Lady Panthers edged in close loss to C.H. Lady Indians

Panthers topped by top-ranked Caddo Hills

MAGNET COVE — For their return to home hoops Tuesday at Magnet Cove High School Gymnasium, the Magnet Cove Panthers and Lady Panthers welcomed Caddo Hills in two dandy duels of 7-2A Conference play for senior high girls and boys basketball in Panther Country.

LADY PANTHERS 39, CADDO HILLS 43

The Lady Panthers provided an all-out competitive fight, but the strong play from the Caddo Hills Lady Indians prevailed in a 43-39 victory. The Lady Indians maintained a slim six-point lead over the Lady Panthers at the break, 21-15. Coming out the locker room from halftime, the Lady Panthers regrouped but the Lady Indians continued to produce double-digit scoring quarters in the third and fourth periods—(11 points scored apiece in both periods). The Lady Panthers outscored Caddo Hills 24-22 for the second half, but the visiting Lady Tribe hoopsters secured the four-point conf. victory.

For the game, Lady Panthers’ Kassidy Gray led scoring with 13 points for double-figures. The trio of Jamie Kelley, Kynsli Brashears and Emily Cook all posted seven points apiece. Marleigh McCutcheon drilled a triple from downtown beyond the arc and Maddi Lawrence contributed two points from the field. Gray, Cook, with true-freshmen hoopsters Brashears and McCutcheon all busted the net from long distance with a trifecta apiece beyond the arc.

PANTHERS 42, CADDO HILLS 52

In the featured nightcap contest for senior high boys action, the Panthers brought it to one of the top-ranked teams in the state for Class 2A Caddo Hills Indians for the PPRD (Panther Pride Runs Deep) hoop fans on the court. The Panthers stayed close early with only a threepoint deficit to the ranked Indians 13-10 at the end of first quarter action. In the second, the Indians outscored Magnet Cove 14-8. At the break, the Panthers trailed in single-digits to the Indians, 27-18. In the second half, the Panthers surged with aggres

sion and fire power but was outscored only by one point 25-24 for third and fourth quarters combined. As a result, the Panthers fell to the ranked Indians by a 10-point defeat. For the game, Panthers’ Nathan Wetherington led scoring with a nice 14 point performance while Owen Tillery dropped 10 points with a trey from beyond the arc for double-figures. Levi Horton followed with eight points, postman Kadin Baker finished with six points and Jace Beckwith added four points against the ranked Indians.

Photo by Gerren Smith PANTHER TRANSITION: Magnet Cove’s Levi Horton (22) dribbles the ball to lead the transition with Owen Tillery (11) during senior high boys hoops at Magnet Cove High School Gymnasium.

Photo by Gerren Smith SENIOR LEADER: Magnet Cove senior Kassidy Gray (1) eyes over the defense while conducting the offense during recent senior high girls basketball action.