Bulldogs struggle against Powell, bounce back at Thermop

The Lovell Bulldogs plowed headlong into conference play last week, struggling at home Thursday in a 54-29 loss to top-ranked Powell, then rebounding to beat fifth-ranked Thermopolis on the road Friday, 44-41.
The Bulldogs struggled offensively all night long against Powell Friday as the Panthers brought a physical brand of basketball to Winterholler Gym and totally took the Bulldogs out of their game.
Having lost to the Panthers by just two points in the championship game of the Big Horn Basin Classic on January 13, the Bulldogs came into the game with confidence, Lovell coach Shane Durtsche said, though he said coaches were “a little leery” knowing the Panthers wouldn’t take the Bulldogs for granted.
“This time they came in with a chip on their shoulder,” he said. “You could see that part of their game plan was to be physical and see what was allowed (by referees). If Powell is going to be allowed to play that physically, there isn’t a team in 3A that can beat them they’re so physically imposing.
“But we didn’t do much to help ourselves. We didn’t play good team basketball and didn’t have good movement. We missed some easy shots, and our free throw shooting was terrible (47 percent). We got beat up on the boards, too, 39-18. It’s going to be a long night when you give up 16 offensive rebounds.”
Neither team scored early in the game until nearly three minutes had ticked off the clock when Marshal Lewis scored on a rainbow jumper for Powell. Powell went on to lead 6-0 midway through the first quarter as the Bulldogs couldn’t buy a basket.
Lovell finally broke the ice with 3:12 left in the first quarter when Davin Crosby scored on an in-bounds play. Owen Walker’s turnaround jumper made it 9-4 on the scoreboard moments later, and Powell went on to lead at the quarter break, 11-5.
A slash by Matthew Newman and a three-pointer by Blake Wilson kept the Bulldogs close at 13-10 early in the second quarter, but Powell outscored the home team 11-1 the rest of the quarter to lead 24-11 at halftime.
Walker converted a steal for two on an assist from Newman, and Kaeson Anderson hit two free throws to keep Lovell in the hunt early in the third, trailing 24-15, and two free throws later in the quarter by Parker Anderson had Lovell in striking distance trailing 33-23. But Powell outscored the Bulldogs 8-0 in the final minute and a half of the third to lead 41-23.
A demoralized Bulldog team fell further behind in the fourth as Durtsche rested his starters in anticipation of the Thermopolis game. Powell outscored Lovell 13-6 in the final quarter to win by 25 points, 54-29.
After the game, Durtsche said there was no use drilling in on the poor play.
“I didn’t say much at all,” he said, “just that we need to figure it out basically. We knew the game (the next day) at Thermopolis was really the more important game, the one we had to have.”
Newman and Crosby finished with 7 points each, Walker 5, Blake Wilson 3, Robert Romero, Kaeson Anderson and Parker Anderson 2 each, Kyle Wilson 1.
Win at Thermop
The Bulldogs regrouped to defeat a strong Thermopolis team (8-4 last week) in a nail-biter on the road Friday night.
Durtsche said the Bulldogs would build a lead, then see the battling Bobcats fight back. For instance, Lovell led 16-8 late in the first half, only to see the home team cut the lead to three at halftime, 16-13.
“We’d go out to an eight- to 10-point lead, then here they come,” he said. “They’re a pretty salty basketball team, long and athletic. We didn’t shoot very well, two for 20 from three. We did have good looks, open shots.
“We did play pretty good defense. Davin did a good job man to man on number 23 (Potter).”
Lovell outscored Thermop 15-10 in the third quarter to lead 31-23, then took a 10-point lead, 33-23, early in the fourth. Then the Bobcats applied a 1-2-2 press and fought back, eventually falling 44-41.
“We didn’t handle their pressure very well,” Durtsche said. “I was disappointed in how we closed that game out (eight missed free throws in the last quarter).
“Overall, it was better (than Powell). Our pressure generated quite a few turnovers (20). We had double-digit steals. We beat them in rebounds (36-29), so that was good.”
Walker led Lovell with 15 points, and Newman added 13, Parker Anderson 10, Romero and Blake Wilson 2 each, Kaeson Anderson and Crosby 1 apiece. Walker grabbed 14 rebounds to record a strong double-double.
Junior varsity
The Lovell JV team split its two games last week, battling but ultimately falling to Powell, 57-51 Thursday, then stopping Thermopolis on Friday, 65-54.
Trailing Powell 28-23 at halftime Thursday, the Bulldogs rallied to outscore the Panthers 17-13 in the third quarter, but Powell claimed the fourth, 16-11.
Kaeson Anderson led Lovell with 15 points, and Cash Wassmer added 13, Parker Steenbakkers 12, Braxton Felkins and Brody Muller 4 each, Jarrett Allen 2 and Owen Edwards 1.
Saturday in Thermop, the Bulldogs trailed the Bobcats 35-30 at intermission but outscored the home team 35-19 in the second half. Felkins scored 14 points, Kyle Wilson 12, Anderson 10, Steenbakkers 9, Edwards and Romero 8 each and Muller 4.
Road trip
The Bulldogs (12-4) will hit the road to Southwest Wyoming this weekend, making the long drive to Pinedale to meet the 8-4 Wranglers at 4 (JVs) and 7 p.m. Friday, then meeting Lander (3-9) Saturday at 1 and 4 p.m.
Pinedale is the top team in the 3A Southwest, forging a 3-0 conference record and stopping Lander last week 65-44. The Wranglers have seven seniors on the roster who have played together for years, Durtsche said, and will be looking for payback after Lovell knocked them out at the regional tournament last year.
“They literally have everyone back (from that team),” he said, noting that most of Pinedale’s losses have come against strong teams. “They shoot it from anywhere,” he added. “It will be a heck of a test.”
Though 3-9 overall, Lander did beat Lyman 49-36 in a January 18 conference game and also defeated Worland. Like Pinedale, the Tigers have lost to some strong teams, including 4A teams.
“Stu (Mullins, head coach) is doing a nice job,” Durtsche said. “Their kids play hard and keep coming at you. They’ll extend a 2-3 zone and pressure you throughout the game.
“This will be a tough road swing for us.”