It’s just 15 feet from the free throw line to the backboard. But in basketball, that short distance can make all the difference. It did twice for the Jefferson High boys’ squad last weekend – but not in the way they were hoping for.
In two physical matchups, the Panthers fell to both Whitehall and Manhattan. The losses knocked Jefferson out of a three-way tie for third place in their division, leaving it struggling for position as the play-offs loom.
In Whitehall, the Panthers and Trojans produced a taut match-up for the first 28 minutes. Short spurts by both teams yielded a 26-20 Whitehall lead at the half. And after the Trojans started the third period with a 7-2 run, Jefferson responded with an 8-0 dash of its own. The game stayed close until the final four minutes.
