CASPER — The Evanston High School girls’ basketball team went 1-2 at the 4A West Regional Tournament in Rock Springs over the weekend, ending the Lady Devils’ season, as well as their quest for a return to the 4A State Tournament next weekend in Casper.

The Lady Devils opened the tournament Thursday with a 49-30 loss to Natrona County, though they bounced back Friday with 52-32 win over Jackson. That win set up a loser-out game with 4A Southwest rival Star Valley, though Evanston came up short in a hard-fought contest, 44-33.

Official stats for all three games were unavailable at press time.

“I think the first day in the tournament was a tough matchup for us — they played really well, we didn’t,” said EHS head coach Roy Barker. “It was a tough game for us. But we came around the next day and beat Jackson – the girls played well, I thought it was pretty good basketball. I thought Jackson actually played really well — they made a bunch of shots that they normally don’t make.”

The loser-out matchup against the Lady Braves was going Evanston’s way for much of the contest, with the Lady Devils leading 16-14 at the half. The third quarter was back-and-forth, and the score was knotted up at 26-26 heading into the final frame.

The Lady Braves held a small lead with under two minutes to play, and were able to add to their lead as Evanston began fouling in an attempt to get the ball back. It turned out to be too much to overcome, with the Lady Devils’ season coming to a close with a 44-33 loss.

Cassie Barker led the team in scoring with 10 points, followed by seven points for Emma Lonsway and 6 points apiece for Madison Brown and Kynlee Robinette.

The Lady Devils won the battle of the boards 29-25, but free throws were the deciding factor in the game. Evanston was 9-of-28 from the charity stripe.

“Against Star Valley, II thought the game plan was sound,” coach Barker said. “I thought the girls executed the game plan really well, they did everything right except make free throws. We put Star Valley intentionally at the line there at the end of the game, because they were going to run out of the clock. But, in all reality, they made a bunch, and we missed a bunch and so that was the turn of the game. if we made four or five more free throws, they’re chasing us there at the end of the game. But the girls played great ­­— they did everything right, honestly, they deserve a good chance to be in that position, and they’ve worked really hard and come a long way to be in a position that was in a competitive game to go to state.”

Asked what his takeaways from the season would be, Barker pointed to the growth of the team, and how far they’ve come in just a year’s time.

“Now that we’ve been together for, well, I guess a year and a half now, of them trying to do the things that I’m implementing, believing in the system, believing in each other, putting the time in to get better,” Barker said.

The second-year head coach also took time to recognize his lone senior on the team — Kiernynn Simmons — for her hard work and dedication to the program.

“The other thing that really sticks out to me is just Kiernynn Simmons, the only senior on the team that was able to stick it out, be a part of this program,” he said. “I’m proud of her, and the legacy she’s been able to leave behind. Hopefully that will continue on with what it means to be a Lady Red Devil.”

Looking to the future, Barker said there’s a lot of talent returning among this year’s juniors and sophomores.

“It’ll be good,” he said. “I think it’s going to be a fun season.”