Rugby’s Maria Blessum goes for a shot against a pair of Mavericks defenders last week in Rugby. The Panthers defeated Mohall-Lansford-Sherwood, 51-24. Lori Gronvold for the Tribune

Double-digit runs helped the Rugby Panther girls basketball team cruise past the Mohall-Lansford-Sherwood Mavericks last week in a 51-24 win at home.

The Panthers worked up an early lead on a 12-3 run in the first quarter, taking advantage of missed buckets by the Mavericks as well as transitions.

“Our transition game really helped us,” said Panthers head coach Jen Brossart. “We got to the line right away and I think that helped us.

With a late bucket from forward Janie Savelkoul, the Mavericks were held to just five points on the first quarter.

After a bucket from Mavericks forward Kylie Abernathy, the Panthers went on another 12-3 run in the second quarter to solidify a 28-10 lead at halftime.

The Panther defense would later hold the Mavericks to just nine points in the third quarter and five points in the fourth.

“I think our defense did a heck of a job,” Brossart said.

The Panthers would have their highest scoring output of the night in the third quarter with 17 points six of them coming from guard Karsyn Hager’s third and fourth of four three-pointers on the night.

The Panthers traveled to Minot Thursday to take on the Shiloh Christian Skyhawks. The Panthers will be on the road again Tuesday (Jan. 2, 5:45 p.m.) in a District 11 matchup against the Towner-Granville-Upham Titans.