Basketball

By Rick Wilson

Tournament time is the greatest time of the season for players and coaches. It is a time when players get a chance to take everything they have been practicing and put it to use when it matters most. The Panthers battled the Shepherd Mustangs on Wednesday evening the first round of the district tournament. The Panthers had overcome lots of adversity throughout the season and hoped their perseverance would pay off. Both teams got after it on the defensive end as both teams struggled to put the ball in the basket. The Mustang 1-3-1 zone had caused problems in the previous game but the Panthers seemed have it figured out up to the point of making the shot. Kylen made a couple of shots in the first quarter and one early in the second quarter to keep the Panthers within shouting distance. Again, the Panther defense was very stout as it created 13 turnovers in the first half. Shepherd lead 18-15 at the break. Coming out of halftime the Panthers had the opening possession and ran a play for AJ to get an open three. It worked to perfection except that the ball rattled around the rim and then came out which was how the second half went for the Panthers. The Panthers made one field goal in the second half and they compounded their problems with 21 turnovers in the half. Shepherd ran away from the Panthers 51-22.

Scoring was as follows: Kylen Wolff 7, Jace Lemmel 6, Braedan Bilden 5, Morgan Sanner 2, and AJ Gray 2.

Friday evening was a win or go home for the season for the Panthers and the Joliet Jayhawks. Needless to say, it was a barn burner from the get go. The largest lead for either team was four points. Both teams worked extremely hard on the defensive end so it was an offensive struggle for both teams. In the first quarter the Panthers shot the ball fairly well as AJ, Jace, and Kylen all scored in the quarter but turnovers killed the Panthers as they had 9 in the quarter. As the game progressed, the turnovers cut down but so did the shooting percentage. The Panthers were in a hurry all day to get off their shots and didn’t capitalize when they had the opportunity. The game went to overtime but the Panthers were defeated 38-37 in a heart breaker.

Scoring was as follows: Jace Lemmel 12, AJ Gray 9, Kylen Wolff 7, Braedan Bilden 6, and Jordan Olson 4.

The Panthers would like to thank everyone for their support during the season and at the district tournament.

By Gary Van Dyke

As the regular Panther basketball season draws to a unceremonious close, a thank you to the players of both the ladies and gentlemen teams is warranted. Each of these teams played with heart, soul, determination, and perseverance, and despite the scoreboards seemingly lack of reflection of their efforts; they should be commended for their persistence and giving it all on the hardwood. It should also be noted the support of their fellow students, cheerleaders, stunt men, and the band made the events entertaining and livened the atmosphere in the dungery gym. The cheers, chants, and effervescent music projected made the evenings ball games a boisterous event. The crowds applause and introspection of the plays and calls added to the festivities, and gave this community a common bond. Thank you Panthers for an enjoyable and entertaining season.