Panthers sail to weekend wins

Powell bests Pinedale 73-32, Kemmerer 71-31

Posted 2/9/21

Just moments into Powell’s home tilt against Pinedale on Friday, one thing was clear: The Panthers weren’t going to be stopped. 

Thanks to an effective full-court press and …

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Panthers sail to weekend wins

Powell bests Pinedale 73-32, Kemmerer 71-31

Posted

Just moments into Powell’s home tilt against Pinedale on Friday, one thing was clear: The Panthers weren’t going to be stopped. 

Thanks to an effective full-court press and efficient shooting, PHS clawed out to a 18-6 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Panthers built on this momentum as the game progressed, eventually winning 73-32. 

As a team, PHS posted a 53% shooting clip from the field, despite shooting below 20% from 3-point range. Much of the Panthers’ offensive production came in transition, resulting from stingy pressure on the defensive end. 

“We felt like we had a big advantage with our athleticism and wanted to use that to generate turnovers and get us going in transition,” PHS head coach Mike Heny said. “We were able to create a lot of live-ball turnovers in both games which limited them offensively and allowed us to turn those into easy buckets.”

Three Panthers — Mason Marchant, Landon Lengfelder and Adrian Geller — finished in double figures Friday. Marchant’s 21 points were a team-high, while Lengfelder and Geller each added 12.

Game two of the weekend — a Saturday afternoon contest against Kemmerer — was more of the same. Powell improved to 10-2, defeating the visiting Rangers 71-31. 

PHS shot even better on Saturday than Friday, posting a 63% clip from the field. Every Panther scored in the rout, with Marchant (15 points) once again leading the offensive effort. The full lineup contributed to the win.

“It’s always nice to be able to get all the kids into the game so we can give those players experience at the varsity level,” Heny said. “We try to do the best we can developing the players at all three levels and give them opportunities to play against better competition whenever we have the chance.”

Though neither game was close, Heny thinks the blowouts will help the team as it prepares for state. 

“Right now, it’s really just about making sure we are prepared each week to be at our best,” Heny said. “The kids did a great job staying focused on what they needed to do each game. We want to be playing our best basketball when it comes to tournament time, so each week needs to be a step toward meeting that goal.”

With roughly a month until the Class 3A State Basketball Tournament in Casper, the Panthers have only lost twice this year. They will return to the hardwood this weekend, playing Thermopolis on the road Friday and hosting Worland on Saturday.

       

Powell 73, Pinedale 32

Points — Mason Marchant 21, Landon Lengfelder 12, Adrian Geller 12, Trevor Groves 8, Jaden Marchant 7, Landon Sessions 4, Toran Graham 4, Brock Johnson 2, Gunnar Erickson 2, Zach Ratcliff 1; Rebounds — J. Marchant 7, M. Marchant 7, Graham 6, Groves 4, Sessions 4, Ratcliff 3, Lengfelder 2, Dylan Escalante 1, Adrian Geller 1; Steals — Groves 4; Assists — M. Marchant 5

         

Powell 71, Kemmerer 31

Points — M. Marchant 15, Lengfelder 12, J. Marchant 11, Geller 6, Gunnar Erickson 5, Graham 4, Johnson 4, Ratcliff 3, Sessions 3, Keaton Rowton 3, Groves 3, Escalante 2; Rebounds — M. Marchant 6, J. Marchant 4, Johnson 4, Groves 3, Geller 3, Graham 2, Escalante 1, Sessions 1, Erickson 1, Lengfelder 1; Steals — Lengfelder 5; Assists — M. Marchant 6

Powell High School, Panther Basketball

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