TORRINGTON – The Torrington High School Blazers basketball team scored its first home victory for the season by trouncing Gering, 60-35, on Thursday, December 19.

A neck-and-neck first quarter ended in a 15-15 stalemate. Torrington captured the lead early in the second quarter before pulling up by seven points, 27-20, at halftime.

An explosive third quarter that saw a tenacious Blazer offense net 19 points while a gritty Torrington defense held Gering to six placed the Blazers up, 46-26, as the third quarter began. 

The Blazers outscored Gering, 14-9, in the fourth quarter to seal the deal.

On Friday, Torrington traveled to play Sidney, Nebraska. The Blazers ultimately came up short, 71-37.

Defeating Gering

Junior Landre Greiman opened scoring for Torrington in the first quarter with a close-range shot. Senior Mac Hibben pulled down two defensive rebounds and fellow senior Weston Dyer found an opening in the perimeter to score.

Sophomore Julian Stromski drained a pair of 3-pointers. Hibben blocked an attempt by Gering to score. Defensive pressure by Stromski forced a turnover, setting Dyer up to score an outside shot.

Gering responded late in the first quarter to pull ahead by one possession, 15-13. 

Taking possession, senior Ryan Moorehouse netted a jumper and the game reached a 15-15 deadlock at the end of the first quarter.

In the second quarter, Greiman scored on a fastbreak and Torrington gained the upper hand, 17-15.

The Blazers went on to score 10 more points before halftime, including an outside shot by both Dyer and senior Brayden Hime. Greiman and Stromski each tossed in buckeets

Defensively, Torrington held Gering to only five points in the second quarter, including steals by Hibben, Greiman, Stromski and Hime and a block by Hime.

The halftime score favored the Blazers, 27-20.

Torrington turned up the intensity in the third quarter to top Gering in scoring, 19-6. Moorehouse set the pace for the Blazers with seven points while Stromski and Greiman each tallied six.

Hibben and Dyer both grabbed a steal in the third quarter while Moorehouse made a block.

The Blazers began the final eight minutes of regulation ahead by 20 points, 46-26.

Defensive pressure by Greiman forced a turnover on Gering’s first possession in the fourth quarter. Dyer drained a trey and Stromski, Hibben and Moorehouse each netted close-range shots.

Greiman picked up a teal, setting Stromski up to toss in an outside shot. Hibben rounded out scoring for the Blazers with a jumper. 

Torrington’s second string entered the game in the fourth quarter and wound the clock down in control of the ball.

Four Blazers tallied double digit scoring against Gering, led by Stromski with 19 points. Greiman contributed 12 points with 11 apiece by Dyer and Moorehouse. Hibben recorded four points and Hime three.