Powell High School JV girls’ basketball team played its first game since winter break on Saturday at Rocky Mountain. Rust from the two-week hiatus was on full display, with PHS falling 29-19 to the Grizzlies.

“We struggled to find any rhythm of flow in this game,” head coach Troy Hildebrand said.

The Panthers went scoreless in the first eight minutes, trailing 6-0 at the end of the first quarter. In the second, Abby Wambeke hit a 3-pointer to give the girls a spark and cut the Rocky Mountain lead to three at halftime, 12-9.

But after the break, Rocky Mountain built on its lead and eventually won 29-19. The defeat came just three weeks after the Panthers upended the Grizzlies at home, 42-26.

“In the match up before the break we had great success with our press and getting easy baskets in transition against Rocky’s size,” Hildebrand said. “That wasn’t the case this time around as they handled the pressure very well and we had a hard time scoring inside.”

Though he thought the girls played better in the first meeting against Rocky Mountain, Hildebrand was still impressed with the team’s fight through all four quarters.

“I was pleased with how hard the girls played throughout the game when things really weren’t going our way,” the coach said, “but we just weren’t able to turn it into any type of run to get back in front.”

Gretel Opps and Kami Jensen posted four points each, a team high. Wambeke followed behind with three, and Kaili Wisniewski, Abi Urbach, Addy Thorington and Megan Jacobsen each added two.

The Powell JV — now 2-3 — has a chance to return to .500 on Friday, when the Panthers host Shoshoni. The game is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.

“We will see if we can get ourselves back on track and into a better flow on offense,” Hildebrand said.