Lady Plainsmen Get Second Conference Win

Sekoya Romero scored 12 points to lead the Laramie Lady Plainsmen past Cheyenne Central Wednesday night, 43-31.

Laramie (7-10, 2-3) led from start to finish in the game. Behind six points in the first quarter from Jennifer Aadland, LHS had a 14-6 lead. After that, Aadland spent the rest of the game in foul trouble.

Romero and Delaney Qualls picked up some of the slack offensively. Qualls knocked down a pair of three’s, one in each half. Romero scored in all four quarters. That included a three-pointer in the first and 5-6 at the free throw line.

Head coach Laura Pollard was praised their play.

“I was really happy with Delaney Qualls, and Sekoya (Romero) stepped up. We probably should have went to her sooner (against the press) to bring it up the court. She has one dribble; she doesn’t cross-over, but she can beat everybody on that one dribble.”

The Lady Plainsmen defense was impressive, as well. Laramie allowed Central to score in double figures in only one of the four quarters, the third with 10 points. LHS held a 19-13 lead at halftime and extended to a 33-16 lead in the third period.

The Indians trimmed the lead to single digits in the fourth, but Laramie held off the comeback attempt and won by a dozen.

Pollard added, “We needed it. Our whole goal is to get to that regional game, and we’ve got to try to pick the home games. That’s just a no brainer. I said we can play with anybody in the conference right now, and so can Central and anybody else, except Gillette. So Central had beat Sheridan. We lost to Sheridan, so it just shows you we’ve got to pick ‘em up at home.”

Central (8-9, 1-4) was led by Sammy Geyer, who scored a game-high 15 points.

The Lady Plainsmen will play at No. 4 Cheyenne East Friday at 6 p.m. East was an easy 62-35 winner over Cheyenne South Wednesday night.

Laramie Plainsmen

The fifth-ranked Cheyenne Central Indians overcame a 15-point deficit in the first half and beat Laramie 72-69 in overtime Wednesday night.

Head coach Travis Brown said kids stepped up, but they just fell short.

“It’s a one possession game. Sometimes it comes down to that one extra opportunity, and they got the opportunity, and they took more advantage of it.”

The Plainsmen played well in the first half, as they led 22-10 after the opening period and 33-23 at halftime.

The Indians rallied with a strong third quarter, as they out-scored LHS 19-9 in the frame. It was tied 42-42 after three.

In the fourth, the teams exchanged the lead twice, but remained tied after both teams scored 15 in the frame.

The overtime was controlled by Central, which put the Plainsmen in catch-up mode. The Indians scored the first four points and eventually got up six. LHS didn’t go away. After Central’s Niko Bostic missed a second free throw, Frank Crum got the rebound and fed Nate Burman, who missed a three that would’ve tied it at the buzzer.

Brown felt his team fought to the finish.

“It looked like a high school basketball game to me. Some turnovers at costly times that ended up being momentum swings, I guess. I thought they competed to the end. They never gave-up, and that’s all they can ask as a coach.”

Laramie (7-10, 1-4) had three players in double figures. Burman led the way with 20 points. Asa Williams had 13 and Chad Browning added 12.

Brown said of Burman, “It’s nice to see him get out there and be competitive and play hard.”

Burman missed six weeks with an injury and has been gradually working his way back from it.

Central (8-8, 3-2) got a game-high 22 points from Willie Jones. Riley Fraley added 16.

The Plainsmen conclude the first half of conference play at No. 2 Cheyenne East Friday at 7:30 p.m. The Thunderbirds were upset Wednesday by Cheyenne South, 57-55.

KOWB (AM 1290) will broadcast both Laramie games against East Friday night from Cheyenne. Coverage starts at 5:30 p.m. David Settle and VerDon Hoopes will call the action. You can also listen on KOWB’s live stream or take the game mobile with the new KOWB app.