Thunder Basin defeats Cheyenne East to win program’s first state title | Boys Basketball
The Thunder Basin boys finally climbed to the top of the mountain Saturday night at the Ford Wyoming Center in Casper.
After finishing as runners-up twice in football (2019-20) and soccer (2019, ‘21) and once in basketball (2021), the Bolts won the school’s first boys’ state title with a 52-42 victory over Cheyenne East in the Wyoming State High School Class 4A Basketball Championships.
“It’s about time,” Thunder Basin senior Ryan Baker said. “To finally get one for Thunder Basin means everything. It feels good to finally get a boys state championship.”
The victory wasn’t easy, but it wasn’t expected to be.
Thunder Basin (24-3) led 11-9 after the first quarter and was clinging to a 20-19 advantage at the break after East got a basket from Garet Schlabs and a 3-pointer from Zander Hardy to end the half.
“We let them get back in the game,” Thunder Basin senior Deegan Williams said. “But we came out (in the second half) and said, ‘Kill.’ That means three stops, three scores. And we did that.”
Senior Ethan Cox scored five consecutive points out of the break and added another triple later in the quarter to push the Bolts’ advantage to 35-26.
Cox, who hadn’t scored in Thunder Basin’s previous state tournament games, finished with 12 points.
“My teammates did a great job getting me open and I was able to execute,” Cox said. “We all have confidence in each other and tonight just happened to be my night.”
The Thunderbirds (22-6) pulled within five points on three occasions in the fourth quarter, but Thunder Basin answered at the free-throw line. Baker made two charity tosses with 4 minutes, 59 second remaining (39-32), senior McKale Holte added two with 3:49 on the clock (41-34) and junior Kayden LaFramboise scored on a drive to the rim to make it 43-36. Williams and Baker each went 2-for-2 at the free-throw line to extend the Bolts’ lead to 47-36 with 1:55 remaining.
“I was happy with the way we guarded the ball,” Thunder Basin head coah Rory Williams said. “And we made enough shots to get them out of their zone and then we were able to get to the free-throw line.”
The Bolts were 18-of-22 at the charity stripe in the second half after not attempting a free throw in the first half.
Cox and Deegan Williams both scored 12 points to lead Thunder Basin, with Holte adding 11. Schlabs had a game-high 17 for the T-Birds.
“I’m just so happy for our guys because they had pressure on them all year long and they handled it very well,” Rory Williams said. “For them to have this night and this finish in this atmosphere? I’m just so happy for them.”
PHOTOS: Saturday at the Wyoming State Class 3A/4A State Championship
State Basketball

Jessa Lynn, of Cody, shoots against Maddie Kaufman, of Cheyenne East, during the championship match at the Wyoming State Class 4A Basketball Championship on Saturday Mar. 12, 2022, at the Ford Wyoming Center.
State Basketball

Ally Boysen, of Cody, shoots a lay-up during the championship match at the Wyoming State Class 4A Basketball Championship on Saturday Mar. 12, 2022, at the Ford Wyoming Center.
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Molly Hays, of Cody, dribbles past Bradie Schlabs, of Cheyenne East, during the championship match at the Wyoming State Class 4A Basketball Championship on Saturday Mar. 12, 2022, at the Ford Wyoming Center.
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Izzy Radakovich comforts Molly Hays after Cody loses to Cheyenne East at the Wyoming State Class 4A Basketball Championship on Saturday Mar. 12, 2022, at the Ford Wyoming Center.
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Cheyenne East celebrates after winning the championship match at the Wyoming State Class 4A Basketball Championship on Saturday Mar. 12, 2022, at the Ford Wyoming Center.
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Cheyenne East players celebrate after the T-Birds defeated Cody to win the Wyoming State High School Class 4A Basketball Championship on Saturday at the Ford Wyoming Center in Casper.
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Molly Hays hugs her coach Chris Wagner after they take runner-up at the Wyoming State Class 4A Basketball Championship on Saturday Mar. 12, 2022, at the Ford Wyoming Center.
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Cheyenne East celebrates after winning the championship match at the Wyoming State Class 4A Basketball Championship on Saturday Mar. 12, 2022, at the Ford Wyoming Center.
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Eric Westling, the head coach of Cheyenne East, smiles after winning the championship match at the Wyoming State Class 4A Basketball Championship on Saturday Mar. 12, 2022, at the Ford Wyoming Center.
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Eric Westling, the head coach of Cheyenne East, talks to his team during a timeout at the championship match at the Wyoming State Class 4A Basketball Championship on Saturday Mar. 12, 2022, at the Ford Wyoming Center.
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Cheyenne East players call out a three pointer at the Wyoming State Class 4A Basketball Championship on Saturday Mar. 12, 2022, at the Ford Wyoming Center.
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Maddie Kaufman, of Cheyenne East, dribbles during the Wyoming State Class 4A Basketball Championship on Saturday Mar. 12, 2022, at the Ford Wyoming Center.
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Eric Westling, the head coach of Cheyenne East, talks to his team during a timeout at the championship match at the Wyoming State Class 4A Basketball Championship on Saturday Mar. 12, 2022, at the Ford Wyoming Center.
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Ally Boysen, of Cody, and Jordan Jones, Izzy DeLong and Boden Liljedahl, of Cheyenne East, fight over the rebound during the championship match at the Wyoming State Class 4A Basketball Championship on Saturday Mar. 12, 2022, at the Ford Wyoming Center.
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The Cody fans cheer on a basket during the championship match at the Wyoming State Class 4A Basketball Championship on Saturday Mar. 12, 2022, at the Ford Wyoming Center.
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Ally Boysen, of Cody, and Jordan Jones, of Cheyenne East, fight over the rebound during the championship match at the Wyoming State Class 4A Basketball Championship on Saturday Mar. 12, 2022, at the Ford Wyoming Center.
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Eli Kern and Ashton Barto hug after winning at the Wyoming State Class 3A Basketball Championship on Saturday Mar. 12, 2022, at the Ford Wyoming Center.
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JC Ice and Lorenzo Johanson, of Rawlins, congratulate Cameryn Spence, of Douglas, on a strong played game after Rawlins defeated Douglas 40-39 at the Wyoming State Class 3A Basketball Championship on Saturday Mar. 12, 2022, at the Ford Wyoming Center.
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Cameryn Spence, of Douglas, and Jarron Mascarenas, of Rawlins, lunge for the ball in the final seconds of the Wyoming State Class 3A Basketball Championship on Saturday Mar. 12, 2022, at the Ford Wyoming Center.
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A child rests among the chaos at the Wyoming State Class 3A Basketball Championship on Saturday Mar. 12, 2022, at the Ford Wyoming Center.
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A Young Rawlins fan celebrates after clinching the championship match at the Wyoming State Class 3A Basketball Championship on Saturday Mar. 12, 2022, at the Ford Wyoming Center.
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Ashton Barto hands the trophy to head coach Denver Allard after clinching the championship match at the Wyoming State Class 3A Basketball Championship on Saturday Mar. 12, 2022, at the Ford Wyoming Center.
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Ashton Barto hugs loved ones after clinching the championship match at the Wyoming State Class 3A Basketball Championship on Saturday Mar. 12, 2022, at the Ford Wyoming Center.
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JC Ice holds Kennedy Garnheart after winning the championship match at the Wyoming State Class 3A Basketball Championship on Saturday Mar. 12, 2022, at the Ford Wyoming Center.
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Jarron Mascarenas hugs a fan after winning the championship match at the Wyoming State Class 3A Basketball Championship on Saturday Mar. 12, 2022, at the Ford Wyoming Center.
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Rawlins fans anxiously watch the final seconds of the Class 3A boys championship game Saturday at the Ford Wyoming Center in Casper.
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Rawlins celebrates after clinching the championship match at the Wyoming State Class 3A Basketball Championship on Saturday Mar. 12, 2022, at the Ford Wyoming Center.
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Rawlins celebrates after clinching the championship match at the Wyoming State Class 3A Basketball Championship on Saturday at the Ford Wyoming Center. Rawlins clung to a 39-38 lead in the final seconds of the game.
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While Rawlins celebrates after clinching the championship match Douglas grieves the loss at the Wyoming State Class 3A Basketball Championship on Saturday Mar. 12, 2022, at the Ford Wyoming Center.
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While Rawlins celebrates after clinching the championship match Douglas grieves the loss at the Wyoming State Class 3A Basketball Championship on Saturday Mar. 12, 2022, at the Ford Wyoming Center.
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Rawlins celebrates after clinching the championship match at the Wyoming State Class 3A Basketball Championship on Saturday Mar. 12, 2022, at the Ford Wyoming Center.
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Rawlins celebrates after clinching the championship match at the Wyoming State Class 3A Basketball Championship on Saturday Mar. 12, 2022, at the Ford Wyoming Center.
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Chase Plumb, head coach of Douglas, yells at his players during the championship match at the Wyoming State Class 3A Basketball Championship on Saturday Mar. 12, 2022, at the Ford Wyoming Center.
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Nate Halquist, of Douglas, shoots a jumper during the championship match at the Wyoming State Class 3A Basketball Championship on Saturday Mar. 12, 2022, at the Ford Wyoming Center.
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Kaden Bauersachs of Douglas tries to shoot between Rawlins’ Lorenzo Johanson, right, and JC Ice during the Class 3A title game of the Wyoming State High School Basketball Championships on Saturday at the Ford Wyoming Center in Casper.
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Rawlins cheers on their team after drawing a foul during the championship match at the Wyoming State Class 3A Basketball Championship on Saturday Mar. 12, 2022, at the Ford Wyoming Center.
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Rawlins cheers on their team after a basket during the championship match at the Wyoming State Class 3A Basketball Championship on Saturday Mar. 12, 2022, at the Ford Wyoming Center.
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Rawlins’ Ashton Barto works against Douglas’ Cameryn Spence during the title game of the Wyoming State High School Class 3A Basketball Championships on Saturday at the Ford Wyoming Center in Casper.
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Cade Ayers, of Thunder Basin, pulls the rebound at the Wyoming State Class 4A Basketball Championship on Saturday Mar. 12, 2022, at the Ford Wyoming Center.
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Garet Schlabs, of Cheyenne East, inbounds around Cade Ayers, of Thunder Basin, at the Wyoming State Class 4A Basketball Championship on Saturday Mar. 12, 2022, at the Ford Wyoming Center.
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Thunder Basin’s Deegan Williams reacts in disbelief after the Bolts won the Wyoming State High School Class 4A Basketball Championship on Saturday at the Ford Wyoming Center in Casper.
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Thunder Basin head coach Rory Williams reacts to a call in the title game of the Wyoming State High School Class 4A Basketball Championship on Saturday at the Ford Wyoming Center in Casper.
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Ryan Baker, of Thunder Basin, dribbles past Cheyenne East defenders at the Wyoming State Class 4A Basketball Championship on Saturday Mar. 12, 2022, at the Ford Wyoming Center.
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Garet Schlabs, of Cheyenne East, shoots against Cade Ayers, of Thunder Basin, at the Wyoming State Class 4A Basketball Championship on Saturday Mar. 12, 2022, at the Ford Wyoming Center.
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A Cheyenne East fan anxiously tugs at a pom pom during the fourth quarter of the Wyoming State Class 4A Basketball Championship on Saturday Mar. 12, 2022, at the Ford Wyoming Center.
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Garet Schlabs, of Cheyenne East, shoots a lay-up at the Wyoming State Class 4A Basketball Championship on Saturday Mar. 12, 2022, at the Ford Wyoming Center.
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Thunder Basin head coach Rory Williams hoists the championship trophy as his players celebrate behind him after the Bolts defeated Cheyenne East to win the Wyoming State High School Class 4A Basketball Championship on Saturday at the Ford Wyoming Center in Casper.
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Thunder Basin celebrates winning the Wyoming State Class 4A Basketball Championship on Saturday Mar. 12, 2022, at the Ford Wyoming Center.
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Thunder Basin celebrates winning the Wyoming State Class 4A Basketball Championship on Saturday Mar. 12, 2022, at the Ford Wyoming Center.
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Thunder Basin celebrates winning the Wyoming State Class 4A Basketball Championship on Saturday Mar. 12, 2022, at the Ford Wyoming Center.
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Thunder Basin players celebrate after the Bolts defeated Cheyenne East to wi the Wyoming State High School Class 4A Basketball Championship on Saturday at the Ford Wyoming Center in Casper.
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Thunder Basin celebrates winning the Wyoming State Class 4A Basketball Championship on Saturday Mar. 12, 2022, at the Ford Wyoming Center.
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Rory Williams and Jannie Miller hug the players after winning the Wyoming State Class 4A Basketball Championship on Saturday Mar. 12, 2022, at the Ford Wyoming Center.
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Rory Williams, the head coach of Thunder Basin, hugs all the players after winning the Wyoming State Class 4A Basketball Championship on Saturday Mar. 12, 2022, at the Ford Wyoming Center.
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Bodie Williams and Kayden LaFramboise hug after winning the Wyoming State Class 4A Basketball Championship on Saturday Mar. 12, 2022, at the Ford Wyoming Center.
State Basketball

Thunder Basin head coach Rory Williams hoists the championship trophy as his players celebrate behind him after the Bolts defeated Cheyenne East to win the Wyoming State High School Class 4A Basketball Championship on Saturday at the Ford Wyoming Center in Casper.
Follow sports editor Jack Nowlin on Twitter @wyovarsity