Shorthanded and battling in a contest that saw 48 combined free throws between the two teams, the Powell Panther girls’ basketball team’s spirited comeback attempt came up just short in the second half Friday in Lander, falling to the Tigers for a second time 54-47.

LANDER 54, POWELL 47

The Panthers (10-4 overall, 3-0 3A Northwest) were looking to even the season series in their second trip to Lander after losing the opening game of the season against the Tigers (8-7 overall, 0-3 3A Southwest).

Three minutes in, Lander held an early 6-2 lead before Powell found its groove in the first quarter despite missing starter Saige Kidd due to illness.

“We didn’t have Saige and we were already in a different rotation,” coach Chelsea Kistler said. “We weren’t as big as we normally are … it took us out of our rhythm and routine from the jump.”

Powell gained the lead with a 9-3 stretch, before finishing the first quarter with a 14-10 lead after a strong scoring start from Addy Thorington.

Strong scoring from Waycee Harvey helped Powell push the lead out to 20-14, with five minutes left in the quarter.

The final point for Powell came on a Thorington free throw with three minutes left, before Lander started a scoring run to end the half.

Foul trouble mounted late in the half, with key rotational pieces in Harvey, Thorington and Coy Erickson having picking up their second or third fouls with two minutes left.

“In the second quarter I think I had three of my five starters in foul trouble,” Kistler said. 

Lander has multiple and-one opportunities, which helped the Tigers find their stride while also stopping the Panthers offense as free throws became a common theme of the night.

Lander finished the half with an 11-0 run stretch, going into the break with a 29-20 lead.

The run continued out of the locker room out to 16, before Erickson ended the run to make it 34-23.

Lander continued pushing, building the lead to 39-23 before the Panthers started chipping away.

A smaller Panther lineup started to gain ground, cutting the lead down to single-digits after a Harvey free throw with just over three minutes left in the third.

“Waycee attacked seams and got to the line a lot,” Kistler said. 

After a strong push, Powell cut the lead down to 44-35 going into the fourth quarter.

Lander pushed the lead back out to 47-35 before Emery Hernandez started the next strong scoring stretch for the Panthers.

That stretch saw Powell go on a 10-1 scoring run, cutting the lead down to 48-45.

“My girls could have easily just given up. We haven’t been in a lot of those situations, it has been Lander and Cody,” Kistler said. “You just hope that you grow from it and continue to build. You hope by (regionals and state) that you’re starting to figure it out and be on the other side of that win-loss column.”

Unfortunately for the Panthers they got no closer, falling for the second time this season to the Tigers 54-47.

Offensive rebounding was a key factor in the contest, as Lander grabbed 15. Kistler felt the Panthers needed to be better at securing a defensive rebound.

“Our boxing out, that was the number one thing we talked about at quarters, timeouts, halftime and after the game was just going and finding someone,” Kistler said.

Thorington led with an 18 point, 11 rebound double-double — just ahead of Harvey who had 12 points and six assists.

CANCELATION AND TWO DIFFERENT MATCHUPS

Powell was supposed to continue its road trip to Pinedale on Saturday for a top five matchup, but the No. 3-ranked Panthers were unable to make the journey over South Pass the morning of and canceled the matchup against the No. 4-ranked Wranglers.

That means the next opportunity to get on the court will be Friday, heading down to Worland to take on the Warriors (4-13 overall, 1-2 3A Northwest) at 5:30 p.m.

“It is difficult (to play there),” Kistler said. “Second round of quadrant games start Friday. The mindset we are going to approach the week with is that it’s back to 0-0, I know that we beat everybody in our quadrant the first time around but they are out gunning for us.”

Powell sits atop the 3A Northwest with the Warriors in third behind Lovell but ahead of Thermopolis.

The Panthers will then turn around to a non-conference game against a top 3A East opponent, taking on the top team in the 3A Northeast, the Buffalo Bison (13-1 overall, 3-0 3A Northeast).

“It’s nice to see Buffalo because they are on the other side and ranked No. 2 in 3A,” Kistler said. “I hope we can compete and see where we are at compared to the other side.”

That contest will tip off in Powell at 3 p.m. on Saturday.

All rankings are courtesy of the WyoPreps Coaches and Media Poll.

LANDER 54, POWELL 47

Total rebounds then offensive rebounds in ()

Points — Addy Thorington 18, Waycee Harvey 12, Ivy Agee 5, Emery Hernandez 4, Catelynn Floy 4, Alexa Richardson 2, Coy Erickson 2

Rebounds — Addy Thorington 11 (2), Ivy Agee 4 (2), Catelynn Floy 4 (2), Alexa Richardson 3 (2), Lauryn Bennett 3 (3), Coy Erickson 2, Emery Hernandez 2 (1), Waycee Harvey 1 (1)

Assists — Waycee Harvey 6, Alexa Richardson 2, Catelynn Floy 2, Ivy Agee 1, Addy Thorington 1

Steals — Alexa Richardson 2, Emery Hernandez 2, Ivy Agee 1, Coy Erickson 1, Catelynn Floy 1

Blocks — Coy Erickson 1, Addy Thorington 1, Emery Hernandez 1