The Evanston High School girls’ hoops team closed out 2024 at the Flaming Gorge Classic in Green River, posting a respectable 2-2 record.

The Lady Devils then started off the New Year over the weekend at the East Idaho Holiday Shootout in Idaho Falls, going 1-2, with one of those losses going to overtime.

The Lady Devils (4-6) opened the Flaming Gorge Classic Thursday, Dec. 19, with a 60-34 loss to Bear Lake, then followed that with a 60-44 loss to Thermopolis Friday. Picking up an extra game on Saturday, Evanston beat Glenrock 62-34 Saturday morning, then beat Rawlins 52-23 to close out the tournament Saturday afternoon.

At the East Idaho Holiday Shootout, the Lady Devils opened with a 63-32 loss to Idaho Falls, but bounced back with a 30-28 win over Snake River. Evanston closed out the tournament with a 34-31 loss against Teton, a game the Lady Devils led for most of the way before the Lady Timberwolves stole it in the final minutes.

East Idaho Holiday Shootout

Idaho Falls 63,

Lady Devils 32

A slow start doomed the Lady Devils in the opening round of the East Idaho Holiday Shootout in Idaho Falls, as a 28-10 first quarter by the Lady Tigers proved too much for the young team to overcome in a 63-32 loss.

Emme Fessler paced the Lady Devils with 11 points, followed by five points apiece from Cassie Barker and Violet Cook. Annalee West finished the game with four points, while Braelynn Morrison chipped in three points. Madison Brown and Kiernynn Simmons closed out the scoring with two points each.

Brown and West led the team in rebounding with five apiece, followed by Fessler with four. Brown and Fessler each had two assists.

The Lady Devils shot 29% from the floor, compared to 33% for Idaho Falls; Evanston was 31.3% from the charity stripe (5/16). Idaho Falls won the battle of the boards, 43-27.

Lady Devils 30,

Snake River 28

Shaking off the loss to Idaho Falls the day before, the Lady Devils — led by a 13-point performance from sophomore Cassie Barker — bounced back on Day 2 of the East Idaho Holiday Shootout, beating Snake River in a nailbiter, 30-28.

After a slow start by both teams, the Lady Devils got things going offensively in the second quarter, and took a 17-9 lead into the break. Snake River mounted a fourth-quarter comeback, but Evanston was able to hold them off for the two-point win.

Barker grabbed five rebounds to go along with her 13 points. Violet Cook finished with five points, to go along with eight rebounds, while Emme Fessler and Annalee West added four points each. Braelynn Morrison chipped in three points, while Kiernynn Simmons rounded out the scoring with one point.

The Lady Devils shot 24% from the floor, compared to 25% for Snake River; Evanston was 38.7% from the charity stripe (12/31). The Lady Devils won the battle of the boards, 36-32.

Teton 34,

Lady Devils 32

The Lady Devils closed out the tournament Saturday against Teton, a team that came into the tournament sporting a gaudy 10-1 record.

After taking a 21-14 lead into the fourth quarter, the Lady Devils allowed Teton to grind back into the game, eventually forcing overtime. The Lady Timberwolves outscored Evanston 7-4 in OT, eking out a 34-32 win.

Cassie Barker led the charge with a double-double, netting 13 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Madison Brown and Annalee West finished with five points apiece, while Violet Cook added four points; Emme Fessler and Kiernynn Simmons rounded out the scoring with two points each.

Morrison and Simmons tied for second on the team in rebounding with six, followed by West with five. Barker had four steals to lead the team; Morrison had three assists.

The Lady Devils shot 28% from the floor, compared to 27% for Teton; Evanston was 50% from the charity stripe (6/12). The Lady Devils won the battle of the boards, 36-29.