For the first time this season, the Laramie High School basketball teams will get to experience a game in the venue they practice in.

The 2016 Taco John’s Invitational starts today and goes through Saturday. The bulk of the tournament is held in Cheyenne and hosted by their three high schools. To Laramie’s benefit, they get to host games today and Saturday, while only travelling to the Capital City on Friday.

Laramie will host Evanston tonight. The girl’s game is at 5:30 p.m. followed by the boy’s game at 7 p.m.

Plainsmen head coach Ryan Puckett said he prefers tournament’s on the road for the team bonding time.

“It’s nice for the guys to play at home. Getting two at home and one away is good; just kind of a different atmosphere all three days.”

The Laramie Lady Plainsmen are 5-1 on the season, while the Plainsmen enter this weekend at 3-3.

Both head coaches, Laura Pollard of the Lady Plainsmen and Ryan Puckett of the Plainsmen, look at this as a measuring stick weekend for their squads. It’s because both have already played Evanston and Kelly Walsh, their first two opponents in the Taco John’s Invitational.

Pollard said coming off the tournament in Nebraska,

“We didn’t have as big of competition as you should have going into the conference we have… right now, I’m still in that phase of it’s what we execute, not what they do.”

The Lady Plainsmen defeated Evanston a month ago in Riverton, 58-53. The Plainsmen lost to the Red Devils, 55-45.

After tonight’s games at home against Evanston, both Laramie teams will play Kelly Walsh on Friday at Cheyenne South High School. The game times are at 11 a.m. for the ladies and 2 p.m. for the gentlemen.

Saturday, Laramie is back at home versus Green River. The Lady Plainsmen game will tip-off at 11:30 a.m. with the Plainsmen set for a 1 p.m. start time.

KOWB (AM 1290) will air all six games live. David Settle and VerDon Hoopes will call the action. Tonight’s game broadcast starts at 4:45 p.m. Friday is a split doubleheader at 10:15 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. Saturday’s air time is at 10:45 a.m.

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