Folks attending the final Alba-Golden Panthers home varsity boys basketball game last Friday got a real treat. Coach Craig Philo resorted to a time-honored and seldom-used strategy to take on the visiting and district-leading North Hopkins Panthers. The visitors prevailed 32-19 but struggled mightily to overcome the very effective stall of Alba-Golden. 

The tactic seemed to surprise everyone in the gym, especially the North Hopkins team and coaches. For three quarters it worked as advertised. North Hopkins was clearly frustrated. With having so few offensive possessions per side, it made each shot doubly-important, hence increasing the winning percentages available to Alba-Golden.

At the half the score stood 15-9, North Hopkins. At the end of three quarters the home side trailed only 24-18. Alba-Golden spent the first three quarters a mere two 3-pointers shy of the lead.

Any strategy is tough to commit to for an entire game, and it is no different with a stall. Alba-Golden had overcome mistakes early in the game – three consecutive turnovers to start the second half had given North Hopkins a 13 point lead – but they fought back each time. 

A 3-pointer by Blake Weissert and jumper by Kaden Kennedy off an inbound play closed the deficit at the end of the third quarter. After two scoreless minutes to start the final period, Jack Patton raced the length of the court to emphatically block the shot of North Hopkins’ big man on a break. 

There appeared to be a final push at hand for the Panthers. It was not to be. Two quick 3-pointers by North Hopkins and back-to-back misses from Alba-Golden separated the teams going down the stretch. With three minutes to play, it was then the visitors’ turn to kill the clock.

The loss had some strong positives with which to wrap up the season. With only a few days preparation, Alba-Golden had adopted a strategy which required keen court awareness, clean ball-handling and patience. They executed it exceptionally well.

Of particular note, Will Hartin and Blake Weissert had their best night of the season handling the ball. Their decision-making was key to the stall tactic and Alba-Golden’s chance at victory.

Had it not been for two brief stretches – at the start of the third quarter, and one in the middle of the final period – the Panthers could have pulled off an epic upset.

The loss left the Panthers in a tie with Quinlan-Boles for the final district playoff spot. The two teams met the following day at Rains High School.

Boles defeated Alba-Golden 54-46 and secured the final playoff spot.