The Panther boys continue to struggle to stay healthy and avoid injuries. It has just been one of those years that those things just keep popping up.
The Panthers took on a strong Whitehall boys’ team on Friday on the JHS floor. The Trojans started with a 5-0 lead. Mead Blake got the Panthers started with a two midway through the quarter. Josh Eckmann scored, Bryce Harrington took advantage of an assist from Blake, and the Panthers inched back into the game. After Nolan Sonsteng hit a three at the end of the quarter, the Panthers trailed 14-11 heading into the second quarter.
The second quarter started well enough for the Panthers as they came back to tie the game at 17 on back-to-back three pointers by Sonsteng and Jaxson Yanzick. Another three by Eckmann kept the Panthers in the hunt, but the Trojans went on a 12-4 run to take a 34-24 lead at the half.
The game was still within range after three, but the fourth quarter was a downer for the Panthers who struggled to get anything to go through the hoop. Five points was all the Panthers were able to find and even those were tough to get. Eckmann and Trevor Giulio each hit a basket and Yanzick a free throw. Meanwhile Whitehall collected 27 points in the half to take a 61-40 win.
Josh Eckmann led the Panthers with 18 points, the only Panther in double figures. Harrington netted 8, Sonsteng 6, Yanzick 4, and Blake and Guilio 2 each.
It did not get any better for the Panthers the next night in Manhattan. The Panthers beat the Tigers the first time the two teams met this season, but it was the other way around this time.
The Panthers took a 6-1 lead on baskets by Blake, Britton Peterson and Sonsteng, but the Tigers answered with the next nine points. Yanzick hit a three to pull the Panthers within one, 10-9, at the end of one.
Scoring only six points in the second quarter, the Panthers saw the Tigers pull away to a 24-15 half time lead.
The fast paced game saw a lot of collisions and hard hits that took their toll on the players. Despite the rough play, the game stayed fairly close in the third. A three by Sonsteng, a free throw by Harrington and a basket by Peterson set the score at 33-23, Tigers, with three minutes left in the quarter. A three by Eckmann lifted the Panther total, but the Tigers were still out front going into the final quarter, 43-32.
Eckmann started the fourth hitting two of three free throws and the Panthers were still in striking range, trailing 45-34. The last six minutes belonged to the Tigers, though. Harrington and Eckmann each fouled out after whistles unpopular with Panther fans, and the Tigers took advantage, rolling to a 66-40 win.
This week the Panthers host Three Forks on Friday, Pack the House Night, hosted by the Booster Club. Fans in purple or gold get in free. Games start at 3:00 and the varsity girls play at 6, the varsity boys at 7:30.
Saturday is a road trip to Choteau where play gets underway at 1:00 for the C teams. Varsity boys will play at 4 and varsity girls take over at 5:30.
