Alba-Golden hosted the LaPoynor Flyers last week and the visit produced two remarkably-similar games, albeit with polar opposite outcomes. The Lady Panthers picked up their fifth district win 52-46, while the Panthers fell to the Flyers in varsity boys action, 66-52.

In both cases the winning side seemed to have the better run of play for most of the game. Each had to withstand furious comeback attempts, but each held on to victory.  

The Lady Panthers battled against a very stingy 2-3 LaPoynor zone which caused problems in generating shots. Alba-Golden looked to their hounding full court press to jump-start their offense, but the Lady Flyers frequently broke the press and found open shots at the basket before the Lady Panthers could get their defense set. 

At the end of the first quarter, the score was notched. LaPoynor took a 27-22 halftime lead. 

Coming out for the second half, Alba-Golden employed its own 2-3 zone to great effect. Halfway through the third quarter, the Lady Panthers took the lead when Alexis Wilmut stole the ball in mid-court, hit a 3-pointer and was fouled on the shot. She completed the 4-point play, and the Lady Panthers never relented the lead.

All games are influenced by one or two players more than the rest. It’s just how basketball is. Friday was Wilmut’s night.

Until she fouled-out early in the fourth quarter, Wilmut was seemingly everywhere and in the middle of most of the action. Her night included tough defensive work inside, shot-blocking, scoring, rebounding and just plain old hustle. 

The third quarter saw some intense action with each side attacking the lane. Lainey Teel was a stalwart under the basket all night. She led the Lady Panthers with 22 points. Wilmut joined her in double figures with 13.

The final quarter belonged to Alba-Golden. The team exhausted the Lady Flyers with unrelenting pace of play. The Lady Panthers also owned the rebounding ledger in the closing quarter. It was a solid team win.

For the varsity boys, LaPoynor posed two significant problems: a big and powerful post and a very adept power forward who also acted as point guard. 

The first quarter was a bit of measuring – each side to the other. LaPoynor took the lead 17-11. 

Despite some nice passages of play in the second quarter – an amazing drive through traffic by Cameron Lennon and a beauty of a combination play between Lennon and Blake Harris – LaPoynor built a 17-point lead by the halftime break.

The Panthers mounted two second-half challenges. In the third quarter, the Panthers continued to grind away and met with some success. 

A couple of Harris offensive rebound put-backs, a steal and jumper from Boogie Trimble, a mid-range jump shot from Sam Olson and another Lennon drive closed the score to 41-31 late in the third. 

Lennon decided to take the ball to the basket in the final quarter. He put together a run of four scoring drives (the first off a steal) to close the deficit to 6 points. 

To their credit, LaPoynor would not allow the lead to be challenged. Each time the momentum swung to the home side, they managed to answer, usually by running the floor. The Flyers controlled the last three minutes and took home a 14-point win. 

For Alba-Golden, Lennon led scorers with 16 points and Harris added 15. Six other Panthers contributed.

Alba-Golden will next travel to Martin’s Mill Friday. The Lady Panthers remaining home dates are Jan. 28 and Feb. 4 as they host Fruitvale and Frankston, respectively. The varsity boys likewise face Fruitvale and Frankston as the Panthers begin their second half of district play.