PHS Girls take first game in 2023 CIF State Basketball Championships
With the Central section behind them, the Porterville Panther girls basketball team had set their eyes on a new prize. That being the CIF State Championships with their first game against the Notre Dame Academy Regal Gryphons in Sharman Gym.
The Panthers fought hard and their determination paid off with a win as they scored 43-28.
The Orange and Green Panthers had a solid line up with Greenley Wilson, Camille Martin, Andrea Perez, Amaya Cortez, and Ryleigh Schoonover taking to the court to start the game. The first quarter started off with the tip-off that the Panthers Schoonover secured from the Regal Gryphons offense. Schoonover tipped the ball to Martin who took it down the court. With a fast dash the game was on and both teams were sprinting for points. Martin sent the ball hurtling to Perez who took the ball and moved it around the Regal Gryphons offense to try and confuse them. The Regal Gryphons fell for the bait and soon Perez had passed the ball to Wilson for the inside track. Wilson handed the ball to Cortez for the layup which Cortez made with ease.
The game was up 2-0 and the Panthers kept trucking with a shot from Perez putting the Panthers at 4-0 just seconds later. The Regal Gryphons took a three pointer from the Panthers but a fast rebound by Schoonover turned into a sprinting layup that brought the score to 6-3 and a time out from the Regal Gryphons coach. The first quarter continued with the Panthers holding a steady pressure and keeping the score neck and neck. The Regal Gryphons took the lead near the end of the first quarter but the Panthers responded in the last 54 seconds.
The Panthers’ Martin made a rebound from a Regal Gryphons attempt, and she made her way down the court before throwing the ball off to Cortez. Cortez looked for the basket but found it blocked by Gryphon bodies. Thinking quickly, Cortez shot the ball over the heads of the Gryphons to Perez on the other side of the court. Perez had no one to stop her as she took a step back to get to the 3-point line and she nailed the shot with a swish. The Panthers took the lead and kept it for the next 30 seconds to close out the first quarter 13-12.
The second quarter proved a bit tougher for the Panthers as they struggled to find a hole in the now warmed-up Regal Gryphons defense. The Gryphons took the first point of the quarter with a free throw attempt after a foul from a Panther. They’d break through the Panthers defense again for two and then again for two more. The Panthers stood at 13-17 and it wasn’t looking good. The Panthers Coach Kavern gave a pep talk to his team as he called a timeout with only a few minutes left in the half. The Panthers Schoonover took two massively impressive plays back to back where she was assisted by Perez and Tenaya Murrietta and brought the Panthers back to tie the game 17-17.
Emily Franco for the Panthers was next up and she expertly snagged the pass from Cortez. Franco made short work of it as she sprinted through the Gryphons defense and landed a solid layup for the final score of the first half at 19 for the Panthers and 21 for the Gryphons.
The second half contained the best plays
by the Panthers yet as they brought their lead back. A press from the Panthers was fouled by the Regal Gryphons, allowing Perez to step up to the free throw line for two. She'd secure both shots and tie the game up 21-21. Martin followed Perez in being fouled by the Gryphons and taking her own free throw attempts which she'd secure one of. Martin was fast on her feet and she'd make a pass to Cortez for the attempt. Cortez snagged the basket but also was fouled again by the Gryphons so Cortez stepped up and landed her free throw with a swish.
The fourth quarter was the nail in the coffin for the Regal Gryphons, the Panthers were looking fiery and they played hard. The first three minutes held conversions for Cortez, Murrietta, and Schoonover; All of which brought the score to a nice 12 point lead at 36-24. With six minutes left on the clock the game kept going with another foul by the Gryphons on the Panthers Franco this time. Franco took her place and sank both free throw attempts before passing the ball over to Wilson. Wilson made a fast dash with the ball before passing to Perez. Perez saw Schoonover who was wide open on the other side of the court. With a lofty throw she passed it and Schoonover clenched the ball out of the air. With a nice jumper from the inside, Schoonover took the Panthers 40th point and brought with it the Panthers final margin. With a foul on the Gryphons against Murrietta and Wilson, they were trying their hardest to keep the Panthers offense out. The Panthers Perez had the save as a narrow throw came rocketing by her. Perez took to the court and sprinted down it. With a fast leap she took a layup but was fouled by the Gryphons. Perez had no trouble taking the final free throw and she'd secure the Panthers win, 43-28.
The Porterville Panthers next scheduled game will be for Thursday the 2nd at 7pm.