The two teams were on a collision course. There are often surprises in a state tournament, but the Class 1-A boys championship game this season was anticipated three months ago when fans first got a glimpse of the Upton Bobcats and Dubois Rams at the early season tournament in Shoshoni.
In an entertaining, athletic contest Upton won the state championship 58-51 over the Rams. The loss ended a 22-game win streak by Dubois dating back to that early season tournament in Shoshoni and was the first loss by the Rams with a full roster. They finish the season 22-3 overall with a state runner-up trophy.
Dubois roared through the West 1-A regional in Lander last week and opened state tournament play with a 72-22 blowout of Hulett.
The familiar 1-2-3 scoring trio of Cody Wright, Ryan Wells, and Max Claar made short work of the fourth-seeded Red Devils with 34, 18, and 16 points respectively.
Dubois held Hulett to just six second half points with the running clock in place.
The semi-finals featured a determined Farson Eden squad that led the Rams by one after the opening period. Dubois won the semi-final contest played on the Natrona County high school floor 52-43 behind 20 from Wright, 17 by Claar, and a dozen from Wells to set up the championship contest with Upton.
Upton entered the title game with a 26-1 overall record with the only blemish a one point loss to Faith, South Dakota in an out-of-state tournament. The Bobcats finished the season unbeaten in Wyoming.
Upton demolished Burlington 76-22 in the opening round, then beat a solid Saratoga team 49-36 in the semi-finals before meeting the Rams.
Upton had the advantage in speed and quickness, along with better depth than head coach Kyle Miller’s squad, but the Rams can go inside to Claar, outside with Wells, or all around the court with Wright.
The Rams led just three seconds into the game on a Wells 3-pointer after Wright easily won the opening tip. They bumped the lead to 5-0, but Upton came quickly back into contention.
Dubois led 18-12 and the end of the first.
Claar picked up his third foul and Upton began to go inside, tying the game twice in the second period and taking brief two point leads before the clock ticked to the final seconds of the half with the score tied at 27.
At the buzzer, Wright rose high from the antiquated Continental Basketball 3-point line, a vestige from the Casper Wildcatter’s professional CBA team of 3-decades ago, and ripped the twine for a long range 3-point shot at the buzzer giving the Rams a 30-27 advantage at the half.
Dubois couldn’t score in the third period, getting close range shots, but not getting the ball to fall. Upton took a four-point lead into the final period 40-36.
The Bobcats rolled on an 8-0 run to build their lead to a dozen, but Dubois rallied over the middle of the final period to cut the margin to four, and then just a single position difference at three points before the Bobcats took over for good.
Claar fouled out, opening up the inside game for Upton again, and the Rams settled for second place, capping one of the best seasons of basketball in school history dating back to the state championship titles in 1993 and 1994 under head coach David Streyle.
Wright led the Rams with 26, Claar had 10 in play limited by fouls, and Wells finished with seven.
Dubois 21 12 24 15 – 72
Hulett 6 10 4 2 – 22
Dubois – Ryan Wells 6 (2) 0-0 18, Cody Wright 6 (5) 7-7 34, Kaden Chamley 1 0-0 2, River Beazley 1 0-0 2, Max Claar 7 2-2 16. Totals 21 (7) 9-9 72
Hulett – Hunter Reilly 1 0-1 2, Bryca Ackerman (1) 0-0 3, Tyle Kromarck (2) 3-11 9, Aiden McAmis 3 0-0 6, Kade smith 1 0-0 2. Totals 5 (3) 3-13 22
Dubois 11 12 13 16 -52
Farson Eden 12 5 11 15 – 43
Dubois – Wells 3 (1) 3-8 12, Wright 8 4-4 20, Beazley (1) 0-0 3, Claar 7 3-3 17. Totals 18 (2) 10-16 52
Farson Eden – Cree Jones 3-6 3, Travor Jones 3 (2) 6-10 18, Kaisen Macy 4 1-1 9, Cash Jones 1 0-0 2, Aden Neese 4 3-4 11. Totals 12 (2) 13-21 43
Dubois 18 12 6 15 – 51
Upton 13 14 13 18 – 58
Dubois – Wells 2 (1) 0-0 7, Wright 7 (3) 3-4 26, Clayton Rux 2-2 2, Chamley 1 1-2 3, Beazley (1) 0-0 3, Claar3 (1) 1-2 10. Totals 13 (6) 7-10 51
Upton – Chase Mills 1 2-3 4, Reece Barriee (3) 0-1 9, Ethan Schiller 2 1-2 5, Lucas Brooks 4 4-8 12, Dawson Smith 3 (3) 1-21 16, Nathan Baker 5 2-3 12. Totals 15 (6) 10-19 58