MIDLAND The Permian Panthers took a little while to get things going Tuesday, but then they rolled in a big way.
Permian bounced back from its first loss in District 2-6A boys basketball competition to beat Midland Lee 65-31 at the Lee gymnasium.
Genuwine Powell scored 21 points and Jonathan Anaya added 17 as the Panthers (18-6 overall, 3-1 district) moved into a three-way tie atop the district standings with Amarillo Tascosa and Midland High.
“It’s always difficult and interesting on the road,” Permian coach Tim Thomas said. “Sometimes it’s as difficult and interesting as you make it. We had 11 turnovers in the first half. We made some adjustments there and it’s great when teams can make in-game adjustments.
“It’s district and obviously we were disappointed in the way we played Friday night (in a 65-52 loss at Midland High). We played a lot better, probably one of the best games we’ve played, or one of the best halves.”
Anaya said the Panthers didn’t want to risk a second consecutive loss, whether on the road or at home.
“We just had to get our intensity up more, play better defense and execute our offense,” he said. “That loss hurt.”
Lee (8-18, 1-3) led only once at 2-0 before Permian scored the next seven points. Both teams struggled most of the second quarter until the Panthers reeled off 11 consecutive points in less than two minutes to go up 22-8 before settling for a 22-10 halftime lead.
“We were a little ragged the first half,” said Powell, who scored his first six points of the game in the second-quarter run. “The second half, we came out stronger. Coach got onto us about having to pick up the intensity and start putting things together.”
The Panthers blew the game open in the third quarter, using a 17-0 run to turn a 27-14 lead into a 44-14 advantage. Powell had 11 points in the period and Anaya added nine as the Panthers outscored the Rebels 25-7 in the quarter.
Eight of the nine players who took the floor for Permian scored at least one basket. Peyton Lay came off the bench with a season-high nine points, all on 3-pointers, while Shy Stephens-Deary and J.J. Vizcaino each scored five points.
Lee was led by Zhuric Phelps with eight points. Shemar Davis, Loic Fouonji and Kyler Pettus each added five points for the Rebels.
Permian held Lee to single digits in each of the first three quarter before the Rebels scored 14 in the fourth. The Panthers took their largest lead at 65-29 on a basket by Ke’Shawn Wright with 32 seconds remaining.
