Alba-Golden Panthers working to find identity in early season hoops matchups

Posted 12/8/22

Quite possibly, the most challenging part of the early basketball season is finding the team identity. It must be a combination of resident talent, schemes, communications and an, often-unspoken, …

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Alba-Golden Panthers working to find identity in early season hoops matchups

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Quite possibly, the most challenging part of the early basketball season is finding the team identity. It must be a combination of resident talent, schemes, communications and an, often-unspoken, common belief held by everyone on the team of just what kind of team they will be. 

The Alba-Golden Panthers are at that critical stage just a couple of weeks into the 2022 campaign.

Will they be a guard-led team or will their game be generated from the wings or from the post? Will they out-rebound their opponents or out-shoot them? Will they deny the baseline or the paint?

Finding that identity can be tough, especially when the team is lucky enough to have many options.

This year’s Panthers have no fundamental weaknesses. Their ball handling is on par with local competition; they are strong on the inside, and their play on the wings is improving with each outing. Where they are going in this year’s campaign will be determined once they decide on an identity. 

There were hints last Tuesday in the evening match-up against the visiting Edgewood Bulldogs. As the third period ticked away, Edgewood looked to be in complete control of the game, leading by 18 points. 

Just before the quarter expired, Conner Gibson hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key. The team that came out for the fourth quarter was a different team. 

Jerry Skinner scored on a jumper from the lane. Gibson was fouled on a rebound and tossed in a free throw. He then hit a 3-pointer after some determined ball movement in the offensive zone.  

In the first four minutes of the final quarter, the Alba-Golden defense altered the offensive attack of the Bulldogs.

It was an effort highlighted by stealing a backdoor pass and forcing two turnovers. The Panthers also secured the balance of the rebounds during this stretch.

That was the team they had been working hard to find. It was not, unfortunately, sustained, and the Panthers fell to Edgewood 60-46.

The Edgewood game started with both teams pressing, full-court. While the Panthers’ press did create turnovers, the Bulldogs won the early turnovers-off-the-press game. Great movement and controlled play featured in that opening quarter. 

Kaden Kennedy took a charge in front of the basket, while Braylon Moffett led through sheer hustle. Brayden Randolph hit a jumper to draw the Panthers to within two points, and at the quarter break the score stood 13-11 Edgewood. 

There was no flow to the game in the second quarter, as both teams were in the bonus, and whistles were aplenty.

The Panthers struggled from the line, and it largely accounted for the 7-point margin at the half. Edgewood led 29-22 at the break.  

Edgewood turned the game in the third quarter. They did it by pushing the ball up the court, finishing at the basket and making the most of a significant height differential between the point guards. 

After Randolph sunk a 3-pointer to open the half, Edgewood went on a 9-point run followed by a 6-point run, creating the deficit at the end of three quarters. 

Following that Alba-Golden surge in the early minutes of the fourth quarter, Edgewood outscored the Panthers 11-6 in the final four minutes of play and went home with a win. 

After hosting Big Sandy Tuesday, the Panthers will be on the road for the next month. They travel to the All Saints Tourney, Big Sandy, Overton, Trenton, Cumby and New Diana before returning to the Panther gym Tuesday, Jan. 3 to face Fruitvale.