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On a team loaded with sharp-shooting guards, Rocky Mountain High senior post Ryan Strand doesn’t often find himself on the perimeter. But when the Grizzlies went to a spread offense against Meridian on Jan. 23, the 6-foot-6 senior post turned into a long-range bomber and led his team to a 65-50 Southern Idaho Conference 5A victory over the visiting Warriors.
Strand went 3-for-3 from the 3-point line and finished with a season-high 15 points as Rocky Mountain, which had lost four of its previous five games, secured the much-needed win. “I really hadn’t done much all season – it’s about time I stepped up,” said Strand, who sank all three of his treys in the second half as Rocky Mountain pulled away from a 29-29 halftime tie. “I was wide open on that first one and I got into a good shooting rhythm. “I hit 3’s in practice," Strand added, "but I usually don’t get those opportunities in games when we’re running our regular offense. "
Strand also snagged a season-best nine rebounds and added two steals as the Grizzlies improved to 10-6 overall and 8-6 in the SIC.
What made Strand’s performance all the more memorable was that it came against his former school. He attended Meridian as a freshman and sophomore before transferring to Rocky Mountain when the latter opened its doors in the fall of 2008. Several of Strand’s former classmates and a couple of Meridian coaches congratulated him after the game. “One of my old coaches said, ‘Where did that come from?’” a smiling Strand said. “Playing like that against my old school, that definitely made it extra special.”
Junior forward Riley Bruneel also logged his best effort of the season with 10 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals. Bruneel scored all but one of his points in the first half as Rocky Mountain dug itself out of an early 22-10 deficit. Senior guard Josh Phillips and junior guard Ryan Skurdal chipped in eight points apiece for the winners.“Riley Bruneel kept us in the game in the first half,” Rocky Mountain head coach Todd Morrison said. “He was aggressive at both ends of the floor.”
One day earlier, Rocky Mountain played conference leader Eagle on nearly even terms in the first half, but the hot-shooting Mustangs exploded for 51 second-half points en route to an 85-63 victory. Host Eagle shot an astounding 85.7 percent from the field (18 of 21) in the second half and 72.5 percent for the game. Senior forward Josh Hasquet kept Rocky Mountain in contention in the first half -- the Grizzlies trailed just 34-30 at the break -- when he went 4-for-4 from the 3-point line and scored 14 points. Hasquet finished with 22. |
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