The duo who were the most responsible for the success of the Cowboys last year were the senior backcourt of Flynn Robinson and Kenny Sailors.  This tandem was the leader of the team and set the tone for their teammates. These two come from completely difference backgrounds but they do have one thing in common. They both are jump shot aficionados who have made their names with their love for and unique ability to in their own special way learn to and make their own brand of the greatest shot ever invented for this game. And the kid who gets the nod for inventing it is none other than Mr. Sailors. Born in Bushnell Nebraska Sailors moved to Hillsdale Wyoming as a kid and loved the game of basketball especially playing against his brother Bud.  This Kid actually developed a jump shot by having to shoot over his six foot four brother in the driveway at home.  He could never get the ball over the length of this brother so one day he took the Neil Armstrongonian giant leap of faith and jumped into the air before firing up a shot.  It worked and Sailors knew he had something so he worked on this ‘new shot’ until he perfected it.  It is now completely his and even at five foot ten can get his shot off over anyone.  Not many people can say they invented a shot but in the WAC they have two guys with Sailors and Billy ‘the Hill’ McGill and his calling card, the jump hook.  Sailors of course has had a terrific career at Wyoming leading the team to the national stage as a Sophomore with his patented shot and taking the Big Apple by storm.  He sat out a couple of years while serving in the military (no folks he was in the Army) but came back last year like he never missed a beat.  Of course he has been looking forward to his final year in Laramie to show the fans that he is indeed the All-American player that he was a few years back.  Well Sailors did indeed have a terrific final year in the WAC though he did take a step back with his scoring to show he was a more complete player.  He did not earn All-American honors this time around but this Sailor stayed afloat and proved he was more than a one-shot pony.  Sailors is an incredible player who teammates follow.  Gifted with a great imagination on the court, Sailors might be most well-known for his jump shot but he a complete player.  Sailors handles the ball, distributes it to teammates and plays solid defense.  Neither Robinson nor Sailors was the true point guard as they shared the responsibility of whatever was needed in the back court.  The Senior team captain is the catalyst of the Cowboys and the Kid from Laramie loves being the leader of this team.  

Robinson, on the other hand, was born in Murphysboro Illinois and bounced around the urban areas of both St. Louis and Chicago playing high school ball in Elgin Illinois.  He came from a single parent family and actually started his career at Southern Illinois University (he never played there) before switching and going to Casper College and leading them to a national tournament before finally coming to Laramie and playing for Shelton.  As good as he was at Casper (and he is the best to ever play there) Robinson was an instant success in Laramie.  He came during the time Sailors was gone and became a prolific scorer instantly.  Robinson might not have invented the jump shot but with his unique way of shooting it he might have perfected it.  Robinson in a great shooter who can get his patented one handed behind the ear jumper on anyone.  He showed his unselfishness by losing a few points on his average and sharing the wealth with his teammates. Robinson probably would have got more recognition of an individual basis if he would have scored more like he did in the past (he averaged over 18 a game the last year and 20 two years ago) but he wanted to be on a winner and this was his chance playing with Sailors and all the new talent in Laramie.  He definitely has the game to dominate that way.  He is also a complete player who can pass and defend and always puts the team first.  Robinson and his sidekick in crime Mr. Sailors have figured out a way of sharing the responsibility of handling the ball and doing the shooting quite well.  Robinson still figured out a way of sharing the team lead in scoring and finishing a close second to Sailors in assists.

As good as the two ballyhooed guards were the key to the success of the Cowboys was a solid group of underclassmen.  You knew what you were getting with Sailors and Robinson (a bunch of jump shots) but the young guys had to step up and fill the holes.  Not only that but whoever was stepping into the small forward position was going to have to replace a legend as Les Witte had graduated after a sensational career in Laramie.  Dembo and company did this and then some.  Fennis ‘The Menace” had an entirely different nickname when he was going to high school in San Antonio.  Back then he was Buck (still is to teammates) and earned All-State honors but was not heavily recruited by anyone except Wyoming Assistant Jim Brandenberg.  When he took his official visit to Wyoming he had never seen snow before but when they took him in on a snowmobile from the plane he knew this was the place he belonged.  He was right.  Fennis (not Ferris for all of you FBDO fans which btw blew up the same time as this cat did) is as charismatic of a player as you are ever going to find.  You either love him or hate him but you will never forget him.  Dembo and his swagger and confidence have made him a national figure especially after a showdown with Danny Ainge.  He scored 32 that night hitting 5 threes and had three monster dunks and one of his arm raising call outs to the crowd after a three was featured on a national magazine.  He was now a marked man but boy did he love the attention. Dembo has it all on the offensive end.  A shooter with unlimited range and a desire to shoot, Dembo had the athletic skills to get to the hoop as well.  A showman by nature, Dembo has not fully appreciated the effort it takes to succeed on the defensive end.  After all, there are not too many highlights for great defensive players. But on the offensive end he is as complete of a player as there is in the WAC.  How complete?  He led the team in scoring AND rebounding as a small forward and averaged over 3 assists a game.  He might be the most notorious player on the West Coast.  If you have never seen this kid play get to a gym the Cowboys are visiting and watch the show.  He is a better road show anyway but with all of the theatrics and showmanship first and foremost Fennis is a Winner with a capital W!

Senior Tony Windis came into the season as the third wheel of the experienced and talented back court in Laramie.  There must be something in the high air of Laramie as Windis is one terrific shooter much like his teammates.  This New York City kid plays much bigger than his six one frame but his awful thin at under 170 pounds.  This caught up with him as he missed the last half of the year after tearing up his knee banging with the trees in the middle.  The Cowboys were so deep at this position that three other seniors who had contributed heavily the past barely played this year.  Joe Capua, Harry Hall and Stan Dodds are gifted players but nowhere near Sailors or Robinson nor the big swing man who became the Cowboys top reserve as the season progressed. 

A key player on the Cowboys was Sophomore swing man Charles ‘Tub’ Bradley.  Bradley could play the two and the three equally as well and was the first guy off the bench for Shelton.  He became even more important after the injury to Windis and averaged over 20 minutes a game for the Pokes, 25 the second the half of the season and almost made it to double digits in scoring.  He is a gifted all-around player that shows tremendous leadership and is a huge fan favorite.  This Maryland product is a chiseled six five and 215 pounds who does not mind the physical play around the basket.  He scores inside and out almost equally well but he relishes any opportunity to throw one down with authority.  Tub loves his role which is hard for some of his talent to take.  Every team needs a great sixth man and Bradley is that guy but with the three seniors gone he will be counted on ever more especially on the offensive end.  Who will be playing next to him is a whole different story as whoever plays the point next year for the ‘Boys’ has some might big shoes to fill and The back court was in good hands even with the injury to Windis but the front court was nowhere near as set. 

Once Shelton realized he needed more size up front he went with a platoon of big guys that included four main guys, all Underclassmen.  Sophomores Bill Garnett and Erick Leckner took over the starting roles and showed they could play with the big boys of the WAC.  Garnett is a workman like power forward who is limited athletically but gets the job done on smarts.  Freshman Reginald Slater came on strong and was getting the majority of minutes down the stretch at the four.  He is a banger who can really board and finishes with power.   Leckner is a true low post player who takes high percentage shots.  His presence opens up the outside for the shooters on the team.  You have to have a low post presence in basketball and Leckner was the Cowboys man.  Leckner, who hails from Manhattan Beach California, has the prototypical size, 6 foot 11 and 265 pounds; you need to bang down low especially in this conference full of behemoths.  Leckner is a gamer who is always ready to play and really stepped up late in the year hoisting his scoring average almost to double digits as he averaged over 14 a game the last ten games.  He scored 21 with 9 boards in a Herculian effort in tourney game against New Mexico for not and was almost as good in the NIT averaging 15 a game.  Leckner is also a solid rim protector, sets solid screens and is ok on the boards though that is not his forte.  He has as many moves in the paint as anyone not playing for the Houston Cougars.   Garnett comes from Denver and has been solid for the Cowboys for two years as he is more of a combo forward than a bulldozer like Slater.  He can do everything well and at six nine 225 has the size to hang down low.  He does not mind the rough play in the middle but he does not relish it like Slater does.  Still, he is a much more polished player than Slater and he did have another solid season though some would say he needs to get a bit meaner and perhaps a bit less cerebral. 

The Cowboys had several very good role players who complimented the starters very well when they got the chance.   Shelton had a great supporting cast that accepted their roles and covered a gamut of needs for the Cowboys.  Seniors Leon Clark, Carl Ashley, Milo Kommenich and Ron ‘Loudermilk’ Livingstone provide depth up front.  Kommemich and Clark came into the season as starters but lost their spots to the Underclassmen and never complained.  Kommenich was a stud on their glorious squad that set NYC on fire four years ago but was overmatched physically down low with the new big guys of the WAC.  Clark had some big minutes as a dual threat later on in the season and even though he is only six foot six may have been the best rebounder on the team.  Clark is a true free spirit and has already decided to go play overseas after his senior season in Europe.  Ashley is a carbon copy of Clark at six foot six with is too small for the post these days but he did have some big games in Laramie over his career and is a solid all-around player.  Windis, Bradley and senior Harry Hall gave the team more than enough offensive lift on the wings. Point guard Moe Radovich is a tremendous fan favorite as he is one of the only born and bred Wyomingians in the program and is a tremendous athlete who had already had some highlight reel minutes. 

The Cowboys from Laramie Wyoming finished a wonderful ride that ended in a top 8 finish in the NIT tournament.  This team gelled and hit all the right notes down the stretch.  Coach Everett Shelton knew going in he had a superb and experienced back court who could shoot jumpers all day but he knew he needed to upgrade his talent and size up front.  He did this and the success of the team can be related to the advent of these fine young stallions in the paint.  The future is bright for the Cowboys as they have their most dynamic player coming back and all of those solid interchangeable big men. Sailors and Robinson form one heck of a backcourt but there is a new sheriff in Laramie. If you don’t know who he is now you soon will. I will give you a hint. He is not shy and his first name rhymes with the coolest school skipper who ever lived!