Lady Panthers crush Fillies to end regular season

Posted 2/27/18

The Powell girls (15-6 overall, 6-0 in Class 3A West’s north quadrant) beat Cody 40-28 at home on Friday to follow up a 32-28 loss to Worland on Tuesday, Feb. 20.

The Lady Panthers will compete in the 3A West Regional Tournament in Pinedale …

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Lady Panthers crush Fillies to end regular season

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Lone senior Maddy Hanks honored

Stifling second-half defense helped the Powell High School Lady Panther basketball team end the regular season with a win over Cody’s Fillies.

The Powell girls (15-6 overall, 6-0 in Class 3A West’s north quadrant) beat Cody 40-28 at home on Friday to follow up a 32-28 loss to Worland on Tuesday, Feb. 20.

The Lady Panthers will compete in the 3A West Regional Tournament in Pinedale this weekend.

Lady Panthers 40, Cody 28

PHS head coach Scott McKenzie thought his squad “played really well” against Cody (10-11 overall, 3-3 in the quadrant).

The Lady Panthers had a “great first quarter” in running out to a 13-2 lead, he said, but “we let them right back in the second quarter.”

The Fillies hit three 3-pointers and scored 18 points to take a 20-19 lead at halftime.

However, the Fillies left that momentum in the locker room, as Powell bounced back to hold Cody to just eight points in the second half, coming away with a 40-28 win.

“Just had one bad quarter there,” coach McKenzie said. “Which was good for us to respond to what they [Cody] did as we head to tournament.”

A total of six Lady Panthers put points onto the board — the last time that happened was in a Feb. 10 game against Lyman.

Aubrie Stenerson led with 13 points, while Rachel Bonander had 12.

Also putting points on the board were Maddy Hanks with six, Katie McKenzie with five and Karlie McKenzie and Devon Curtis with two apiece.

Hanks led on boards with nine — seven defensive and two offensive. Bonander had seven rebounds.

Both Hanks and Karlie McKenzie had four assists.

For steals, Stenerson led the team with four; Hanks, Karlie McKenzie and Katie McKenzie each had two.

The Lady Panthers had a total of 11 steals against 13 turnovers.

For shooting percentages, Powell shot 20 percent from the 3-point arc, 54 percent from inside the arc and 80 percent at the free throw line.

“A great win for us heading into tournament,” coach McKenzie said.

With it being the last home game of the regular season, the Lady Panthers recognized their lone senior, Hanks. Coach McKenzie said it was “a special night to win that game for Maddy [Hanks] for her senior night.”

“She’s been a great leader for us — she’s a one in a million person and we thank her for everything she’s done for the Lady Panther basketball program,” coach McKenzie said.

Worland 32, Lady Panthers 28

On Tuesday, Feb. 20, Worland’s Lady Warriors (8-11 overall) came to Panther Gym and went home with a 32-28 win.

“We couldn’t score,” said coach McKenzie.

Throughout the game, the Lady Panthers only made seven shots from the field — four baskets from Bonander and three from Stenerson; Bonander ended the game with 11 points and Stenerson finished with 10.

“Just a weird game for us,” coach McKenzie said.

Throughout the game, the Lady Warriors made a total of five 3-point baskets, while the Lady Panthers made zero.

The Lady Panthers have been averaging 3.3 shots from behind the arc. Coach McKenzie said the lack of 3-point baskets was a difference in the game.

Fourteen of the Lady Panthers’ points came from the field, while the other 14 came from free throws, as the Lady Panthers went 14 for 19 at the charity stripe.

Powell shot 74 percent from the free throw line and 27 percent from inside the arc. The Lady Panthers also had 18 turnovers, above their season average of 15.

Bonander had her third double-double in three games, finishing with 11 points and 11 rebounds — eight on defense and three on offense. For the season, Bonander has 10 double-doubles out of the 20 games played. She also blocked six shots against the Lady Warriors.

Stenerson had four steals and both Maddy Hanks and Karlie McKenzie had three each. Katie McKenzie led in assists, with three.

Despite the loss, coach McKenzie said the game was a “great opportunity to learn from that as we head to tournament, because I thought the girl’s really flipped that for the game against Cody.”

The Lady Panthers are in the No. 1 position for the 3A West North Quadrant and will play No. 4 Pinedale (3-19 overall) in the 3A West South Quadrant at 5 p.m. on Thursday. In the previous encounter between the Lady Panthers and the Lady Wranglers, Powell won 39-22.

PHS’ Friday game time depends on the result of Thursday evening’s game.

“We hope to achieve our goal and qualify for state,”coach McKenzie said of the regional tournament. “You got to win two before you lose two.”

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