The Cody Basketball teams are set to resume 4A play this weekend. The Fillies are currently riding a five game win streak after a come from behind victory against Worland on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Broncs are 1-1 since the calendar switched to 2021. On tap this weekend, we’ll see Cody host Kelly Walsh on Friday and hit the road to open Quad play at Riverton on Saturday. As both teams get set to hit the heart of their schedule I caught up with both Head Coaches to preview the return to 4A action. Kelly Walsh is an opponent that the Fillies have had circled on the schedule since last year and cannot wait to face. They welcome the challenge and head coach Chris Wagner says it don’t get any bigger than this.
“To me it’s just the David and Goliath of schools. I can’t stand how many students they have to pick from. And you know… I love it. I love being the underdog or the smaller school and just going in and playing them. Hopefully we can come out with a good one.”
This can be looked at as another benchmark setting game, a chance to see where they stack up in the 4A ranks and another chance to show they belong.
“Yeah, for sure. Kind of earn a little bit more respect amongst those teams. I know they’re not in our quadrant anymore but to me this is still a conference game.”
And with the Fillies set to take on Riverton Saturday for their first official quad/conference game, coach goes on to preview both contests.
“Both teams lost a lot. You know, they’re brand new teams. So Kelly Walsh graduated, I think, seven or eight seniors. Riverton lost three for four of their better play-makers from last year. So they’re kind of in a re-build. Luckily we’re the team that’s kind of settling into ourselves and getting a lot more experience out there.”
For the Cody Bronc basketball team, they have show growth all season, winning their first game last weekend and look to build upon a strong second half against Worland. Head Coach of the Bronc Jake Kraft on the message heading back into 4A play.
“Really to focus. Try to clean up some of the things we’re working on, on the offensive end. Make sure we understand our rules on defense and you know, we’ve been saying do your job a lot at practice and the other four on the floor we’ll do their job and we’ll be in a good spot.”
With the Broncs set to hit 4A action as well this weekend they’re starting to build more and more momentum as the season moves on. Coach Kraft and the team believes they are starting to find their stride.
“Our kids have worked really hard in practice and are starting to execute in our games and consequently we’re in more situations than we were at the beginning of the year. Yeah, this will be a great test for us on Friday (today). Kind of a gauge of where we’re going, hopefully. Then Saturday, if we can hit the ground running in that game, it’d be nice to go 1-0 in the conference.”
As for this weekend’s opponents Coach Kraft lays out exactly what each opponent excels at.
“Get over the hump against a quality team, a well coached team. Kelly Walsh may not be as big as they’ve been in the past but they’re going to be in their spots, they’re going to play for four quarters. They’re going to play really good defense. I think we can match that and I think we’re in the ball game.”
Then the Broncs take on Riverton on Saturday, a team they match up well with this year.
“Yeah, they’ve got quite a bit of athleticism and definitely some length inside, some height. Hopefully if we can clean up the boards a little bit better than we did on Tuesday, we’re right in it.”
You can catch the Cody Basketball teams back in action this weekend. Both teams host Casper Kelly Walsh inside the Sweitzer gymnasium Friday night. Game times at 5:30 and 7pm. On Saturdya both teams hit the road to open conference play at Riverton. Those games will get underway at 2pm and 3:30pm. You can listen to each one of those games live on KODI AM 1400, 96.7FM and online here: https://radio.securenetsystems.net/cirrusencore/index.cfm?stationcallsign=KODI
