JACKSON – Though Evanston gathered in Jackson on Saturday for the final day of the regular season, the collective Lady Red Devils’ minds sat, at least partly, 170 miles southeast.

Evanston began the weekend with its regional tournament seeding position at the mercy of Natrona County. Natrona rolled over Green River 64-26 on Friday. With a win over Rock Springs on Saturday, Natrona would own the No. 2 seed and automatic state berth. Evanston needed a win over Jackson and a Natrona loss to take the No. 2 spot.

If Evanston’s players did indeed have their minds on the game happening in Rock Springs, it might explain the first half of basketball that played out at Jackson Hole High School on Saturday.

Jackson (5-15, 2-8 4A West) lost by 30 to Evanston (15-6, 7-3 4A West) when the teams met at Red Devil Gymnasium on Feb. 2. At the half on Saturday, Jackson was still very much in the game, down 22-13.

Evanston took a 10-point lead into the second quarter, but was outscored by the Broncs 9-to-8 in the second. The Red Devils entered the game with a plus-5.6 turnover margin, and took on a Jackson team that turned it over 24 times per contest ­— but throughout stretches of the first half, Evanston was neck and neck with Jackson in ball-control mistakes.

Down south in Sweetwater County, Rock Springs had jumped out to a 22-10 lead over Natrona by the time Evanston’s game tipped off in Jackson. That lead started to wane, but Rock Springs still led at halftime by a tally of 27-19.

Natrona County closed the gap to as close as two points late in the fourth quarter — but the score went final in Rock Springs shortly after the second half began in Jackson. Rock Springs won 44-39.

Not that the Evanston girls necessarily knew it, but the end of the game in Sweetwater County coincided with Evanston’s breakout run.

After a disappointing first half, Evanston ran away with the third quarter, outscoring Jackson 24-7. Senior point guard Tayler Groll led the way offensively with eight points in the quarter, followed closely by senior wing Emmery Wagstaff with seven.

Evanston never relinquished the large lead and won 62-32, earning the automatic bid into state with the No. 2 seed in the regional tournament.

“Third quarter, we turned it on,” Evanston head coach Jeremy Fessler said. “We opened the flood gates. I told the girls after the game that ‘it boggles my mind that you don’t want to play like that all the time.’  I hope that this third quarter springs us into next week.”

Wagstaff finished with a game-high 17 points, and Groll added 12.

Heading into the playoffs, Evanston looks to have added some depth on the bench. Junior post Natalie Robbins made her return to the court on Saturday in limited minutes. She scored two points in the return after spending the past four games on the sidelines with a strained patellar tendon. 

Senior reserve Allysa Dean has been healthy all season, but has made significant impacts in the last two games. Dean scored all 11 of Evanston’s second quarter points in the Feb. 17 loss to Natrona, and returned on Saturday to contribute 12 more off four-of-six shooting from 3.

As the No. 2 seed, Evanston does not have to play on day one of Thursday’s regional tournament in Jackson. The Red Devils play the winner of No. 3 Natrona County vs No. 6 Green River. Evanston’s match will tip off in Jackson at 4 p.m. on Friday and can be listened to online at mylocalradio.com or on the radio at KNYN 99.1 FM.