Three of the four high school varsity basketball teams in Gillette have been voted in the state rankings as the preseason games are underway for the next month.
Through two weeks of high school basketball action before the short Christmas break, the Thunder Basin boys’ team has made it clear that it’s a squad with high expectations this year. The group has impressed statewide media and coaches and has taken a firm grip on the No. 1 ranking in the 4A state poll released by WyoPreps.
The Bolts have won five of their first six games to prove they are title contenders in both the conference and the state. They are the clear favorite as the best in Wyoming as they received all 15 first-place votes.
The TBHS boys are not the only team gaining early-season recognition. The Thunder Basin girls are also off to a blazing start at 4-2 after dismantling teams at the Flaming Gorge Classic and are now ranked No. 4 in the state rankings.
Cheyenne East is unanimous No. 1 in girls hoops with 16 first-place votes. The TBHS girls received two first place votes.
Both Thunder Basin squads will be back in tournament action this week in South Dakota.
The Bolts are not the only Gillette teams to watch out for at the start of the season. he young Campbell County High School girls’ basketball team is also making some noise in the opening weeks of the season. After a slow start, the Camels bounced back with a stellar showing in Colorado last week and are ranked No. 6 in Wyoming.
The Camels, along the CCHS boys’ team, will return to the hardwood this week at a tournament in South Dakota to wrap up the 2021 calendar year.
Boys state rankings
4A
1. Thunder Basin, 225 points
2. Sheridan, 144
3. Kelly Walsh, 141
4. Cheyenne East, 93
5. Cheyenne Central
6. Laramie, 18
7. Riverton, 9
8. Cheyenne South, 6
3A
1. Douglas, 204 points
2. Worland, 123
3. Buffalo, 108
4. Rawlins, 105
5. Lyman, 30
6. Lander, 30
7. Kemmerer, 18
8. Mountain View, 12
2A
1. Pine Bluffs, 237 points
2. Tongue River, 195
3. Rocky Mountain, 102
4. Big Piney, 93
5. St. Stephens, 84
6. Wind River, 23
7. Big Horn, 24
8. Shoshoni, 6
1A
1. Upton-Sundance, 225 points
2. Saratoga, 144
3. Dubois, 120
4. Burlington, 54
5. Farson-Eden, 48
6. Cokeville, 27
7. Guernsey-Sunrise, 18
8. Encampment, 12
9. Southeast, 9
10. Ten Sleep, 9
11. Little Snake River, 6
12. Hulett, 3
Girls state rankings
4A
1. Cheyenne East, 265 points
2. Cody, 198
3. Natrona County, 129
4. Thunder Basin, 90
5. Sheridan, 84
6. Campbell County, 21
7. Kelly Walsh, 18
8. Laramie, 9
9. Evanston, 6
3A
1. Douglas, 240 points
2. Lyman, 237
3. Mountain View, 114
4. Pinedale, 78
5. Newcastle, 42
6. Buffalo, 21
7. Torrington, 15
8. Lovell, 12
2A
1. Wyoming Indian, 159 points
2. Moorcroft, 126
3. Rocky Mountain, 87
4. Sundance, 60
5. Glenrock, 27
6. Tongue River, 21
7. Wright, 9
8. Pine Bluffs, 6
1A
1. Upton-Sundance, 159 points
2. Cokeville, 120
3. Southeast, 90
4. Little Snake River, 60
5. Burlington, 45
6. Kaycee, 12
7. Saratoga, 6
8. Meeteetse, 3
