A warm night in February is a rare thing in Park County. A hot game between Powell and Cody is not.

Both occurred Friday night, as the Panthers and Broncs inflamed a packed house at Powell High School in a barn-burner of a boys high school basketball game. Cody won 73-69 in overtime, leaving the players, coaches and fans buzzing.

“It was a fun game,” said Powell head coach Chase Kistler, noting it was the biggest crowd his team had played before this season. “Wish we could have ended it a little better for them.”

Powell led 11-8 after one period, with Carter Baxter scoring six points and Kalei Smith adding five. But in a foreshadowing of what would be a major factor in the game, two fouls on Baxter sent him to the bench for the end of the first period and start of the second. Another early trend that continued throughout the game was seven turnovers by the Panthers, as the Cody press presented a challenge all night long.

Junior Kaden Moore hit a 3-pointer to boost the lead to 14-8 at the start of the second period but continued turnovers plagued the Panthers in the second period and they were eventually behind 16-14.

Zach Heny hit a driving layup to tie the game and when Baxter scored after Powell beat the press, the Panthers led 18-16.

The Broncs’ Blake Hinze hit a long 3-pointer to give the Broncs a one-point edge and the game was back and forth for the rest of the half, ending in a 26-26 tie.

If anything, the crowd got even louder in the second half. Several players hit the floor, either knocked down by an opponent or diving for a loose ball. When Baxter battled for a pair of rebounds and made his second try inside, the Panthers led 37-34.

Smith scored to give the Panthers a five-point lead but the next time down the court, he was called for an offensive foul. It was his third foul, and he went to the bench.

Baxter and Heny added hoops, however, and Powell opened a 43-36 lead.

But Cody senior Sam Allshouse responded with a triple and Baxter picked up his fourth foul. He joined Smith on the bench and the Broncs cut the lead to 43-42 at the end of the third quarter.

Cody took a 46-43 lead early in the fourth period but Heny thrilled the home fans with a 3-pointer to tie the game. Smith then went on one of his rampages, scoring eight of the next 10 Powell points, hitting a pair of shots and four free throws. The Panthers led 57-54 but Cody cut it to one.

Smith added a free throw and Moore dropped a pair from the charity stripe as well after a steal and feed from sophomore T.J. Abraham, who received significantly more playing time Friday night.

“He’s been earning it,” Kistler said, noting Abraham has played well in practice and junior varsity games. “You’ve got to reward individual effort like that.”

The Panthers held a 61-56 lead with less than a minute to go, but the thrill ride was just getting started. Cody senior Carter Myers threw in a circus shot as he fell to the floor with 53 seconds to play and was fouled while doing so. His free throw bounced high off the rim and then fell straight through, cutting the lead to two.

Powell fans and the team were not thrilled with the officiating, based on the sounds and reactions from the players, coaches and fans. Kistler said he feels it’s not something the Panthers can focus on.

“You can’t really control it,” he said. “No sense blaming it on that.”

Powell failed to score and Hinze hit a driving layup off a nice fake to knot the game at 61-61. Smith went for a score to give the Panthers an edge but was once again called for charging. Cody had the ball with 21.5 seconds to play as both teams huddled up.

“This is our game!” Baxter shouted on the bench, urging his teammates on.

Abraham was called for a foul with 13.6 seconds left. He raised his hands in exasperation and the crowd reacted according to their loyalties.

Cody’s Jackson Bower missed both free throws and Powell had the ball with 8.4 seconds. Smith seemed the obvious choice for a final shot. After another time out, the teams took to the court.

Smith cut to the hoop and got a quick pass from Baxter. But in a moment reminiscent of the semifinals of the Class 3A State Tournament last spring, Smith’s shot rolled off. This intense game was not done yet.

Kistler said the play worked perfectly.

“I’ll put it in his hand every time,” he said.

Cody scored the first six points in overtime, including two on a goaltending call against Smith when he skied for a block. He then added three free throws to bring Powell to 67-64 but Cody rebuilt it to five.

Smith’s night then came to disappointing conclusion, as he was called for traveling and then, on his final trip down the court, was once again whistled on a charge. It was his fifth foul and despite his protests, he was out of the game.

Fouls were a major issue then, with eight players, three Panthers and five Broncs, playing with four fouls during the fourth period and overtime. One was disqualified from both teams.

Cody senior Brayden Feusner hit a layup to make it 71-64 and it seemed the game would not have an exciting finish. But there was one more twist in the tale.

Heny went to the line to shoot a pair and Cody was also whistled for an illegal substitution. The plucky senior hit four free throws, to the delight of the home fans, and it was 71-68. He added another one a few seconds later and Powell had cut the lead to two.

Cody then ran the clock down before the Panthers were forced to foul Allshouse, who hit both free throws to open a four-point lead and put the game in the Broncs’ corral.

Smith finished with 32 points; both Baxter and Heny had 14. Powell shot well, hitting 15 of 29 from the field, good for 52 percent, including 3 of 8 from 3-point range.

The Panthers also did well at the line, hitting 30 of 38 free throws. But they were plagued by turnovers, committing 24 compared to 17 by their rivals.

Allshouse, who was 10 for 10 from the line, paced Cody with 17. Hinze scored 15, Feusner had 14 and Myers chipped in 10. The Broncs are now 4-1 in Class 3A West play and 9-5 overall.

They shot 20 of 47 from the field for 43 percent and hit 4 of 13 from distance. The Broncs hit 21 of 32 free throws.

“We played a good game,” Kistler said. “There was a lot of positives.”

But he said the players had a few lapses, perhaps caused by the intensity of the game and the passion of the crowd. What’s important now, the coach said, was preparing for Lander.

“It’s all uphill from now, with region and state ahead of us,” Smith said after the game.

He said he was looking forward to Saturday’s game against Lander Valley. Tipoff is at 5:30 p.m.

“Hopefully get a win there,” Smith said.

The Tigers are atop the conference standings at 5-0 and are 11-5 overall. Lander defeated Powell 74-64 at PHS on Jan. 24.

Kistler said the Panthers, now 3-2 in 3A West play and 8-7 overall, are headed to the second half of the conference season, and it’s up to them to see how strongly they can finish and what seeding they will earn for the regional tourney.