POCATELLO — A raucous home crowd and a huge momentum-swinging third quarter weren’t quite enough to end Pocatello’s six-game losing streak as the Indians ultimately fell to the crosstown rival Highland Rams 37-26 on Wednesday night at The Palace.

Meghan Calley and Khalia Pongah each had nine points to lead the way for the Rams, whose record neared the .500 mark with the victory.

Rams head coach Gino Mariani was especially impressed with his freshman point guard’s play in just her second start.

“She came out and hit some big shots early and gave us a nice, comfortable lead early on,” Mariani said of Pongah. “She’s playing much better each game, getting more and more confident and that always helps.”

PHOTOS: Highland-Pocatello girls basketball

Pongah hit two of her three triples in the first half, helping the Rams cruise out to a 14-3 lead at the end of the first quarter, and extending that lead to 21-6 at halftime.

“We were good for most of the game defensively, didn’t get to the corner a couple of times,” said first-year Pocatello head coach Sunny Evans. “(We) just couldn’t make baskets in the first half.”

Just when it looked like the Rams would be coasting to an easy victory, Pocatello’s offense came to life in the third quarter.

A high-energy effort spearheaded by Hallie Pearson and Ellie Johnson led to the Indians scoring twice as much in the third quarter as they had in the previous two combined. A tenacious defensive effort complemented the offensive explosion, and held the Rams to just two points in the third quarter to Poky’s 12, knifing Highland’s lead down to five.

Though the lead was cut to four at the start of the fourth quarter, a timely 3-pointer by Pongah and a slew of free throws by the aggressive, rim-attacking Rams quickly ballooned the lead back to nine, and Poky couldn’t catch up before the final horn sounded.

Pearson led Pocatello in scoring with 10 points, and Johnson chipped in six.

Despite the loss, Evans saw many positives in the effort.

“I loved our willingness to stick to the game plan,” Evans said. “In the second half, despite only scoring six points in the first half, they didn’t pack it in. They decided to keep working and keep competing and we had a great third quarter. Couldn’t sustain it down the stretch, but I loved our effort.

“If we can learn how to put four solid quarters together, we’ll begin to see some success.”

Up next:

Highland (7-8, 1-2 5A District 5-6) plays Friday at Bonneville. Pocatello (2-10, 2-6 4A District 4-5) plays Friday at Minico.

HIGHLAND 37 POCATELLO 26

Highland 14 7 2 14 — 37

Pocatello 3 3 12 8 — 28

Pocatello — Pearson 10, Johnson 6, Tinno 3, Murdoch 3, Roubidoux 2, Wilkes 2.

Highland — Calley 9, Pongah 9, Thayne 6, Pokibro 5, Maughan 6, #4 2.