A-G Panthers close out victory in final minutes
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It was the kind of game that makes Alba-Golden fans cringe. At one point the Panthers led the Quinlan-Boles Hornets by 14, but here it was with 2:00 on the clock, and the lead had shrunk to two …
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A-G Panthers close out victory in final minutes
It was the kind of game that makes Alba-Golden fans cringe. At one point the Panthers led the Quinlan-Boles Hornets by 14, but here it was with 2:00 on the clock, and the lead had shrunk to two points.
This time, the Panthers not only held on, they fought back and built the lead, taking home a 55-49 road win.
The score was 49-47 with possession to Alba-Golden. A 10-second violation forced by the Hornet press turned the ball over. Boedy Baker pulled down a defensive rebound, but the ball was turned back on a traveling call. Blake Weissert hit two free throws to make it 51-47.
Baker secured yet another defensive rebound. He dribbled out of the back court but was whistled for a traveling. In a rare outburst from the bench, with 1:11 on the clock, coach Craig Philo exhorted his team, “We can do it!”
Quinlan-Boles closed the score to 51-49. With 28 seconds to play Will Hartin drove the basket and scored. It was just the right move at the right time. The Panthers were up by four. A Weissert defensive rebound and two Hartin free throws preserved the win.
The Panthers used strong inside play throughout, timely shooting by Kyle and Kaden Kennedy and solid leadership from Weissert and Hartin to capture this win.
Quinlan-Boles had no answer for Baker. The powerful post dominated the boards. He also specialized in offensive rebound put-backs and once split a triple-team for a score. He led the Panthers with 22 points. Of note, Jack Patton also pulled down three boards at critical junctures in the first half.
The shooting contributions of Kaden Kennedy came during a closely-played second quarter and helped the Panthers take a 26-20 lead into halftime. Kyle Kennedy continued the trend after the break .
An increasingly desperate Hornet press kept pressure on the Panther guards. Weissert and Hartin demonstrated considerable poise in the face of the Hornet pressure. It was obvious while watching the Panthers break the press that they have played basketball together for a while.
Alba-Golden earned this win – start to finish. In a season distinguished by canceled games, quarantines and injuries, it was a well-deserved reward for a group of young men who have persevered.
