Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — Give the Steamboat Springs High School boys basketball team this: The Sailors will play any team, anywhere.

Steamboat (4-3) heads to the Flaming Gorge Classic 2010 invitational basketball tournament in Green River, Wyo., to play three of the top Class 4A teams in Wyoming. Steamboat plays No. 2 Rock Springs at 8:30 p.m. today, No. 6 Star Valley at 1:30 p.m. Friday and No. 4 Evanston at 11:45 a.m. Saturday.

“It’s fierce,” Steamboat coach Luke DeWolfe said. “We won’t see teams this good until the state playoffs and the later rounds of the state playoffs in Colorado. But it’s one of those things where you go up there and put your best foot forward and give yourself a shot to win and see what happens.”

Steamboat learned at the Steamboat Springs Shoot-Out that the team is better when it slows down the tempo.

In Wyoming, where teams are traditionally physical and uptempo, the Sailors will have to try to control the pace of play as much as they can. Should Steamboat do that, the team has a chance to come away with not only confidence, but perhaps an upset.

“These really force you to do the small things well,” DeWolfe said. “For us, that’s where we’re at right now. It’s the little details of things.”

Girls aim for consistency

Steamboat Springs High School girls basketball coach John Ameen walked away from the Steamboat Springs Shoot-Out knowing several things.

The first, and probably most important, is that when his team plays well for extended periods, it generally can play with anyone.

But finding that consistency has been the biggest problem.

Ameen and Steamboat (4-2) hope to start finding it today when the team travels to the Flaming Gorge Classic 2010 invitational basketball tournament.

The Steamboat girls play Rock Springs at 6:45 p.m. today, Star Valley at 11:45 a.m. Friday and Sheridan at 8:15 a.m. Saturday.

“It’s got to be more consistent of stringing together four quarters instead of playing one half or a couple quarters and then a bad one,” Ameen said. “We’ve played some good basketball, but we need to string it together more consistently.”

Ameen cited a loss Friday to Fossil Ridge in the Shoot-Out. Steamboat played well in stretches before falling, 36-27.

Fossil Ridge went on to win the tournament.

This tournament again should provide Steamboat with a look at quality competition. In addition to the first two games, Sheridan is ranked No. 1 in Wyoming’s Class 4A.

“Historically, all three teams have been very good teams in the state of Wyo­­ming,” Ameen said. “That’s saying something, and it’s how we have to approach it. Each game, we have to be at our best.”

Tournament schedule

Flaming Gorge Classic 2010 invitational basketball tournament at Green River, Wyo.

■ Today

Steamboat girls vs. Rock Springs, Wyo., 6:45 p.m.

Steamboat boys vs. Rock Springs, Wyo., 8:30 p.m.

■ Friday

Steamboat girls vs. Star Valley, Wyo., 11:45 a.m.

Steamboat boys vs. Star Valley, Wyo., 1:30 p.m.

■ Saturday

Steamboat girls vs. Sheridan, Wyo., 8:15 a.m.

Steamboat boys vs. Evanston, Wyo., 11:45 a.m.