Panthers face Anaconda, Fairfield at tourney

The JHS Panther boys had their hands full against two powerful teams at the Three Forks tournament Friday and Saturday. With the Panther players still trying to heal up after football, they found the going tough.

First up was a very strong Anaconda team that took second at state last year and have all but one of the players from that team back this year. Hayden Guisti put the Panthers on the scoreboard with a free throw, Josh Eckmann added a pair of baskets and Guisti sank another free throw to give the Panthers a 6-2 lead in the first three minutes of the game. Bryce Harrington made it 8-5, a three by Eckmann put the Panthers up 11-5, Nolan Sonsteng swished a three followed by a two by Jaxson Yanzick and the Panthers were out front 16-9. The first quarter ended with the Panthers up 16-11.

Anaconda returned to the floor with the hot hands, starting the second quarter with an 8-0 run in the first minute to take a 19-16 lead. Britton Peterson put the first Panther points on the board with 6:21 left to pull the JHS boys within one, 19-18. The Copperheads responded by putting in the next five points before Eckmann stopped their run with a three. Down 29-21 with three minutes remaining, the Panthers got a pair of free throws from Eckmann and a three from Sonsteng to end the half down 31-26.