Panthers lose two at the buzzer

Posted 2/27/18

“I was impressed with how my guys played,” head coach Chase Kistler said of the two games, adding that the Panthers are playing more consistently than they have all year.

Worland 53, Panthers 50

The first basket of the Tuesday, Feb. 20, …

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Panthers lose two at the buzzer

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Late-game heroics come up short against Worland, Cody

The Powell High School Panther basketball team lost their last two home games of the regular season, as last-second baskets fell through the net for both Worland and Cody.

“I was impressed with how my guys played,” head coach Chase Kistler said of the two games, adding that the Panthers are playing more consistently than they have all year.

Worland 53, Panthers 50

The first basket of the Tuesday, Feb. 20, game was scored by Worland more than three minutes into the game, but that would be the Warriors’ only bucket, as the Panthers led 11-2 going into the second quarter.

However, the Warriors started the second period with a 9-0 run to tie the game at 11 with 6:57 remaining; six seconds later, they took a 13-11 lead.

Neither team led by more than two points for the remainder of the quarter, until Powell took a 26-23 halftime lead.

The third quarter proved similar, as neither team led by more than three points.

Heading into the final quarter of play, it was a one-point game, with Worland up 38-37.

Worland led 50-46 in the closing minute, but Carson Heinen hit a basket to cut the Warriors’ advantage to 50-48 with 28 seconds left in regulation.

Then, with 20.3 seconds left, Luke Washington stole Worland’s attempt to inbound the ball. Washington missed a shot, but Zach Meredith got the offensive rebound and was fouled with 16.3 seconds remaining.

Meredith then made both free throws to tie the game at 50.

However, Worland made a 3-point basket with one second left to win 53-50 in the Panther gym.

Meredith led with 14 points and finished with 11 boards to record a double-double. Jace Smith and Washington each scored 10. Washington also had three steals.

Heinen led the team with five assists to go along with eight boards — six defensive and two offensive.

For the game, the Panthers had only 17 turnovers.

PHS shot 36 percent from the free throw line, 61 percent from the field and went 0-7 at the 3-point line.

“Not saying we have to live by the three, but 0-7 just means that is seven empty possessions that, if we would have hit one of those, it would have probably been a tide-turner,” Kistler said.

Worland shot 38 percent from the field, 32 percent at the arc and 50 percent at the free throw line.

Cody 57, Powell 55

The Cody Broncs came to Powell on Friday for the final game of the regular season. The Panthers’ five seniors — Aaron Jacobsen, Trent Desjarlais, Meredith, Smith, and Washington — were also recognized for senior night.

“I thought we played very well against Cody,” Kistler said. “It being a rival game, it’s loud. The band was going, it was crazy in the gym, it was a great atmosphere and our kids handled it well.”

After the first quarter, the Broncs led 16-8.

“They [Cody] came out on fire,” Kistler said.

But Powell fought back in the second quarter to make it 27-21 going into the half.

The third quarter started well for Cody, as the Broncs increased the lead to 19-points.

However, in the fourth quarter, Powell rallied. That included three consecutive 3-pointers — two from Kaelan Groves and one from Smith — to make it a three-point game, 48-45, with 4:50 left to play.

With 2:18 remaining, Heinen sank two free throws to give the Panthers a one-point lead, 51-50.

From there, each team bounced back and forth.

With 6.9 seconds on the clock and the Panthers down by two, Heinen hit another pair of free throws to tie things at 55.

“We just played consistent and met them at the end and it was encouraging to see the two free throws we made to tie it,” Kistler said. “It doesn’t get any bigger than that,”

Cody inbounded the ball under the Powell hoop and drove up the court against the Panthers’ full-court press. The Broncs missed a last-second shot, but it was tipped in at the buzzer to give the Broncs a 57-55 win.

“They had to make a hard shot to win the game,” Kistler said. “I guess rival games are exciting like that — when they come down to the very last seconds.”

Powell and Cody played previously on Jan. 26, where the Broncs won 70-45.

Kistler said the team’s showing its best consistency and “everyone is kind of chipping in.”

Smith led with 12 points to go along with three steals and four assists. Heinen finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds for a double-double, plus six assists. Groves scored 10 points, all in the second half, and added four assists.

The Panthers had 17 assists and 16 turnovers.

Powell shot 51 percent from the field, 27 percent from the 3-point arc and 73 percent from the free throw line.

The Broncs shot 44 percent from the field, 45 percent at the 3-point line and 75 percent at the charity stripe.

The Panthers will head to Pinedale to compete in the 3A West Regional Tournament, with the first game Thursday at 8 p.m. against Star Valley.

Kistler said the team’s goal is to make it to the 3A State Tournament.

The coach said he told the team after Friday’s loss to Cody that, “You just got beat by that team by 25 points a couple weeks ago and now you’re taking them to the wire so, have they improved, I don’t know, but have you? I can honestly say yes. So we’ll just wait to see what one more week has in store for us.”

Kistler said most coaches he’s talked to have said the Panthers are one of this season’s most improved teams.

“They just keep fighting, which is a great thing to see,” Kistler said.

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