Panther boys open year with win at Independence

BAKERSFIELD - After losing four starters from last year’s East Yosemite League championship team this year’s Porterville High boys basketball team will be looking for its own identity, while still looking to be one of the best basketball teams in Tulare County. That team got off to a great start Tuesday night as they traveled to Independence High School and beat the Falcons 57-45.

PHS led the whole way, getting two quick buckets from Andrew Moody, a layup from Erik Odsather and a corner 3 point shot from Anthony Felix to build a 9-2 lead. After a Xavier O’neal layup Brayden Della scored 5 consecutive points for PHS to help lead it to a 14-4 first quarter lead.

Independence outscored PHS 7-2 to start the 2nd quarter but strong play from Odsather and Sebastian Mascorro in the quarter kept PHS up 27-19 at the half.

The Falcons cut the lead to 4 with 5:33 left in the 3rd but Mascorro buried 3 point shots on consecutive possessions and Odsather who led PHS in scoring with 15 points sank a couple free throws to get the Panther lead back to 10. Independence, who scrapped all night, got the deficit to 6 to end the quarter.

Two Brayden Della free throws and a Moody 3 point shot built the Panther lead to 11 to start the 4th quarter. Mascorro hit another three point shot and Odsather scored 5 points down the stretch to help the Panthers secure the victory.

After Odsather’s 15 Mascorro scored 14 while Moody and Della both scored 7 for the Panthers.

PHS starts the year 1-0 and will play Hanford this Tuesday.