CHEYENNE – Ever since he was a kid, Nathanial Talich dreamed of playing in a game of this magnitude against cross-town rival Cheyenne East at historic Storey Gym.
He got his chance Friday night and, during the game, he paused for a moment and thought to himself.
“I realized this was a big moment and I just had to live in it,” he said.
Live in it he did.
The Cheyenne Central sophomore scored 14 points to help lift the No. 1-ranked Indians to a 62-59 win over the Thunderbirds in front an electric crowd to close out the regular season.
“Nathanial has got an edge about him,” Indians coach Tagg Lain said. “He is a tough warrior and a great defender and a great offensive player, and he never backs down from a challenge.”
Central (19-1 overall, 6-0 Class 4A Southeast Quadrant) had to rally after a first quarter that ended with East out in front and with all of the momentum. Back-to-back buckets from Brady Storebo handed the Indians to a 4-0 lead, but the T-Birds strung together a 15-2 run and led 18-13 going into the second quarter.
“First of all, they really came out hunting and really wanting it, and we were kind of catching it,” Lain said. “After the end of the first quarter, we started to get back on our feet a little bit.
“The bottom line is, look: East is a great team. I keep repeating that. This is a great team. They’ve got four No. 1-type scorers, they’re very, very tough to guard. They tried to spread us out and go on the dribble and they had some success with it, and we were over-helping and they were getting some wide-open looks. We started trusting each other a little bit and we started really getting in a stance and putting the brass knuckles on and guarding. That helped stem the tide.”
Randall LeBeaumont handed Central a 20-18 lead in the first minute of the second frame off a hook shot. The Indians knotted the score once more at 24-24 before Demetrius McCord sank a 3-pointer moments later to push East (17-5, 4-2) ahead 29-25.
The T-Birds took a 32-29 advantage into the locker room.
“They came out with a game plan and … we didn’t swing back,” Talich said. “Once we settled down, we swung back and the results showed.”
Central swung back plenty in the second half.
Brady Storebo drained a 3 to cap a 5-0 run and bump Cental ahead 34-32 early in the third. The Indians’ lead grew to 40-37 at one point before East jumped back in front 44-42 as the game shifted to the pivotal fourth quarter.
Central junior Lawson Lovering was held to just six points through three quarters. He posted five in the fourth, including going 3 for 4 from the free-throw line. In the meantime, Brady and Brock Storebo teamed up for eight points.
“They made a run,” second-year East coach Rusty Horsley said. “Basketball is a game of runs. We knew they’d make a run there. Our kids handled that pretty well and (were) able to stay in the game. We had a few breakdowns rebounding-wise, and they’re so big and they’re athletic and they’re good, so they’ll make you hurt there.”
Ryan Stampfli put the Indians ahead 50-49 with a 3-pointer with 4 minutes, 55 seconds left in regulation. Central never trailed again.
It wasn’t just that Central won, but it was the way in which its utilized its depth from all over that proved big.
“That’s why they’re undefeated in the state of Wyoming right now is just that they’ve got a great team, and you’ve got to hand it to them,” Horsley said. “They stepped up in the fourth quarter and made big plays. Like we talk about with our kids, big players make big plays in the big games.”
CENTRAL 62, EAST 59
Cheyenne East...... 18 14 12 15 – 62
Cheyenne Central...... 13 16 13 17 – 59
Cheyenne East: X. McCord 14, Rayl 6, Aumiller 10, Micheli 0, Pope 2, D. McCord 8, G. Buell 12, Clark 7.
Cheyenne Central: Cates 0, Stampfli 5, Lobatos 3, LeBeaumont 4, Talich 14, Bra. Storebo 11, Bro. Storebo 6, Lovering 11, Burns 5.
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