Panthers come back to beat Birds
PROTECTED CONTENT
If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.
Username and Password Help
Please enter your email and we will send your username and password to you.
Logan Meisner goes for a two point shot. (Austin Andre/Jersey County Journal)
Francis Vogel (left) staves off Rocky Darr (right) attempting to make a dunk. (Austin Andre/Jersey County Journal)
By Austin Andre
On Wednesday, Jan 10,the Jersey Panthers varsity boys basketball team won their home non-conference game against the Southwestern Pisa Birds52-45. The game began with a concerning start for the Panthers, who fell behind the Birds quickly in the first quarter. Aside from a few free throws, the Panthers offense was hindered by an aggressive Birds team. As the second quarter began, the Panthers trailed 11-3. The offense for the Panthers picked up, albeit, slightly. However, despite scoring more points than the Birds in the second quarter, the Panthers still trailed 23-18. At halftime, the Panthers regrouped and reset themselves determined to put up a fight in the second half of the game.
The Panthers defense shined just as much as the offense in the third quarter, spending most of the game on the Birds’ end of the court, and holding them to just nine points.
The Panthers took their first lead of the game with a three point shot to beat the buzzer and turn the game upside down from 32-31 to 32-34. The Birds ran out of steam once the lead was lost, and couldn’t recapture the vigor they had once steamrolled the Panthers with in the first half. To say the Panthers defense was remarkable would be an understatement. Ball control was a major issue for the Birds, who were continuously hounded by the Panthers, who swarmed any opposing player with the ball.
Heading into the fourth and final quarter, with the game still in tight contention, the Birds fell apart as the Panthers extended the lead well ahead of the Birds. The Panthers held off whatever offense the Birds tried to muster and won the game. The Panthers record is 11-7 as of writing, their next meeting is an away conference game on Friday, Jan. 13, against the Civic memorial Eagles.
