From the outset of the Permian girls basketball teams’ game Tuesday night against Midland High, the Lady Panthers couldn’t find a rhythm.

Whether it was offensively, when passes couldn’t connect and shots rimmed out, or on defense as Midland High kept pushing to find the hoop, almost everything went wrong.

That allowed Midland High to down the Lady Panthers 50-26 at the Permian Fieldhouse in District 2-6A action.

Taysha Rushton led all scorers with 18 points for the Lady Dawgs. Permian’s Klarrissa Cruz led the Lady Panthers with 13 points.

The loss puts Permian on the outside of the early playoff picture, as one of the two teams yet to win a game in District 2-6A play, along with Odessa High.

“I didn’t see anything,” Permian head coach Angela Braziel-Smith said. “We were flat from the beginning and we were flat throughout the whole game.

“It started from the jump ball. Midland High came and they wanted it.”

After a few things went wrong for Permian in the game’s opening minutes, Braziel-Smith took her first timeout to quell Midland High’s momentum.

The game only spiraled out of control quicker after that as Permian found early foul trouble, with both Cruz and Alena Madero picking up two fouls by the time the contest was six minutes old.

Midland High then took advantage with several solid offensive possessions with two of the Lady Panthers’ more aggressive defenders out of the game.

Cruz scored all of Permian’s first-quarter points. Another Lady Panther didn’t score until Alexis Contee swished a free throw at the 5:23-mark of the second quarter. Reyna Rayos scored Permian’s lone field goal of the second quarter with under a minute to go until halftime when she banked in a 3-pointer.

“I thought our girls came out focused defensively and took care of business and they followed the game plan,” Midland High head coach Wes Torres said. “They played tough defense.”

Permian (10-11 overall, 0-2 District 2-6A) didn’t find a spark in the third quarter either as it only scored four points in the frame.

The Lady Dawgs came into the contest focused on getting Permian away from its forceful press on defense. Midland High accomplished that goal by jumping out to an early double-digit lead and never relented.

“They are very potent and athletic and they thrive on steals and in transition,” Torres said about Permian. “I felt like our defense limited their ability to score, which limited their ability to press us.

“They’re a good pressing team and when we keep them from scoring, you’re able to keep away from their press.”

As Midland High (18-9, 2-0) constantly rotated players in the fourth quarter, the Lady Panthers found some success offensively, scoring 12 points and sinking five of its nine field goals in the game.

“It’s definitely a reality check,” Braziel-Smith said. “It’s a reality check for the girls and for myself … I know it’s fixable and I know they’re adjustments that can be made.

“I’m not going to give up on them. We’ve got to push through.”

Midland High 50, Permian 26

MIDLAND HIGH (18-9 overall, 2-0 District 2-6A)

Maya Duarte 0 1-1 1, Quay Webster 1 5-6 7, Savanna Carter 0 0-0 0, Taysha Rushton 7 0-2 18, Sadie Govan 3 0-3 8, Jurnee Williams 6 0-1 12, Zoe Taylor 2 0-0 4, Racey Halie 0 0-2 0. Totals 19 6-15 50.

PERMIAN (10-11, 0-2)

Jasmine Gasdon 0 0-0 0, Reyna Rayos 1 1-2 4, Kealeigh Munguia 0 0-0 0, Natalie Baeza 2 0-0 4, Klarrissa Cruz 5 3-4 13, Artashia Armendariz 1 0-0 2, Alena Madero 0 2-4 2, Ashton Garner 0 0-0 0, Alexis Contee 0 1-2 1, Rosie Crawford 0 0-0 0. Totals 9 7-12 26.

Midland High………. 15.. 13   15     7   —    50

Permian……………….. 4…. 6     4   12   —    26

3-Point goals — Midland High 6 (Rushton 4, Govan 2); Permian 1 (Rayos). Total fouls — Midland High 15; Permian 18. Fouled out — None. Technical fouls — None. JV — Permian 56, Midland High 48.

District 2-6A Standings

                                          Overall       District

Team                                 W      L      W        L

Midland High………………. 18      9        2        0

Amarillo Tascosa………… 15      9        2        0

Wolfforth Frenship………… 19      7        1        1

Midland Lee……………….. 12    12        1        1

Permian……………………… 10    11        0        2

Odessa High………………… 5    18        0        2

Tuesday, Jan. 9

Wolfforth Frenship 67, Odessa High 34

Midland High 50, Permian 26

Amarillo Tascosa 67, Midland Lee 46

Friday, Jan. 12

Midland Lee at Odessa High, 6 p.m.

Permian at Wolfforth Frenship, 6 p.m.

Amarillo Tascosa at Midland High, 6 p.m.