Powell clobbers Lady Bulldogs in regular season finale

Hoping to turn around a recent losing streak in their final home game of the season, the Lovell Lady Bulldogs instead were buried by a strong and efficient Powell Lady Panther squad Thursday night at Winterholler Gym, falling 48-26.

The Lady Bulldogs finished the season on a three-game losing skid, all at home, as they struggled to put the ball in the basket.

Powell never trailed Thursday, jumping out to an 11-0 lead. It looked like the Lady Bulldogs might not score in the first period until sophomore Brooklin Clark stole the ball and converted the steal into two points. But that was it in the first quarter for the home team as Powell went on to lead 16-2 at the quarter break.

“In the beginning I thought we had some shots that we could have hit, which would have helped us,” Lovell coach Brian May said. “They guard on the perimeter well and have posts to match our posts. Our turnovers were similar (Lovell 16, Powell 15), but they did out-rebound us (31-23), which was a factor. We weren’t getting many second-chance opportunities. We’re usually at least equal with teams. They had more opportunities offensively.

“I expected us to play better from the get-go and execute better in the half-court. We did try some different zone defenses off and on throughout the game. That frustrated them a little bit.

It was more of the same in the second quarter as Powell hit three three-pointers and outscored the Lady Bulldogs 15-6 to lead 31-8 at halftime. Lovell did get two free throws by Clark, an inside bucket by senior Libby Mickelson and a jumper on a pretty move by senior Raegan May.

The two teams traded baskets in the second half as Lovell outscored Powell 18-17 for a final score of 48-26. Senior Breeah Jones scored 8 points for the Lady Bulldogs in the second half including a pair of three-pointers.

“We played tight in the first half. It was kind of a mental barrier,” May said. “We were anxious and nervous. When we just start playing, we do pretty well.”

Lovell shot just 24 percent from the field, 15 percent from beyond the arc.

Jones led the Lady Bulldogs with 8 points, and Mickelson added 6 points, Clark and Kennadee Owens 4 each, Kenadee Rael and May 2 apiece. Mickelson pulled down five rebounds, May four. Owens led with three assists.

Regional tournament

The Lady Bulldogs were three games over .500 – 9-6 -- after beating Thermopolis on February 1 but have dropped six of their last seven games and will take a record of 10-12 into the postseason, 2-8 in the 3A West.

The 3A West has gone to a 1-through-8 format for the regional tournament instead of the former seeding by quadrant, and Lovell will enter the tournament in Lander as the seventh seed, which means they will open with a powerful Cody Fillies squad today (Thursday) at 1 p.m. at the Fieldhouse.

“In any game you want to play well,” May said. “Cody presents a challenge, because they are lengthy, strong and physical. We need to match their physicality, be strong with the ball and not panic. We want to show them we can play with them and be successful on the offensive and defensive things we want to do.

“We’re healthy now, and we just have to have some young kids step up and give us good things, and our seniors have to lead and play by example.”

If the Lady Bulldogs upset Cody, they will meet the winner of the Mountain View-Lyman game Friday at 3:30 p.m. If they fall to the Fillies, they will meet the Mountain View-Lyman loser Friday at 9 a.m.