We are officially at the midway point of the 2026 basketball season, with February right around the corner and regional tournaments only four weeks away. The talent across Wyoming is unbelievable this year, with standout-players in every class. Already we have seen some incredible performances, paving the way for multiple highly-anticipated matchups coming down the pike.
Earlier this season, we saw a few moments that stand out as highlights of the first half. Afton Cummins of Big Horn (2A #1) achieved a rare quadruple-double on Jan. 10th against Shoshoni – 24 points, 14 rebounds, 10 assists, and 10 steals. Cummins leads the front-running Rams in every statistical category, averaging a double-double through 13 games.
In another installment of the Thermopolis/Wyoming Indian saga, Heeyeei’Niitou Monroe-Black buried a turnaround jumpshot in overtime to elevate the Chiefs on Jan. 8th. Monroe-Black finished with 30 points that evening, and asserted himself among the legends of Wyoming Indian Basketball.
Grace Hays has led the Cody Fillies to a unanimous #1 team in Class 3A, en-route to an undefeated season. Hays etched a wonderful performance against #2 Lander Valley on Jan. 6th, in which she scored 31 points, grabbed 10 steals, and 7 rebounds – without playing in the fourth quarter. They beat Lander by 27 points, and forced 34 Tiger-turnovers.
All-Class Players
Here’s an update on some of the best basketball players in Wyoming. The order of players is alphabetical, and not representative of an individual ranking. Plus, with four weeks of regular season play, and two more of post-season play, this list is certainly not intended to discredit or discourage any other player’s accomplishments in 2026.
Girls Basketball
Lily Anderson, Wheatland
Starting off with a bang, junior shooting-guard Lily Anderson is an incredible scorer for the Bulldogs. On Jan. 24th, she netted 50 points against Rawlins – also 13 steals – to beat the Outlaws by 39. Anderson averages 26.9ppg (2nd in Wyoming), on excellent shooting splits – 55% FG / 33% 3FG / 80% FT. The Bulldogs are 11-4, and 2-0 in conference play, and currently on a seven-game win streak.
Afton Cummins, Big Horn
As mentioned above, Cummins is having a sensational season for the 2A #1 Rams, posting a statbook full of team-high’s and head-turning numbers. The senior is dominating the 2A Class right now, and that may not change – she’s leading 2A in assists (5.7), steals (5.4), FT% (78%), and second in points (21.3), rebounds (10.4), and blocks (2.3).
Against all of Wyoming, it’s nearly just as impressive – 4th in scoring, 6th in rebounding, 2nd in assists, 3rd in steals, and 5th in blocks. Cummins has logged an All-Time season for the Big Horn program, and exploded the conversation for Wyoming’s best player.
Karly Davis, Buffalo
The University of Wyoming signee has played wonderfully this year, averaging 20.3ppg for the 3A Buffalo Bison. We’ve seen Davis lead the Bison to big wins over some great teams this year, most notably the 28-point performance over Big Horn on Dec. 16th, in which she hit four three’s in a 58-42 win.
Kenzie Evans, Little Snake River
Tormenting the 1A Class for years now, Kenzie Evans is having another terrific season for the Little Snake River Rattlers. Evans scores more points than anyone in the class (20.9ppg), and is second in rebounds (10.6rpg). The senior has the Rattlers competing for the top spot in 1A West, and they are poised to do so at the regional tournament in Lander this year. Evans is an incredible talent for Snake River, adding tenacity and efficiency to the Rattler offense. She shoots 51% from the floor, and grabs a whopping 5.1 offensive rebounds per game.
Cashlynn Haws, Cheyenne East
Another excellent player from the 4A Class is Cashlynn Haws of Cheyenne East. Haws has inserted her name for best player in the class, leading the top-ranked Thunderbirds to 12 wins already. She is second in 4A for points per game (15.0), and a top-ten player in almost every single category – rebounds, blocks, steals, FG%, 3-pt %, FT %, and player efficiency.
Grace Hays, Cody
As just a junior, Grace Hays looks the part of Wyoming’s best basketball player. The guard leads not only the top-ranked Fillies, but all of Wyoming in points per game (25.7) and steals per game (7.6). Hays is a multi-sport athlete, vying for high-end recruitment in a number of sports, and recently received an offer from Colorado State University to play basketball. Hays is also an early nomination for Wyoming’s Gatorade Basketball Player of the Year.
Robert Tedlund, Cody Head Coach:
“I love coaching Grace because, not only is she athletically gifted, but she works very hard, is coachable, and is a competitor. [Hays] is one of the nicest and most selfless players I have ever coached, yet she is a stone-cold killer on the court… As great as she is on offense, she is the best defensive player that I have ever coached in my 13 total years of coaching.”
Jaylin Mills, Sudance
Another front-runner for best player in the 2A Class is Jaylin Mills of Sundance. The senior recently signed to play volleyball at Northwest College in Powell, but has torn up the basketball court in 2026. Mills has size, length, multi-level scoring ability, and an excellent squad around her. Currently, Mills scores 23.4ppg (most in 2A), 8.3rpg (4th in 2A), and 3.2 steals per game (7th in 2A).
James O’Connor, Sundance Head Coach:
“Jaylin is our offensive leader, as she scores a lot of points for us (surpassed 1,500 career points last week), but understands the value that her teammates have toward her success. Jaylin’s strongest quality is her ability to get to her spots and score. She is a three-level scorer who shoots it well from the 3-pt line, FT Line … She passes the ball well, and accepts a lot of extra defensive attention.”
Isabel Vasco, Green River
The 4A Class is so tough this year, and Isabel Vasco of Green River has really risen her play to headline the classification in 2026. The Wolves are off to a hot start, largely in part to Vasco’s class-leading 18.2ppg this year. Vasco is also in 4A’s top-five for assists (3.1apg, 4th), and steals (5.4, 1st). Her biggest game of the season was a win over Pinedale in which Vasco scored 27 points. Vasco is a 1,000-point career scorer, with a real chance of breaking the Green River All-Time record this year. The senior has committed to play soccer at the University of Wyoming!
Clinton Landon, Green River Head Coach:
“She has an unbelievable work ethic that was instilled by her parents, and she truly understands that you can’t cheat the work if you want to be great. She’s committed to every aspect of her craft … This season, I’ve seen her continue to grow as a leader. She’s incredibly unselfish, and our senior class does a great job of celebrating others before themselves.”
Boys Basketball
Cody Bomengen, Thermopolis
One of the most productive players in all of Wyoming is Cody Bomengen, recent Gillette Community College signee. The senior has headlined for the #1 Bobcats this year, as the Bobcats are attempting to defend their championship. Bomengen adds size and athleticism that frustrates opponents, making his ability to switch 1-5 a luxury at the 2A level. The stat sheet is not incredibly eye-popping, but Bomengen still leads a (very) good Bobcats team in points per game (17.9) and rebounds (9.7).
Brady Cook, Lingle-Ft. Laramie
Brady has logged an All-Time Career for the Doggers, dominating 1A competition for years now. He has been an instrumental part of the team’s undefeated campaign (currently 48-0), en-route to a second-straight championship. This week, Cook passed the 1500-point mark and is now four points away from breaking the school’s All-Time Scoring Record. He is top-five in 1A scoring, rebounds, steals, blocks, and FG%.
Chris Cook, Lingle-Ft. Laramie Head Coach:
“Brady has been a pleasure to coach because he is a talented, but yet, very selfless player. He enjoys making the right pass to his teammates as much as scoring himself… The biggest attribute I feel that he has brought to our team over the past four years is high-level consistency. He has just went to work against whoever the matchup is every game for four years at the varsity level, and has been extremely productive.”
Cooper Lancaster, Star Valley
Star Valley has had some extremely talented players over the years, most recently Cooper Lancaster, the three-level scorer that has remained a top-player in the 4A Class. Lancaster scores 20.3 points per game (2nd in 4A), and continues to give opponents issues. Lancaster’s ability to find mid-range shots is tormenting for defenders, as he turns good defense into better offense. Through 2026, the senior has led the Braves in scoring and rebounding. With regionals coming up in Evanston, look for Lancaster to take over games late in the fourth quarter.
Heeyeei’Niitou Monroe-Black, Wyoming Indian
There is so much you could say about Heeyeei’Niitou Monroe-Black. This might be the most well-rounded player in Wyoming, with three-level scoring, 1-5 defense, and extremely high basketball-IQ. He notably sank the overtime-game-winning bucket against 2A #1 Thermop last month, and has continued his dominant gameplay through January. Monroe-Black scores 21.5 points per game (7th in Wyoming), but his defensive prowess is what truly stands out. The Chiefs are a team that presses a majority of the game, and Monroe-Black runs a top-position, hounding ballhandlers and deflecting passes.
Craig Ferris, Wyoming Indian Head Coach:
“It’s awesome to have someone who sets an example by playing with so much energy and effort. I’m proud of his growth and dedication towards his game and the team.”
Kyle Smith, Hulett
From only a town of 300-ish people, Kyle Smith has dominated the All-Class scorebook. Smith currently scores more points than anyone in Wyoming (29.0ppg), and grabs more steals than anyone (5.3 per game). What makes him interesting is his blocks per game, which is at 2.7 per game. Smith is one of the best players to ever come from Hulett, and it’s hard not to consider him for best player in Wyoming. The Red Devils are not particularly deep this year, but they might not have to be. When you have a player who can give you 30 points any given night, that cures a lot of ailments. Smith most notably scored 37 points in a win over Moorcroft on Jan. 8th.
Mitchell Strohschein, Wright
Another very viable candidate for All-Class talent is from Wright, #breakingthenotion that Wyoming doesn’t produce high-caliber talent. So much can be said about Mitchell Strohschein – his size, tenacity, multi-level scoring. He is such a fun player to watch, being a 1,000-point career scorer and consistently validating that very talented players come from all over Wyoming. Strohschein currently posts a double-double – 23.8 points and 11.6 boards per game.
Nathan Schelling, Wright Head Coach:
“Even though teams focus on him so much, [Strohschein] gets his teammates involved and works hard for me. If he has an on-off game, he comes back the next game like nothing happened. He plays hard, and is knowledgeable about the game. … He is a coachable player and loves the game. It is nice to have a player like him.”
Gibson Williams, Thunder Basin
The 4A Class has been dominated by Gibson Williams, shooting guard of the Thunder Basin Bolts. To my knowledge, I hadn’t heard the name “Gibson Williams” coming into the 2026 season – boy, what an oversight. Williams is likely the most competent scorer that Wyoming has to offer, netting 24.3 points per game (3rd in Wyoming). Williams has taken a middle-pack Bolt team, and factored them into the 4A East conversation. He’s currently averaging 5.4 assist per game (most in 4A), 3.4 steals per game (most in 4A),and shoots 39% from deep (T-7 in 4A).
Owen Walker, Lovell
The defending champion Bulldogs retained a very solid core, headlined by bigman Owen Walker. He is very tall, lengthy, and athletic which has tormented opponents in the paint. His quickness is very underrated, making him a huge factor in the open court, where he plays above the rim and collects highlight dunk after highlight dunk. Walker blocks more shots (3.7), and grabs more rebounds (11.5) than anyone in 3A. Having a player like Walker is a luxury, as his defense is accompanied by a very unsubtle, variety of post-moves and finishes around the cup. This past season, he’s added a mid-range jump shot that has really bolstered his all-around attack.
