After starting the season 1-7, the Braves looked to turn things around as they opened conference play against Natrona County, which held a 2-6 record at the time. The game proved to be a hard-fought battle, but the Braves ultimately secured a 55-47 victory over the Mustangs.
“It feels good to start conference play with a win,” said junior Zach Thompson. Leading the way for the Braves was Cooper Lancaster, who delivered an impressive performance with 17 points and 8 rebounds, while Dylan Shumway contributed 13 points of his own.
The very next day, the Braves aimed to continue their winning momentum against the 4-5 Kelly Walsh Trojans. The game was a back-and-forth contest, with the Braves at one point finding themselves down by 12. However, as the clock wound down, the team battled back, and junior Dylan Shumway knocked down a clutch three-pointer from the right wing to put the Braves up by one with just 1.5 seconds remaining. Kelly Walsh managed to get off a last-second three-point attempt, but it failed to fall, sealing a thrilling 50-49 victory for the Braves. Shumway led the team with 15 points, while senior Bryson Nield added 10. The hard-fought win over the Trojans marked a crucial step forward for the Braves.
The following week, the Braves looked to extend their 2-0 conference record as they faced the Evanston Red Devils. In their preseason matchup, the Braves had fallen to the Red Devils 45-54, but this time, the outcome was different. The Braves jumped out to an early lead and maintained control throughout the game, ultimately securing a 59-44 victory. Junior Cooper Lancaster once again led the charge with 13 points and 10 rebounds, while sophomore Roman Erickson provided a spark off the bench with 12 points. With the win, the Braves improved to 3-0 in conference play.
Just two days later, the Braves took the court against the 4-9 Riverton Wolverines. The Wolverines put up a strong fight in the first half, keeping the game close, but the Braves managed to pull away late in the second quarter, heading into halftime with an 11-point lead. They maintained their advantage throughout the second half, closing out a 57-47 victory. Lancaster once again delivered a dominant performance, posting another double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Senior Zane Hedges also contributed 9 points. When asked about his scoring, Lancaster humbly stated, “My individual stats don’t matter; the only thing that matters is the Braves winning the game.”
The Braves returned to the familiar confines of the Jackson Hole High School gym on Friday, 1-31 to face their longtime rival. They tipped off against the Broncs at with more SV students fans in the crowd than hometown Jackson fans in the Black Hole. It was never close in a 73-45 win for the Braves who kept their perfect conference record intact, while sending the JHS to 0-13 and still searching for their first win of the season.
