A difficult end to the season came in Casper for the Powell Panther boys’ basketball team as a tough first half against Wheatland led to a 46-38 loss and a fourth quarter push by Douglas led to a 66-60 loss to end the Panthers season at the state tournament.

WHEATLAND 46, POWELL 38

Starting out as the No. 3-seed from the west the Panthers (16-12) took on the east No. 2-seed  Bulldogs (16-13) in a rematch from last year’s state title game.

Scoring was difficult to come by for either team in the first quarter, as Powell led 4-2 midway through the first quarter after a pair of Alex Jordan baskets.

Wheatland responded and added a 3-pointer late in the quarter to lead 7-4 heading into the second.

Powell ended its first half scoring skid with a Taeson Schultz basket with 5:48 remaining in the second quarter to trail 9-6.

Unfortunately for the Panthers, that was the last basket of the half.

Wheatland took advantage of the Powell drought, and made it a 16-6 game with four minutes left in the half. The Bulldogs extended it to 18-6 with 2:44 remaining, leading to a Powell timeout.

Powell’s poor first half came to a close as they trailed 22-6 at the break.

“Wheatland was able to get us to play at their pace and style in the first half. We didn’t play aggressively on the offensive end and when we did get good looks at the basket we simply couldn’t get the ball to go in,” coach Mike Heny said. “Wheatland is a really sound defensive team but I thought most of our issues in the first half were self-inflicted. We started walking the ball up the court and really let them dictate how the game was going to be played. On top of our offensive struggles, we just couldn’t seem to keep their two best players from hurting us by getting to the rim or hitting open shots.”

Powell hit double digits early in the third quarter, and started pushing the pace and battle back.

The Panthers got it down to 29-14 midway through the quarter behind 10 total points by Jordan.

Landon Hyde’s putback cut the lead down to 33-24 with a minute left, and the Panthers eventually trailed 36-28 heading into the fourth quarter.

Powell got it down to two possessions with 4:40 remaining, and forced a Wheatland timeout.

The Panthers continued to stay close but were unable to get within a single possession, as an Evan Whitlock putback made it 40-36.

Another basket and response made it 42-38 with 2:05 remaining, but the Panthers couldn't get closer.

Free throws down the stretch helped Wheatland pull away as the Bulldogs got the 46-38 win, avenging last year’s state loss and an early season loss in Douglas to the Panthers.

“The only adjustment we really made at halftime was to get more aggressive and push the pace of the game. We finally started getting out in transition and the kids were looking to score before Wheatland had a chance to really get set on defense,” Heny said. “I was really proud of how they battled back after digging that 16 point hole at halftime. Once we cut the lead to four I really thought we had a great chance to complete the comeback. Unfortunately, we just couldn’t make the shot or get the stop we needed in the fourth quarter.”

Jordan led with 16 points and added seven rebounds, while Jaxon Hancock led with nine rebounds.

DOUGLAS 66, POWELL 60

After the loss the Panthers dropped down to the consolation bracket, meaning another loss against the Bearcats (19-10) would end their season.

Scoring came in bunches for both teams in the first quarter, as Powell led 10-8 midway through and the two teams were deadlocked at 16 heading into the second quarter.

“The kids came out with a great attitude on Friday and we just wanted to play hard,” Heny said. “Douglas is a very similar team with the one big and a bunch of guards so we knew it would be a close contest. After losing in the first round you just want your season to continue and try to end with a couple of wins for the seniors, so the kids gave it everything they had to try and get the win.”

Powell regained the lead and led 23-20 midway through, but Douglas kept things close and a basket made it 23-22 and forced a Powell timeout with 2:39 remaining.

The Panthers clung onto the lead heading into the break with a 28-27 advantage.

Powell kept that same advantage at the halfway point of the third quarter after a Whitlock basket, and the Panthers made it 37-34 and forced a Douglas timeout with 2:49 left.

A bucket at the buzzer kept Douglas within striking distance as the Panthers led 44-42 heading into the fourth quarter.

Powell continued to hang onto the lead up 48-46 after another Whitlock jumper with 6:02 remaining, before Douglas answered with a 5-0 run in the next minute and forced a Powell timeout.

The Panthers trailed 53-50 after a Nathan Preator jumper with 3:01 left.

Douglas made it a six point game, before the Panthers responded with a 4-0 run, but a big 3-pointer by the Bearcats made it a five point game.

Powell cut the lead and, trailing 61-58, forced a five second call after a timeout to get the ball back with 45.6 seconds left.

Powell had its chances to get within one or tie the game but was unable to find a basket, and eventually Douglas free throws made it a two possession game.

The Panthers got within three one more time, but couldn’t find any baskets in the final minute, as the Bearcats pulled away at the line for the 66-60 win and ended the Panthers season.

Jordan led with 21 points, 14 rebound double-doubles, Preator added 11 points and Schultz added 10.

Hancock added 11 rebounds.

The Panthers had difficulty slowing down Bearcats guard Collin Roberts, who finished with 28 points to lead all scorers.

“The Roberts kid obviously killed us the entire day with his scoring,” Heny said. “We didn’t do a good enough job on him defensively at times and you can’t do that against a really good shooter when they are playing as well as he has. We lost him a couple of times by not communicating on defense and he made us pay for those mistakes every time.”

OUTGOING SENIORS AND RETURNERS

The Panthers now say goodbye to a group of seniors in Jordan, Dawson Griffin, Whitlock and Hancock, as Powell will look to regroup after losing four starters.

“It’s always hard to lose seniors who have given their all for four years in the program,” Heny said. “We’ll really miss this group and what they have accomplished. They were all part of our success during their tenure and a great group of young men.”

With that group of outgoing seniors the Panthers will need to replace a good portion of their production on both ends of the floor, but Heny believes the Panthers have a good group returning who got significant time this year.

“We do have another great group of kids coming back next year as well,” Heny said. “Nathan really started to find his scoring late in the season as he settled into his starting role. Taeson shot the ball extremely well and ended up leading us in 3-pointers made. Landon was able to get valuable minutes as well and we look forward to getting Caden Nelson and Abel Teten back after their injuries this season. We’ll need a good offseason to develop some more depth but I’m looking forward to seeing what this next group can accomplish as well.”

WHEATLAND 46, POWELL 38

Total rebounds then offensive rebounds in ()

Points — Alex Jordan 16, Dawson Griffin 6, Taeson Schultz 5, Evan Whitlock 4, Nathan Preator 3, Landon Hyde 2, Jaxon Hancock 2

Rebounds — Jaxon Hancock 9 (2), Alex Jordan 7 (3), Evan Whitlock 5 (4), Landon Hyde 3 (3), Nathan Preator 1, Dawson Griffin 1 (1)

Assists — Nathan Preator 1, Evan Whitlock 1, Landon Hyde 1, Alex Jordan 1, Dawson Griffin 1

Steals — Nathan Preator 1, Taeson Schultz 1, Evan Whitlock 1, Alex Jordan 1

Blocks — Nathan Preator 1, Jaxon Hancock 1

DOUGLAS 66, POWELL 60

Points — Alex Jordan 21, Nathan Preator 11, Taeson Schultz 10, Evan Whitlock 9, Jaxon Hancock 5, Dawson Griffin 4

Rebounds — Alex Jordan 14 (7), Jaxon Hancock 11 (2), Evan Whitlock 4 (1), Taeson Schultz 3, Nathan Preator 2 (1), Dawson Griffin 2 (2), Landon Hyde 1

Assists — Dawson Griffin 2, Nathan Preator 1, Taeson Schultz 1, Landon Hyde 1, Alex Jordan 1

Steals — Nathan Preator 1, Taeson Schultz 1, Dawson Griffin 1

Blocks — Dawson Griffin 1