Panthers roll after slow start

After they got off to a slow start, the Clarksville Panthers were able to bounce back in a big way Saturday.

Down 11-1 to Monticello early, the Panthers fought back to take a second quarter lead and eventually defeated the Billies 71-52 in the Arkansas Hoops Challenge at Maumelle.

“It’s been a week since we’ve played,” Clarksville Coach Tony Davis said. “It’s time to play.”

After the Billies scored the first nine points, Clarksville guard Freddy Lee got a layup at the 2:40 mark to break the Monticello run.

Clarksville turned up the heat with full court pressure resulting in seven consecutive points including a three-pointer by Darren Lee and two of three free throws by Freddy Lee to cut the gap to 13-10 at the end of the first quarter.

After Clarksville tied the game at 15-15, the Billies got two fastbreak buckets to go up 19-15. Freddy Lee then hit a deep three-pointer in the left corner to get the Panthers to within 19-18.

Clarksville got their first lead on a transition bucket by Jerren Thompson that put the Panthers up 20-19.

“We finally got it going there in the second quarter,” Davis said. “We hit some shots. We guard well anyway, but it’s amazing how well we guard when shots start falling.”

The lead changed hands three times in the second quarter, thanks to Kendrick Lee’s two three-pointer and another long jumper by Freddy Lee that put the Panthers up 31-25 at halftime. Kendrick Lee finished with 19 points.

The Panthers wouldn’t trail again.

“We are a young group,” Monticello Coach Wayne Sherer said. “They starting hitting shots and when you get behind a team like that, you have to chase them.”

Clarksville got two consecutive basketball, including a wraparound lay-up by Freddy Lee, to open up a 10-point lead to start the third quarter. He finished with 23 points to lead all scorers.

Clarksville closed the third quarter with a flurry of points, including a dunk by Dontae Woodbridge and a three-pointer by Kendrick Lee. Freddy Lee’s steal and basket pushed Clarksville’s advantage to 17 points with 45 seconds remaining in the third.

The Panthers ended the third quarter with a 51-37 lead.

A 12-4 run to open the fourth capped off by a Thompson follow up dunk put the game out of reach for Monticello.

Chris Robertson led Monticello with 15 points.