United Tribes Falls to Laramie County in 91-81 Defeat at Pronghorn Winter Classic

The United Tribes Thunderbirds started strong but couldn't hold on as they fell 91-81 to Laramie County Community College (LCCC) in the Pronghorn Winter Classic on Friday afternoon.

The game began at a fast pace, with the Thunderbirds jumping out to an early lead. A three-pointer from Jacolby Pearson put them ahead 15-8, forcing a timeout from Laramie County. United Tribes continued to assert themselves, with Houston Davis hitting a three-pointer that extended their lead to a game-high 28-16 with just under eight minutes remaining in the first half.

Despite the strong start, the Golden Eagles of LCCC began to find their rhythm. A momentum-shifting and-one by Xavier January as the media timeout approached gave Laramie County a spark. The Golden Eagles then embarked on a run, cutting into the Thunderbird lead.

With just over a minute left in the first half, Phoenix Bullock hit a jumper to tie the game at 36-36, and Laramie County closed the half on a 6-0 run. Back-to-back steals by Davion Butler and TJ Coulter, including a buzzer-beating three-pointer banked in by Coulter, gave LCCC a 42-40 lead at the break.

In the second half, Laramie County slowly but steadily built its lead, but United Tribes refused to back down. The Thunderbirds rallied to cut the deficit to 84-77 with 2:16 left in the game, but Laramie County quickly shut the door on the comeback. The Golden Eagles sealed the victory with a fast-break dunk from January, capping off their 91-81 win.

Phoenix Bullock turned in a near triple-double performance for Laramie County, finishing with 18 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists. On the other side, Davis was a standout for the Thunderbirds, recording 31 points and 14 rebounds for his second double-double of the season. Pearson also contributed with 12 points, but the team could not keep pace with the Golden Eagles down the stretch.