert is doing a great job with his squad and he had them well prepared for us."
While, in January, the Panthers had been able to secure a substantial lead over Encampment by the time the final buzzer sounded it wasn't so easy this time. What had been a double-digit lead in their first meeting was reduced to only a 3 point lead this past weekend.
The final score was 41-38, Saratoga.
"I was proud of how our boys kept battling and we were glad to get out with a win," Williams said.
J.D. Buttle was the leader for the Panthers in Tiger Nation as she scored 15 points and had 7 rebounds. Grant Bartlett followed with 12 points and had 3 assists while Kelton Johnson scored 12 points and had 5 rebounds. Grady Bartlett also contributed to the win with 5 steals.
Following their win last weekend, the Saratoga Panthers are 9-4 for the season and 4-1 in conference play.
There are few chances for more conference wins-and to keep a good spot for the 1A West Regional Tournament-as the season begins to draw to a close. The final three games for Saratoga before heading to Lander are all conference matches.
This weekend, the Panthers will hit the road as they are hosted by the No. 4 Farson-Eden Pronghorns (5-10, 2-3) at 4 p.m. on February 11 and the No. 2 Cokeville Panthers (6-10, 3-1) at noon on February 12.
The final home game for Saratoga will be as they host the No. 3 Little Snake River Valley (LSRV) Rattlers (6-7, 3-2) at 4 p.m. on February 18.
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