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Dealing with the return of Griff fell squarely on the lap of new Horsemen hoops coach Tyrell Allen.

The Plains Horsemen hosted the Darby Tigers Saturday in a game that marked the return of former Plains Trotter basketball coach Richard Griffin, who went by the short name of Griff while he was in Plains and probably still does in Darby as the new head man for the Tigers.

Always eager to coach hoops, Griff was also on the sidelines as Darby's assistant girls coach for the other game Saturday.

"I have to give Griff credit, his defensive sets threw us off a little bit," Allen said of Darby's 47-39 non-conference win. "I expected to see a 1-3-1 zone but he switched it up quite a bit and managed to keep us off balance."

The fact that starting point guard Treydon Brouillette was hampered by an ankle injury, which he aggravated early in Saturday's game, also did not help the Horsemen's cause.

In his first game coaching at Plains not as a Plains coach, Griffin watched his Tigers build an early lead and then withstand every rally the Horsemen managed after that.

Dylan Parks led the Tigers to the win with 18 points, Nelson Smith added 11, Gabe Smith nine, Brandon Winters six and Daniel Muir three.

Matt McCracken tossed in 11 points to lead the Horsemen, Derick Curry added 10, Jake Weyers six, Brouillette and Esvin Reyes three apiece, and Nathan McNulty, Parker Flock and Tucker Foster two each.

Now 1-2 in non-conference action, the Horsemen return to the hardwood for their first conference tilt of the season Saturday hosting District 14C rival Charlo.

"The games become more important now and this will be our first conference test," Allen said. "Charlo is an athletic team that could create some matchup problems."

Charlo defeated Victor 49-46 in Charlo Friday in the Vikings' most recent outing.