BRIDGER VALLEY — The Valley’s schools gyms were a hotbed of activity last week as Lyman High School and Mountain View High School played host to an eight-team tournament as the teams worked across the brackets for both the ladies and guys teams.

This week both high schools are slated to hit the hardwood at the Flaming Gorge Classic in Rock Springs and Green River where they will again test their mettle against schools from all classifications. The Lyman Eagles kicked off against the 4A Jackson Broncs yesterday, and the Lady Eagles against the Rock Springs Tigers in their first games. The MVHS Buffs took on Bear Lake, Utah; and the Lady Buffs went up against Rich County, Utah, in their first games of the tournament. Game play at the Classic continues today and tomorrow. This will close out the Valley’s basketball team competition until school resumes after the Christmas break.

The Bridger Valley tournament last Friday and Saturday played host to teams from all classes – 4A through 1A – so the teams got a look at what the competition will be statewide and in their own conferences.

As for the ladies teams, both Lyman and Mountain View did a good job of taking care of business.” The 3A Lady Eagles waltzed across the bracket handing 2A Wind River a hefty loss, 55-34, Friday night. Next on the docket for the Lady Eagles was a game against 1A Cokeville Saturday, which proved to be another LHS win, 45-24. This put the Eagles in the game for first and second where they took on the 4A Green River Wolves and took the bite out of the Wolves, 63-51. Lady Eagle power-player McKinley Bradshaw is back on the court for the Lady Eagles, and she put up 35 points and pulled down 13 rebounds in this game.

The 3A MVHS Lady Buffs played well under new head coach Jessica Moretti, but didn’t quite make it to the game for first and second. They knocked off the 1A Farson-Eden Pronghorns Friday night, 56-28. Back on the court Saturday, they took on the Green River Wolves but fell by eight, 53-45. This pushed the Lady Buffs into the game for third and fourth where they took on the Cokeville Panthers and handed them a hefty defeat, 69-25.

As for the guys, the MVHS Buffs, under the direction of a new coach and a loss of strong players through graduation, stomped the Cokeville Panthers Friday night, 62-43. Up against the Green River Wolves Saturday, the Buffs took it on the chin-hairs and lost by 18 points, which threw the Buffs into the game for third and fourth. The Buffs regained their power and handed the Big Piney Punchers a loss by two in a close game, 61-59.

The Lyman Eagles had a rougher time at the tournament. They got declawed in the first two games, 60-50 and 55-51, to Big Piney and Farson-Eden, respectively. This blew the Eagles into the game for seventh place against the 2A Kemmerer Rangers, where the Eagles took the game by a wide margin, 57-30.