Lady Panthers finish 4th

RANGELY I After losses to Meeker and Hayden in the district tournament, the lady Panther basketball team will advance as the fourth seed in the Region 4 tournament this weekend in Denver and will play Lutheran at Metro State College at 6 p.m. Friday.
Rangely lost 44-48 in the district semifinals to Meeker, then lost 43-61 to Hayden in the consolation game Saturday in Kremmling.
“It was another close game with Meeker,” head coach Jimmie Mergelman said. “We kind of ran into some bad luck with Hailee (Russell) spraining her ankle in warmups, so she could not play. She has started practicing as of today, so that she will be able to play this weekend.”
Rangely trailed by five points in the first quarter of the Meeker game, with Brittany Babineaux scoring five of her team’s seven points, including a three pointer. Babineaux scored five more in the second quarter, while classmate Quincey Thacker added six and lone senior Haeley Enterline added a basket to help their team pull within three at halftime.
Babineaux, who led all scorers with 17 in the game, scored six more in the third quarter but Rangely was outscored 12-10 and trailed 30-35 going into the final quarter. The lady Panthers made a run and outscored Meeker by one point in the fourth quarter but it wasn’t enough.
Thacker finished in double figures with 13 points, Enterline added six, ?? Frichen scored four, Kelsey Prosser two and Aimee Hogan made a free throw.
“I thought we played OK against Hayden but definitely not up to our potential and Hayden played well last weekend,” Mergelman said.
Thacker scored 10 of Rangely’s 13 points in the first quarter and Babineaux added a three-pointer but the Panthers still trailed by two after eight minutes of play. Hayden scored 15 more in the second quarter and led by seven at halftime.
Babineaux hit another three-pointer and scored eight points of Rangely’s 11 points in the third quarter but Hayden’s Erin Koehler scored 12 by herself, giving the lady Tigers a 48-34 lead with one quarter left to play, where the Panthers were out scored 9-13.
Babineaux again led the Panthers with 19 points, Thacker finished with 15, Enterline, Hogan and Fricken each added two and Holly Lepro added a free throw.
The lady Panthers are one of 32, 2A teams remaining and in the first round of state playoffs, which begin being played around the state this Friday with the “Elite Eight” emerging Saturday.
“We have Lutheran (16-5) on Friday night at Metro State College at 6 p.m.,” Mergelman said of the next challenge for her 14-8 lady Panthers. “They are a good team but definitely beatable if we all play well and together as a team.”