{gallery}01_26_10/phsgbball{/gallery}Leslie Thronburg (23) scores two of her 15 points during the Lady Panthers' run in the third quarter of their win over Cody. Tribune photo by Don AmendAt the end of the third quarter in Friday's basketball game between the Powell Lady Panthers and the Cody Fillies, the announcer declared “Ladies and gentlemen, we have the winner...”The emcee was actually referring to an ongoing silent auction, but he might just as well have been speaking about the basketball game.Riding a dominant 23-point third period, the hosting Lady Panthers (10-2 overall, 4-2 in Class 3A West) took down the Fillies (11-3, 4-2) in a 55-28 decision.

The teams battled back and forth in a low-scoring first half, trading leads and missed shots.

Powell seized the lead for good on a 3-point play from junior Olivia Rogers with about 1:22 left in the second quarter, going up 16-13.

PHS entered the half with a narrow 18-15 lead, but exploded out of the gate in the third quarter.

Girls' head coach Luke Danforth said that at the half, the team talked about some things to work on and that “it was time for us to just show up and play.”

Driven by six points each from senior Hannah Pollart and junior Leslie Thronburg, the Lady Panthers opened the third quarter with a game-changing 12-2 run. Pollart picked up her third foul with 3:53 remaining in the quarter and was summoned to the bench, but the Lady Panther offense rolled on with buckets from Rogers and seniors Kami Cooley and Savannah Donarski.

By the end of the third period, PHS was up 20 points — 41-21 — and the Lady Panthers cruised to a 27-point win.

“It's nice to have it end that way occasionally,” said Coach Danforth.

Four different Lady Panthers — led by 15 points from Thronburg — broke into double figures.

Pollart scored 14 points and snagged 11 rebounds, Donarski registered 11 points and led with 12 rebounds and five blocks, while Rogers also added 11 points. Cooley scored four, and Danforth credited her defensive play.

He called the game “a real team effort.”

Despite struggling from the free-throw line, the Lady Panthers sunk a healthy 57 percent of their shots from the floor; they helped hold Cody to a cold 23-percent shooting rate.

Cody had been ranked No. 1 in Class 3A going into the game, with Powell ranked No. 5, according to Wyopreps.com's media and coaches' poll.

The Lady Panthers will head to Worland on Friday for a 5:45 p.m. matchup with the Lady Warriors — who ruined Lander Valley's perfect conference record last weekend.

“The conference has tightened up again,” Danforth said. “That makes this trip to Worland very important.”